Draft EA Due in April
Fish, Wildlife & Parks Offers Scoping Period on Bison Hunt
By David Nolt, 2-29-08
A young bison near West Yellowstone, Montana. Photo by David Nolt.
In an effort to flush out “any other broad issues” related to the experimental bison hunt in Montana, the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (MFWP) is offering a public scoping period on the hunt before a draft revised Environmental Assessment (EA) is released some time in April. The two-week scoping period ends on March 7, 2008.
The already complicated issue of bison hunting is set to become even more so as Idaho’s Nez Perce seek a larger harvest of bison under treaty rights allowing the Nez Perce to hunt in “open and unclaimed land” around Yellowstone National Park. The Nez Perce claim they are able to harvest 70 to 110 bison, but MFWP contends they are limited to 41.
The Nez Perce assertion comes as the Montana Department of Livestock (DOL) and the Yellowstone National Park Service continue to capture and slaughter bison to prevent the spread of the disease brucellosis from bison to cattle, though there is no evidence of this ever occurring. The agencies have captured 661 bison so far this winter. The DOL contends the loss of Montana’s brucellosis-free status would cause significant economic harm to ranchers, who would then have to test cattle before sending them out of state to slaughter.
Bison status is a peculiar one in Montana; though wild bison are listed as a MFWP species of concern, they are also treated as a diseased species in need of management. Melissa Frost, MFWP Information and Education Program Manager, says bison are “probably the most complex species in terms of wildlife management” in the state.
The 2003 legislation establishing a bison hunt gives the MFWP – “after consultation with the Department of Livestock” – management authority over the hunt. However, all bison management outside of the hunt is administered by the five signatory agencies under the Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP). The Park Service is the lead agency for bison management within the park, and the DOL takes the lead outside the park.
The IBMP calls for bison to be limited to a population of between 2,500 and 3,500. A goal of the IBMP is also to “preserve a viable, wild population of Yellowstone bison,” but critics contend the IBMP compromises the genetic diversity and health of Yellowstone’s herds by allowing the hazing of bison within and around the borders of the park and by sending hundreds of genetically pure Yellowstone bison to slaughter.
Elk also carry brucellosis, but are treated as free-roaming wildlife outside the park and are managed by the MFWP. Critics say the double-standard means elk should either be managed like bison or the IBMP should be adapted to shift the emphasis to protecting individual cattle operations in order to allow bison to roam freely in and out of the park.
A public comment period will follow the release of the draft EA in April 2008. To see the original 2004 bison hunt EA, click here. To comment on the bison hunt, click here.
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BUT the only thing that IS happening, is an awful lot of MONEY is being flushed down the toilet!!!! Instead of seeing an:
ASS(et) we are getting a LIE(ability)
Thanks for reading.
-David Nolt
In other words, FW&P;Is trying to sell the eggs, BEFORE they get the chickens. Don't they realize you need a coop for the chickens in order to get enough eggs to sell? And that the EGGS always taste better when the chickens got to run around the yard.
I do enjoy your articles!!!
>>>>>>>>>
Reversal calls for expanded lynx protection
Proposal identifies 10,590 square miles near park for habitat
By MIKE STARK
Of The Gazette Staff
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Thursday proposed a sweeping expansion of the amount of "critical habitat" for the threatened Canada lynx, including an additional 21,000 square miles in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.
The move would increase the area of critical habitat from 1,841 square miles in the lower 48 states to 42,735 square miles.
It also, for the first time, includes areas around Yellowstone National Park.
The change would require government agencies to take the lynx into account when deciding how federal land will be used. Private property owners wouldn't be affected unless they're seeking federal funding or permits for their land, the agency said.
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I'm NOT trying to be a jerk, I'm just wondering how Bison and Lynx sharing ranges could be bad?
Thanks! :o)
In other words more proof of irrational thinking on the Part of the human species. Vindictiveness, vs. level-headedness (if that's even a word) Sad, isn't it?
Where the North American Model has been very successful in other instances, it has not worked for the bison. As stated in the public notice of the EA, “The intent of the law authorizing the current bison hunt was to allow hunters to harvest wild bison under fair chase conditions without endangering the bison population…” After three years the hunt may be considered a success to some but on a whole is has failed to live up to the principles of the Model. By failing to enlist hunters in the struggles to provide for viable bison population on identified suitable public lands within Montana, hunter are proving unworthy of a hunt. When we speak about hunting bison in Montana what is really being said is the complete slaughter of all bison within Montana. How is that “fair chase” and not “endangering the bison population” of Montana? The original “intent” has not been met. As the FWP continue down this road of slaughter, they are betraying another principle of wildlife conservation: The Public Trust. In the case of the bison, the FWP is failing as Trustees of our wildlife.
It is good the FWP has opened the original EA up for public comment. The harvest numbers do need more flexibility. The FWP should suspend the bison hunt immediately. They should stop and they should stop hunters from being stooges for the DOL. They should start standing up for bison and its public habitat in Montana, establishing viable year round herds first. Kill the hunt until it can be conducted with respect for Montana’s bison. Reduce the number of tags to zero for all parties involved including the North American tribes. Until, if ever, we as hunters get it right for the bison first there should be no diluting of the North American Model. Hunters do not need to stoop to level of the DOL, we are better than that and the bison deserve better.
BRAVA for your comments! They would do well in the public forum such as a letter to the editor and/or guest opinion piece. I encourage you to do so.
I know Glenn/GWA has been working very hard to get hunters more involved and this really helps. Thanks for writing so succinctly.
Karrie
My other coment is that it could in the long run be good for Montana as a whole if we did loose our brucellosis free rating.
I know a lot of people will swallow their tongues over this but it could result in more Montana beef being processed in Montana.Keep our food local and where we can have a say in what we are being fed.