A nonprofit group is calling for a meeting of tribal representatives in an attempt to push for co-management of Yellowstone National Park’s bison. Buffalo Field Campaign is asking tribal representatives to gather in November to outline its plan. The group has cited tribal sovereignty as the key to allowing bison to roam outside the park onto other federal lands, like other wildlife. The proposal will undoubtedly cause a stir as federal and state agencies are working to draw up a new bison management plan. The old plan was developed following a lawsuit filed by Montana against the National Park Service in an attempt to keep bison out of the state. This winter, tribal hunters killed a record number of park bison as they migrated out of Yellowstone. The park’s herd was reduced by about one-third thanks to the hunt, animals that were wounded and later killed by officials and about 300 bison pulled for the park’s quarantine program to be tested for brucellosis. More on the Buffalo Field Campaign’s plans can be found in my story at: https://billingsgazette.com/outdoors/#tracking-source=menu-nav
Written by Brett French | Outdoors Editor for Billings Gazette Communications
