Where the Buffalo Roam
Bison: What’s the Value Per Head?
By Lucia Stewart, 11-22-06
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| Roaming Buffalo on the Road to... courtesy of First People | |
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As the cold winter months settle in the Rocky Mountains, Yellowstone Bison, or commonly known as buffalo, roam north to the low lands in search of food. As they cross the arbitrary border onto Montana state and private land, 140 may abruptly find a dinner table fate.
Bison meat is becoming more in demand as increasingly health-conscious Americans seek a heart-healthy, lean, red meat. Bison, particularly wild bison, are not subjected to hormones, immunizations or other questionable drugs or chemicals.
Scientific studies also conclude that bison meat is an alternative to red meat for diabetics, heart patients and health-conscious eaters, with two-third less fat and one-third less calories on average. Last year saw record numbers of bison being processed under U.S. federal inspection, over double the amount processed five years ago.
As bison meat is becoming in more of demand, is Montana and its landowners recognizing their potential bison commodity?
Hunting Licenses
The Bison hunt in Montana began on Wednesday last week. The 140 licensed hunters will be able to pursue bison on nearly 720 square miles of wildlife habitat near West Yellowstone and Gardiner until February 15th.
Currently Montana is paying close to pennies for their bison hunting license, a mere $125 for residents while Wyoming residents pay $331. Utah residents vary from $408 to $1105 depending on the hunting location. And South Dakota residents and nonresidents pay equally $1000 to $4,000, which needs to be paid in full when submitting an application.
Montana is tops the charts for number of hunting licenses, 140 in total. Wyoming offers licenses based on the number of bulls that leave Yellowstone National Park, which last year equated to 36. Utah is offering 27 licenses for its hunting areas at Antelope Island and the Henry Mountains this year. And South Dakota is offering 10 trophy bull licenses, 18 for non-trophy bulls and six for cows, all in Custer State Park.
In the Black Hills of South Dakota, Custer State Park manages a 1,500 head of bison within their boundaries. As part of their management plan, they offer hunting licenses and organize a successful bison auction.
Last Saturday, the 41st annual Fall Classic Bison Auction sold 213 bison of all ages for a whopping $135,370, all of which make up a significant portion of the state park’s operation funds.
Native American Traditions
Of the 140 licenses issued, 16 have been allotted to Montana’s Indian Tribes. According to Senate Bill 91, Montana Indian Tribes are provided two licenses to ensure bison for traditional ceremonies, to use as they see fit and so bison meat is available for the treatment of diabetes.
It is believed that diabetes in Native Americans is caused by the adoption of non-native foods, and the reintroduction of traditional nutrition is one of the best preventatives in eradicating diabetes. Although diabetes rates do vary by tribal group, the American Diabetes Association considers it to be a serious threat to all Native American’s health with national efforts to minimize it.
Today, the Winnebago Tribe in northeastern Nebraska are involved in a bison project to restore the bison to the reservation for reasons such as spiritual revitalization, ecological renewal, tribal health and economic development. They use youth volunteers to maintain the herds while they intent to see prairie restoration in tandem with the maintenance of the bison pasture.
Brucellosis?
Some will argue that Yellowstone National Park is currently overgrazed with the amount of species per square mile. Since it is a safe haven with few predators, the landscape is often considered over-occupied with elk, bison, deer and other grazing species. Therefore, it is believed there is even more of a need for bison to have the same privileges as elk to graze on the lower lands of Montana, especially during the hard winter months.
In 2000, a Montana state and federal plan approved the ability for bison who wander out of the national park to be hazed back into Yellowstone, and sometimes captured and sent to slaughter, out of concern they might transmit the disease brucellosis to cattle nearby.
Last year, federal agents captured more than 1,000 bison and 849 were shipped to a slaughter facility. A group of some 52 Indian tribes offered to take the excess bison to roam on Indian reservations, but Montana state officials say the brucellosis concern is too great to allow the bison out of the park. A majority of slaughtered meat was then donated to Native American tribes and food banks, although none of which were in Montana. (If cooked properly, meat from infected animals is not a health risk to humans.)
The Montana Fish Wildlife and Park and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service are currently undergoing a three-phase Bison Quarantine Feasibility Study to determine the possibility of certifying brucellosis free bison. If successful, FWP and APHIS will consider placing roaming herds on public, private and tribal lands in Montana. It’s a long-range project that could take up to 10 years to complete. It costs about $160,000 to operate the quarantine facilities each year, which is provided by federal and state funding.
Currently, Montana is glancing at bison as a management affair than something that could assist in putting Montana in a marketplace that is only increasing. Bison is a drought-tolerate species that is native to our environment and a resource that is in tune with Montana’s grass plains. Although there are steps being taken to integrate wild bison back into Montana, there could be a closer look at how others are creating a beneficial product and service and how revenue could assist in expediting or supporting Montana's bison management.
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Comments
Where is the respect for this great national symbol? This report totally glosses over the fact that the Yellowstone bison are America's last continuously wild herd left in the country. They are genetically and behaviorally unique and their numbers are dangerously low. There are only two other publicly-owned bison herds in the U.S. that don't contain cattle genes, but these bison are fenced in and culled like livestock. The Yellowstone bison are the only ones who still remember how to migrate, and follow that instinct. Yet they are persecuted for doing so. Genetically speaking, their population is critically low. Wild bison existed in the tens of millions, and now the last wild herd is less than .01 percent of the historic population.
The article also glosses over the fact that Montana's so-called bison hunt is targetting a species that is currently ecologically extinct in the state. Yes, ecologically extinct. Wild bison are managed by the Department of LIVESTOCK whenever they attempt to enter Montana, and they aren't even considered a wildlife species. There is never - EVER - a time that wild bison are allowed in Montana without being subjected to harassment, quarantine, or death. Bison need to access Montana's lower-elevation lands outside of Yellowstone, just like elk and deer do. They should be valued as a native wildlife species, just like elk and deer are. They should take precedence over cattle on all public lands. They should be allowed to establish a viable population throughout the state before they are "hunted." The draconian policy trying to create a zoo out of Yellowstone - the Interagency Bison Management Plan - has taken the lives of more than 5,000 wild bison since 1985 - that's more than exists today. Last year, Yellowstone National Park - the agency that's supposed to protect wildlife - sent over 1,000 wild bison to slaughter at the behest of the cattle industry. Bison are far more than a "healthy alternative" - they once gave themselves willingly and received respect and honor in return, not full-scale slaughter.
Please take some time to learn about what is really going on with wild bison that attempt to enter Montana. Visit http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org. Brucellosis is a great excuse for the cattle industry and their federal supporters to maintain control over the land. Enough is enough. Wild bison have never transmitted brucellosis to cattle, and likely never would. Elk also carry brucellosis, yet they are free to roam the state and cross the man-made lines in the sand. This is a range war, it's not about disease. It's time to protect the last wild bison rather than blasting them away at Yellowstone's borders. Hunters are being used by the livestock industry to keep bison out of Montana. Once the "hunt" is over, the government agents will arrive on their snowmobiles, ATVs, horses, helicopters and trucks to shove the bison off their native habitat back into Yellowstone National Ranch. Montana and the National Park Service need to rethink their nefarious policies - it's mismanagement at best, persecution at worst. The buffalo slaughter of the 19th century is still going strong here in Montana. It's time for it to stop and it's time for the buffalo to roam free. Please take part in making this a reality. Let the Buffalo Roam!
It will be interesting to see how the other bison herds are being managed in Montana.
Stephany - I agree with you that the American Bison is an icon, particularly of our Western History, that should be preserved and celebrated. I had not thought about the fact that the Yellowstone bison are a breed unique to itself. Thanks.
This article was meant to pose the middle ground of a polarized perspective of bison in Montana. As the bison is looked at more of a value, in which ever way people choose, they eventually may not be looked at as meerly a pest that could bring illness to cattle.
Although I don't agree with how the roaming bison, who are only following their instincts, are treated once they cross the arbitrary border into Montana, this article was to present what others are doing to increase the value and head count of bison in their regions and territories. By looking at how bison are raising monetary funds in other areas, maybe Montana could look at these for examples to increase funding to speed up the quarantine study or build a reserve so that when its scientifically proven, mostly for the Montana Stockgrower's Association, the FWP or the DOL has funding to purchase land rights around Yellowstone or other means to assist in the ability for the bison to roam.
Anyway, there's a lot to this tale, to be sure. The industry and government has done a great job pulling the wool over many eyes and instilling fear in the name of a disease that's low on the radar of the CDC. Heck, you can eat the meat of brucellosis-infected animals, as they prove each time they slaughter buffalo they say are infected and give the meat to Tribal charities or food banks... Brucellosis is a farse.
Wild buffalo are the native, rightful roamers of this land, and it's time that we all stood aside from our anthropocentric ideas about restoration and value and really took a look at the buffalo's perspective in all of this. Their value is in their existence and freedom to live as buffalo are meant to live. Let wolves manage the buffalo! Hunters can have their part, too, but it's no good until there are buffalo filling their niche throughout what's left of their historic range. Their restoration will come when we learn to coexist. It is critical that we have this dialogue, so I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thanks for writing back and for thinking about the buffalo.
What??? Yellowstone, overgrazed? Few predators? A thriving wolf population, grizzlies and black bears--"few predators" is a ridiculous claim. Too bad the author didn't better qualify who the "some" are who are allegedly making this argument.
What on earth do you consider a few? Over 150 wolves chowing down on elk and moose? Bears eating the same? Cougars killing fewer, but still present? No wonder you think 4 or 5000 buffalo are "ecologically extinct".
Now as to the continuously wild, while it is true there were about 20 buffalo left in Pelican Valley, they eventually mnixed with the domestic herds brought from Texas and Montana. None of those buffalo had the slightest instinct to migrate into Monana. Possibly the Pelican Valley animals went down into what is now Cody country, but certainly none of the others had any instinct to migrate to the West Yellowstone or Gardiner, especially not the Texas animals. Please present true facts, not emotions.
They initially felt it was necessary to keep the numbers under 1000 to protect the somewhat limited range. Now we have several times that many and it isn't enough?
As for the brucellosis, the last herd in Wyoming that was infected was known to have infected buffs as well as elk around them. And while it is true that no one has seen the buffalo actually infect the cattle they certainly have in labs. It may be worthwhile to you to take that risk, it is not to the ranchers who would pay the price.
Do you need some more info on the early herds brought in?
The bison that saved themselves in the Pelican Valley didn't do it because it was prime open grassland, they did it because they were able to hide in the remote country. Bison have been trying to get out of Yellowstone's high country - especially in Winter and Spring - ever since. As I'm sure you're aware, the buffalo's prime habitat is the Great Plains, but they are being caged in Yellowstone. It's great summer habitat, but that's a pretty short season here in these parts and it doesn't provide what elk, bison and many other wildlife species need in order to survive the winter. And, if it weren't for the livestock industry and the state and federal governments, the bison would migrate out and move east again. They are being prevented from doing this.
Further, the 3,000 cap on the bison population you mention is POLITICALLY derrived, not biologically or ecologically. Yellowstone can sustain far more bison than they do now. And if the Park appears to be overgrazed by some, well, thank goodness wolves are back to help even it out again. But, it's n ot overgrazed, it's just poor winter and spring habitat.
The cattle industry needs to take some responsibility for infecting native wildlife with diseases from their invasive animals.
Yes, some buffalo were saved from extinction by humans - Goodnight (Texas) and Samuel Walking Coyote (Montana). These bison are genetically strong, though the Park Service did handle them a bit, and the "bright idea" of the Park SErvice at the time was to nurse one of those calves brought in on an invasive cow, and walla - brucellosis enters the bison herd. Human induced transmission every single time - whether it's nursing buffalo to cows, lab force-feeding, or elk feedgroundds.
The very unique thing about the wild Yellowstone bison is that they are PURE bison (no cattle genes), they are the only bison to continuously occupy their native range and they still follow the instinct to migrate. And this is a species that's meant exist in the MILLIONS, not the low thousands. They are not meant to be locked up in an outdoor zoo, such as Yellowstone. They are nomadic. They migrate. The wild bison population in America is less than .01 percent of its historic population - that's looking over the brink of genetic collapse. So, yes, we do feel - and strongly - that 4,000 wild bison is too few. There aren't even that many. Maybe at the beginning of last year, but Montana and Yellowstone National Park saw to killing over a thousand for no reason - more than half of those slaughtered were brucellosis NEGATIVE. Brucellosis is a farce. It's a smokescreen issue that's being used to help the livestock industry control the land, plain and simple, it's about the grass and who gets to eat it. If brucellosis was such a threat, Wyoming would shut down the elk feedgrounds immediately.
Come to Yellowstone and spend time experiencing for yourself what is happening here. I'd be happy to escort you into the field to see what's really going on here, and to show you the absence of cattle as well. Lastly, bison are native, cattle are not - they are invasive. And bison ARE ecologically extinct in Montana. There's never a time they are allowed to exist in the state (just on the boundaries of Yellowstone) without being subjected to harassment, capture, slaughter, quarantine or other forms of persecution and death. Ranchers brought brucellosis into this country and they SHOULD pay the price.
The early biologists felt the park could handle no more than a thousand buffs, they even gave them away to private individuals. How can you possibly say that the buffalo have an instinct to migrate when they came from different parts of the country and the YNP animals left were on the east side of Yellowstone. You have your own little scenario and are trying to make up facts to fit it.
Neither you, nor anyone else can say how the brucellosis infection got started since no one knew about the disease at the time the buffalo were brought in. the fact is it is a real disease and it would be irresponsible on the part of the Montana government to allow it to be spread to ranches. You would do so much more good to put your efforts into helping try to find an immunization for brucellosis.
Buffalo are not an animal that can ever run wild like they were when the country was settled. They travel in huge herds and can flatten everything in their path. Can you imagine heading down I-90 when a herd of them decided to get on the highway and travel down it?
There were a total of 56 adult wolves and 80 pups killed during the 42 year period that a bounty was paid on them in Yellowstone. I'm sure you know there are more than that right now all at one time. That is not "restoring a balance", that is satisfying egos.
When the Washburn expedition made the first exploration of the Park, they estimated 30,000 elk and they were in a somewhat limited area. They saw a few bison tracks around Yellowsotne Lake, but no animals. Everts reported hearing a wolf howl when he was lost those 30 days, and that was toward the end. They did not report a single wolf, but they saw bears and heard lots of lions.
The problem is Yellowstone has become a designer ecosystem and is jsut not going to be sustainable in the present form. When the wolf biologist starts studying the weather to see why it is making wolves kill bull elk, you know they have jumped the trolley.
The world is big enough for commercially grown cattle as well as anything else. The problems with a single species focus is that you can't see the big picture. You need to get out and see those ranches in evenings and mornings and see how much wildlife they support on private ground. wildlife in the west will diminsih if you suceed in getting rid of ranches.
The cattle were in the forests from the time of settlement jsut because so much land was owned by the government. It was one of the agreements the govermnet made to get settlers out here.