State hunt relies solely on bison migration from Yellowstone Park. Few migrated-
Single bison shot in state’s winter hunt. By Matthew Brown. Associated Press |
Now, however, Montana’s Department of Livetock is completely out of control and wants to kill any bison that leave the Park even in cattle free areas, in violation of the new tolerance by the Park Service and the Forest Service.
Brown writes:
“Now that the three-month hunt has ended, animals leaving the park will be subject to hazing, capture and possibly slaughter under a program meant to prevent the spread of animal disease to cattle.
And, after being criticized by ranchers last year for what they saw as a migration that got out of control, state livestock officials are planning a more aggressive response this year.
Montana state veterinarian Marty Zaluski said that ‘proactive’ plan will apply even in areas where cattle aren’t present, starting immediately.” [emphasis added]
I can’t see how the Dept. of Livestock is allowed to do this — violate the public lands of the American people and the private property rights of Montanans. As I have said many times before, the only rational explanation of the DOL is it is the agency that shows who really rules over the people and land of the area.
Comments
Ralph
If you read the Record of Decision for the IBMP (2000), you’ll see DOL’s ultimate authority for bison management in Montana acknowledged by all signatories. What that means is, DOL agrees with the IBMP except when it doesn’t, and the other agencies agree that they have no control over DOL.
Now doesn’t that make perfect sense?
RH
I have a hard time with the bison stuff. I currently live in Boise, Idaho and would love to live in Montana, but with all this BS concerning the bison really bothers me. I guess there is alot of stuff pretaining to the bison that I either don’t know about or maybe its not made available to the public???
Ok first off if I were a land owner and the bison wanted to come onto my property I would gladly let them graze, hang out. Its my belief and maybe I’m not dealing with a full deck??? But if its my property, either own it outright or am making payments, paying property taxes, paying insurance, my name is the only name on the land deed. So if I want to let the bison on my land hang out undisturbed, can I do that?? Cause the way I was brought up I can tell you the first person that trespassed on my land trying to haze the bison off it would be facing one of many options, file trespass charges against them, greet them with loaded weapons and escourt them off my land and inform them the next time they chose to trespass they might not be so lucky. Now this applies to all that do not have permission to be on my property, DOL, police, FBI, ATF, with said am sure you get my picture. So what would be the outcome????
Charles Newton,
Some property owner needs to resist them, probably with a trespass lawsuit. In my view they are clearly telling folks, “we and our friends runs things around here.”
If you really did try to directly protect your property, they would likely shoot you.
Well I have always said if I ever won the 200 million lottery I would in fact own a very large chunk of land bordering yellowstone and my property would give the wildlife free range of my land. But you gotta love technology. But am sure if the shooting started it would turn into a Ruby Ridge. But am not affraid to admit that I would have a very large arsenal. But for now its only dreams.
Charles- These DOL people need to be stopped in the courts. Your attitude of tolerance is admirable, and more people need to advocate for bison. Confronting them with weapons would hurt your cause.
A couple years ago for the first time I went over to yellowstone in May and it just so happened right in the middle of the hazing, we were headed to Quake lake and seen a big bull bison up on the hill and a ranger truck right below him and back down at the bridge there were a couple guys there, so I turned around and went back and talked to the guys and they were from the buffalo field campain, extremely nice people, they were telling my wife and I about what was going on and I just so happened to have my camera on me with a big telephoto lens and the guy warned me that I might get harrassed and even cited, just because of the camera I had. Anyways the ranger watched us real close and then we left and headed to Quake lake. I was blown away about the treatment these animals are getting. I’m sorry but I rate that right up there with the Nazi death camps. Call me simple, but how can these people sleep at night for what they are doing??? My symbol of the real west and America is a Eagle, Bison, wolf and grizzly bear. Sure has he** not a stinking cow.