RFN Attends Fall Interagency Bison Management Plan Meeting
On October 29, Jaedin and Stephany, cofounders of Roam Free Nation, attended the fall Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP) meeting in Missoula, Montana. It was the most boring IBMP meeting either of us have been to. It seemed nobody wanted to be there or to put much effort into the process. State, federal, and tribal governments used to occasionally fall into intense disagreements, things would get especially heated between the Montana Department of Livestock and Yellowstone National Park, and tribal representatives would often have strong words for the agencies killing the buffalo. But no one sitting at this table opposes the killing of the buffalo anymore. They are all getting along as the desired kill numbers go higher and higher.
Earlier this fall, Yellowstone announced that they want to “remove” (read: kill) upwards of 1,400 buffalo this winter. The herd stands at about 5,500 now. That’s 25% of the population! They have stated that they would like to see most of the buffalo killed by hunters, some will be sent to slaughter, and a few will become prisoners of the quarantine (domestication) program. This terrible news was made public in the media, and RFN’s Stephany Seay responded with this opinion editorial which ran in six of Montana’s most widely-read papers – in addition to the Missoula Current, it ran in the Billings Gazette, the Helena Independent Record, the Ravalli Republic, the Missoulian, and the Montana Standard.
In response to Yellowstone capturing buffalo for slaughter and quarantine, the Nez Perce tribe announced that they have extended their “hunt” by four months, which now runs from August 15-April 15. April 15 is right about the time calving season starts. A representative from the Nez Perce tribe rightfully complained about capture, especially for quarantine, but that is only because they see capture as taking buffalo away from their hunt. It does, but the point is they don’t oppose capture because it is harmful to the buffalo, they oppose it because that’s fewer buffalo that they get to kill. Chris Geremia reminded the Nez Perce that in the past six years, there have been hundreds more buffalo killed in the “hunt” each year than have been captured.
All in all, all the IBMP cohorts expressed how much they are hoping for a big winter, so there is a big migration, and they can kill more buffalo.
The most meaningful part of the meeting were the few public comments. Only five people spoke, and only three represented the perspective of the buffalo. Videos are below. One of the commenters offered a brilliant twist to her presentation.
The Future of Yellowstone’s Wild Bison – Event at the Museum of the Rockies
The following Friday, we traveled to Bozeman, Montana for a wonderful, educational, and inspirational event at the Museum of the Rockies. This event, “The Future of Yellowstone’s Wild Bison,” was sponsored by Yellowstone Voices and supported by Roam Free Nation, the Alliance for the Wild Rockies, the Gallatin Wildlife Association, and the Montana Wild Bison Restoration Coalition.
RFN’s Jaedin Medicine Elk offered the opening prayer. We watched an edited version of Yellowstone Voice’s “A Path Forward for the American Bison” documentary, heard a powerful presentation by Confederated Salish & Kootenai tribal member Rochelle Salois; watched a telling video, complete with photos, of RFN’s Stephany Seay talking about Yellowstone’s capture operations (video courtesy of Greg Cairn of Yellowstone Voices); and a very informative slide show by brucellosis expert Dr. Peter Nara. Then came the highlight of the evening, a presentation by keynote speaker Rick Wallen, who is Yellowstone’s former senior bison biologist. Rick’s presentation was outstanding. Being retired, he is no longer gagged by the government and can speak freely, speak the truth. Listen for yourself in the video below.
We ended the evening with a great Q&A session with panelists responding to inquiries from the audience. Folks asked some really great questions and we all learned a lot and felt inspired to continue this critical work to defend the country’s last wild, migratory buffalo.
In the Media
Cofounder Stephany Seay was once again featured on Joe DeMare’s podcast, For a Green Future. Listen here (starting at about 13:45). You can always see more of our coverage on the In the Media page of our website.
Please Support Our Work!
Thank you for allowing us to be there for the buffalo. It is because of your generosity that we are able to attend these meetings and events, and soon be back in the field with the buffalo. As a 501©(3) non-profit organization, we depend on your support to do this work. Winter will soon be approaching and we will need to get back in the field as much as possible to monitor the buffalo, document actions against them, and advocate for their protection. Please consider making a donation today.
Farewell to The Queen, Grizzly Bear 399
Grizzly bear 399 was the worlds most famous bear. She was followed by nearly fifty professional photographers and beloved by millions of Grand Teton National Park and Bridger-Teton National Forest visitors from around the world, and of course truly loved by so many humans who lived near her. She gave birth to at least 22 cubs. On October 22, she was hit and killed by a vehicle. She was 28 years old. Her last child, Spirit, survived. Grizzly 399 will be missed and we will never forget her.