Guest opinion: Montana last, best place for native bison
Glenn Hockett; Billings Gazette
Bison entering southwest Montana from Yellowstone National Park are managed under the Interagency Bison Management Plan. The idea is to utilize science and experience to manage bison as wildlife while respecting the economic interests of the livestock industry. Bison are allowed in two small areas for limited times immediately west and north of the park.This "fence 'em in" approach has not worked.
Now the state is asking for public input on how bison can be valued and managed as native free-ranging wildlife over a broader landscape, year-round in southwest Montana.
A vast landscape of public and bison-friendly private landowners in southwest Montana stretches all the way to the critical winter ranges we worked together to protect as Wildlife Management Areas. These WMAs frame a science-based landscape elk and now bison can call home. There are the Wall Creek and Bear Creek WMAs in the Madison Valley, the Gallatin WMA in the Taylor's Fork and Upper Gallatin watershed and the Dome Mountain WMA in the Upper Yellowstone Valley, all public lands set aside specifically for wildlife. Large private landowners such as the Dome Mountain Ranch and the Sun Ranch would also welcome wild bison as a valued native big game species.
This bison habitat is framed by large portions of the Gallatin and Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forests as well as the Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in the Centennial Valley. This is a wild landscape where grizzlies, elk, antelope, wolves and other wildlife roam freely. Most of it is public land and the opportunity to restore wild bison to the mix while respecting the concerns of private landowners is at our finger tips.
In north central Montana, the 1.1 million acre Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge is perfectly located as the foundation for a spectacular public/tribal bison restoration effort. This wild prairie landscape has over a million acres of BLM land including the 375,000-acre Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. Additionally, it is framed by the 649,000 acre Fort Belknap Indian Reservation to the west and the nearly 1 million acre Fort Peck Reservation to the east. Large bison-friendly private landowners in this area include the American Prairie Reserve and The Nature Conservancy. Both have invested substantially in the restoration and conservation of wild prairie landscapes and wildlife. Here is a place where bison roamed in vast numbers. The opportunity to restore them is incredible.
If you care about Montana's wildlife, now is the time to speak up. As Montanans, let's work together to make Montana the last best place for bison in a manner respectful of both public and private property rights.
For the statewide planning effort, send your comments to: bison_management@mt.gov
For the southwest Montana effort send comments to: yearroundbison-scoping@mt.gov
Now the state is asking for public input on how bison can be valued and managed as native free-ranging wildlife over a broader landscape, year-round in southwest Montana.
A vast landscape of public and bison-friendly private landowners in southwest Montana stretches all the way to the critical winter ranges we worked together to protect as Wildlife Management Areas. These WMAs frame a science-based landscape elk and now bison can call home. There are the Wall Creek and Bear Creek WMAs in the Madison Valley, the Gallatin WMA in the Taylor's Fork and Upper Gallatin watershed and the Dome Mountain WMA in the Upper Yellowstone Valley, all public lands set aside specifically for wildlife. Large private landowners such as the Dome Mountain Ranch and the Sun Ranch would also welcome wild bison as a valued native big game species.
This bison habitat is framed by large portions of the Gallatin and Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forests as well as the Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in the Centennial Valley. This is a wild landscape where grizzlies, elk, antelope, wolves and other wildlife roam freely. Most of it is public land and the opportunity to restore wild bison to the mix while respecting the concerns of private landowners is at our finger tips.
In north central Montana, the 1.1 million acre Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge is perfectly located as the foundation for a spectacular public/tribal bison restoration effort. This wild prairie landscape has over a million acres of BLM land including the 375,000-acre Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. Additionally, it is framed by the 649,000 acre Fort Belknap Indian Reservation to the west and the nearly 1 million acre Fort Peck Reservation to the east. Large bison-friendly private landowners in this area include the American Prairie Reserve and The Nature Conservancy. Both have invested substantially in the restoration and conservation of wild prairie landscapes and wildlife. Here is a place where bison roamed in vast numbers. The opportunity to restore them is incredible.
If you care about Montana's wildlife, now is the time to speak up. As Montanans, let's work together to make Montana the last best place for bison in a manner respectful of both public and private property rights.
For the statewide planning effort, send your comments to: bison_management@mt.gov
For the southwest Montana effort send comments to: yearroundbison-scoping@mt.gov
Glenn Hockett of Bozeman is the volunteer president of
Gallatin Wildlife Association.
Gallatin Wildlife Association.
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