Dear Friends,
On October 28th we suffered through a two-hour Interagency Bison Management Plan meeting. The meeting was Zoom only, but it did allow some of you to listen in and even comment, which was really great. We asked the IBMP to continue offering the zoom option, but to please also continue in-person meetings. Apparently, the reason the last two meetings have been Zoom only is because the state of Montana requested it due to their lawsuit against Yellowstone. No one from APHIS attended the meeting at all, likely because of the government shutdown, though it seems business as usual continues at the buffalo prison inside Yellowstone.
Provided below are some of the major “lowlights” from the meeting:
Tribes Build New Slaughter Facility
The Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes, who hold a slaughter agreement with Yellowstone, are nearing completion of their new slaughter facility that will be mainly used for buffalo stolen from Yellowstone. This unfortunate construction will be completed by spring, but it will not be used until next year. As we’ve mentioned before, the Tribes *sell* the meat from slaughtered Yellowstone buffalo to tribal members. The facility will be located in Ronan, MT, which means captured buffalo are forced to travel nearly 350 miles in metal coffins on wheels. The Montana Department of livestock mentioned how happy they were about the new slaughter facility. Shameless.
The Buffalo “Hunts”
Montana’s state buffalo hunt begins on November 15, though there is a backcountry hunt that began in September. Montana issues five tags for the backcountry hunt. Four buffalo have already been killed. Many of the tribes’ hunts are already open, though there are no buffalo currently in Montana. Only half of the Treaty “hunting” tribes were represented at the meeting, including the Nez Perce. They took issue with Yellowstone’s slaughter plans, but only because they want to kill the buffalo themselves. The Nez Perce take more buffalo than any other tribe during each “hunt”.
The Population Status and Yellowstone’s Slaughter Plans
The park’s lead bison biologist, Chris Geremia, informed us that post-calving, the population stands at 5,300 individuals. Before calving (and after last year’s slaughter and “hunting”) the population was only 4,324 individuals. He told us that the population has continued to decrease since 2022, which we know. He also said that the Northern herd continues to increase, while the Central herd (only 900 counted in the Hayden Valley this summer!) continues to decrease. This we already knew as well, and it’s because the Central herd migrates into both the Gardiner and Hebgen Basins, meaning they are doubly impacted by “hunting” and capture for quarantine and slaughter. The Park now claims that the two herds are no longer genetically distinct, but instead are one big “metapopulation”. If this is the case (and that is a big “IF”) then it is the fault of decades of devastating mismanagement.
This winter, Yellowstone aims to remove 700-1325 animals this winter, or 25% of the population. Their target population (due to pressure from Montana livestock interests) is 3,500-6,000. Geremia said they want to “manage for a decreasing population”. Clearly. The buffalo captured for slaughter will be shipped to the slaughterhouse by the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes, as mentioned above. The slaughter now has a green wash name: Tribal Food Transfer Program”. How pretty. Yellowstone is caving to the cattle industry and going against their own science.
In late August Geremia was one of the authors of a published scientific paper talking about how wonderful wild, migratory buffalo – specifically the Yellowstone herds – are for the earth. Another one of those “duh” moments, but you can read articles about that paper here: Scientists spent 6 years tracking Yellowstone’s great bison migration. What they found is remarkable and in the New York Times – In Yellowstone, Migratory Bison Reawaken a Landscape.
Public Comment Period
The meeting closed with another farce of a public comment period, where only five people commented. Co-founder Stephany Seay and board member Cindy Rosin represented Roam Free Nation in speaking their anger over the slaughter of buffalo, and our friend Joseph DeMare of For a Green Future also gave impassioned comments. Gallatin Wildlife Association joined as well in speaking out for wild bison.
No other groups spoke for the buffalo at the meeting. A representative from the National Parks Conservation Association also commented, but just to thank all of the federal workers for showing up, not to speak on the issue. Amusingly, both NPS representatives, Chris Geremia and Tim Reid, felt the need to get a last word in after the few public comments to defend their defenseless positions.
Unfortunately, our screen recording of the meeting cut off halfway through, but you can see the first part of the meeting (including Geremia’s population status report) on our YouTube, and see our very detailed notes (coming soon). Also, if you want to listen to the full meeting, check the IBMP site for their meeting recording.
Stand with Roam Free Nation and Wild Buffalo this Winter
Depending on the severity of the winter, it could be another really bad season for the last wild buffalo. Please stay with us, keep supporting us, and keep defending these buffalo! Thank you for all you do!