Governor wants to cancel hunting of wandering bison

HELENA – Gov. Brian Schweitzer, fearing a national “public relations nightmare” for Montana, said Wednesday he wants to cancel the revived hunting of bison that wander from Yellowstone National Park but is unsure he can do it before the season starts Jan. 15.

After meetings with state wildlife and livestock officials and a representative of the ranching industry, the newly inaugurated Democrat said he is convinced the planned sale of 10 bison hunting licenses will give the state a black eye while doing nothing to curb the ballooning Yellowstone herd.

“My instinct is to cancel it,” Schweitzer said. “How does this make sense to shoot 10 head? We’re still going to suffer” the negative national publicity.

Jeff Hagener, Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks director, agreed that critics of the hunt are likely to persuade national news organizations to come to the Yellowstone area and report on the monthlong hunting season.

But the result should be a lesser national outcry than occurred more than a decade ago when the state last allowed the migrating bison to be shot outside the park, he said.

Those were more canned hunts in which game wardens arranged to escort a hunter to where a bison stood, while the planned season this time will be a more conventional one where hunters strike out on their own at a time of their own choosing, Hagener explained.

The hunt, authorized by the 2003 Legislature, was approved by the Fish and Game Commission last month.

Schweitzer said he hopes to find a way to postpone the season for a year by either ordering the department to not issue any licenses or filling vacancies on the Fish and Game Commission with new members who would reverse the Dec. 16 commission decision.

He said he is not sure he can legally do the former or has time to do the latter.

“They’ve dealt me my cards and put all my chips in the pot, and I don’t like my hand,” said Schweitzer, who took office only two days earlier.

Montana ranchers fear bison that leave snow-covered Yellowstone each year in search of forage could spread brucellosis to cattle. The disease can cause cattle to abort, although there have been no documented cases of bison spreading the disease to cattle in the wild.

The state hunt was halted in 1991 after a barrage of bad publicity. Some environmentalists have threatened more protests if a hunt goes forward this year.

Under a joint management plan in place now, state and federal officials attempt to herd bison that leave Yellowstone back into the park. Those that cannot be returned to the park are captured, and those testing positive for brucellosis are sent to slaughter.

Lawmakers voted two years ago to allow a revival of hunting, and wildlife officials opted for a more traditional hunting experience and a small number of licenses in hopes of not sparking a repeat of the incidents more than a decade ago.

Schweitzer said he does not object to hunting bison outside Yellowstone as a means of paring the park herd that has more than doubled to 4,000 in the past six years. But he prefers it be more of a fair-chase hunt in an expanded area beyond the park borders.

Dr. Tom Linfield, state veterinarian, cautioned that someday allowing bison to remain in a larger area outside Yellowstone could jeopardize Montana’s status as a brucellosis-free state.

Steve Pilcher, executive vice president of the Montana Stockgrowers Association, said his organization favors the bison hunt as a tool for managing the animals. But he said ranchers would support canceling the season for now if Schweitzer makes it clear he will work with state and federal agencies on finding a better solution to controlling the wandering bison.

However, he said ranchers would oppose any moves perceived as threatening to undo the industry’s success in eradicating brucellosis.