American Prairie Reserve - Making it easier to get a bison tag

[Irrelevant]

https://www.americanprairie.org/bison-harvest

4 tags for MT residents in the surrounding counties
2 tags to conservation groups (not listed)
2 tags to be auctioned off by APR

 

[Rancho Loco]

"Until such time that robust populations of wolves and grizzlies are once again roaming the grasslands"

"until such time when bison are considered wild and able to roam freely in Montana"

Hoooweee.. (smh)

 

[Schaaf]

I’ll sign up.

 

[kansasdad]

I am not understanding how this APR group can set a "season". Is it because bison in Montana are not game animals, but regarded and treated as domestic (farm animals) under the Dept of Agriculture?

 

[mtmiller]

I’ll sign up.

You suck Valley. No love for Hill.

 

[MThuntr]

because bison in Montana are not game animals, but regarded and treated as domestic (farm animals) under the Dept of Agriculture?

exactly

 

[Schaaf]

You suck Valley. No love for Hill.

Cautiously optimistic that a 15 day period along with the areas overall opinion of the APR will keep apps low.

 

[406LIFE]

exactly

Bison are indeed considered a game animal by MT FWP. They are managed as one, set seasons as one and even sell licenses for them.

 

[bigsky2]

I kind of have conflicting feelings about going and shooting one, it would be about like going and shooting a Black Angus out of someone's pasture. That being said, it would be cool to have all the meat and a buffalo hide. I would have to think of it as an opportunity for free groceries rather than think of it as hunting. It will be interesting to see how many applicants they get.

 

[MThuntr]

Bison are indeed considered a game animal by MT FWP. They are managed as one, set seasons as one and even sell licenses for them.

The Yellowstone population is considered wildlife by FWP for purposes of hunting/permitting...otherwise when outside that area (and the Bison Range) they are treated as livestock thus Dept of Livestock's involvement when they leave the park

 

[Ben Lamb]

The Yellowstone population is considered wildlife by FWP for purposes of hunting/permitting...otherwise when outside that area (and the Bison Range) they are treated as livestock thus Dept of Livestock's involvement when they leave the park

That's right.

Bison that have been reduced to captivity and owned by a person/business entity are considered livestock. Bison that leave Yellowstone are still considered wildlife but have a special classification called "animals in need of disease management." Those animals are managed by the DOL, FWP, APHIS, NPS and USFS , through the Inter-agency Bison Management Plan, where they meet to discuss management of the Yellowstone herd, plan for the hunt, quarantine, slaughter, etc.

The bison at APR are considered livestock by the state, as they are both captive, and owned by APR (A non-profit corporation). As such, APR can set their season however they wish, so long as they do not run afoul of the prohibition of state game laws for captive animals (game farms). Bison owned by tribes fall under a different set of rules on the Reservation, and are generally considered livestock if they leave the reservation, and are treated as astrays.

 

[1_pointer]

So, in MT it's okay to have a captive bison hunt, but not a captive elk hunt?

 

[Ben Lamb]

So, in MT it's okay to have a captive bison hunt, but not a captive elk hunt?

While not being privvy to the details of this specific instance, I would say - it depends.

 

[375H&H]

Deep down any high fence hunting never sits well with me, but maybe this is the best shot at getting bison back wild and free eventually. I hope that this does not hurt conservation or huntings image.

 

[Ben Lamb]

These will not be high fence hunts. The Bison on APR are mostly left to their own devises in large pastures with minimal handling by APR staff. The average fence at APR is your standard, wildlife friendly 4 wire fence, with one wire having a bit of juice.

 

[375H&H]

Ok, it's not high fence but it's not free range. I lump those together.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Ok, it's not high fence but it's not free range. I lump those together.

I admit I'm struggling with this as a concept. I tend to agree, but I do think that the fence in a 20-30,000 acre pasture won't stop a bison that really wants to go through it. At the end of the day, it's not wildlife your hunting, it's livestock.

 

[twodot]

This is outstanding news. Bison, are just the flat out most awesome animal. I have killed one and it was the most fun on a meat hunt my family ever had. Every scrap of meat was excellent, we tanned the hide, saved the horns and skull. They are just such a unique beast and as table fare, they are beyond compare. As far as sporting goes, it will be at least as sporting as the typical "ranch hunts" that are so common around here where the hunter sits in the truck on a pivot field and waits for his game to come clear of the timber. I do not see APR listing this as a high sport adventure outing, in fact I believe I saw the word "cull" used on their web page. I do know if the people running the hunt want to make it "sporting" they could do it. If that is not feasible, o.k. it is still a unique chance to get some fantastic eats, hide and fun. I for one am happy to have these folks for neighbors.

 

[HSi-ESi]

It's pretty tough to find a true bison hunt anymore, if there ever was such a thing. Maybe a Copper River tag in AK.

The Yellowstone area hunts aren't much of a "hunt". It's a fine line - and I get that in the end you are shooting livestock (on this APR hunt). But the distinction here is easily blurred. How much different is it from shooting one by West Yellowstone or Gardiner? It's an honest question for me, I did go on a buddies Gardiner Bison hunt 10+ years ago, and it wasn't much to talk about from a hunt aspect.

I'm on the fence on this one, but my fence doesn't have a hot wire....

 

[Schaaf]

I plan on putting in for a tag. I also think of it as gathering quality meat more than hunting but I do believe it will probably be just as much of a hunt as walking to a field edge and waiting for Whitetails to come out at dusk and there seems to be plenty of hunters that enjoy that.