SB 354 to limit public access up today on Senate floor

[Carnage2011]

False; no expensive tactics. A good effective fencing system (albeit fences in certain areas are higher than standard) and natural rotation of herds to various very large areas keep the bison on good feed and content critters.

It seems the false narrative is of bison herds stampeding across the prairie, trampling everything in their way. The containment, pasturing, and behavior is really no different from cattle. After all, they both are bovine. Do you hear of neighbors of cattle ranches wringing their hands and worrying about angus or Hereford bulls being a scourge of the prairie?
The bison paranoia is a farce.

Bison are harder to contain than cattle, no question. Turner does have good fences and for the most part does a decent job. I had to knock on the Snowcrest Ranch door 3 times in 5 days this January because their bison had broke out and were grazing the Robb-Ledford WMA. That 6 strand, smooth wire is all fine and dandy until they decide it’s time for them to leave.

On a side note, I watched a mule deer doe touch her nose to a hot fence of Turners a couple years ago. I can tell you that she is a fan of Turner grass, but not Turner fences...

 

[Straight Arrow]

... all fine and dandy until they decide it’s time for them to leave.

Yes, bison are almost unstoppable if deciding to move. But similarly cattle will move through a weak fence as well ... and the anecdotal stories of cattle damage far outnumber the bison damage cases.

 

[Big Shooter]

Straight Arrow:
So tell me this, when you go to try to sell your calves to a buyer, (steer calves..heifer calves..whatever), do you let them know that there are buffalo across the fence from you, or do they just know that? And since Montana is a “ fence out state”, you must have poured a ton of money into getting your fences up to par for these buffalo that are being run next to you. Great work and hats off to you if you did.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Straight Arrow:
So tell me this, when you go to try to sell your calves to a buyer, (steer calves..heifer calves..whatever), do you let them know that there are buffalo across the fence from you, or do they just know that? And since Montana is a “ fence out state”, you must have poured a ton of money into getting your fences up to par for these buffalo that are being run next to you. Great work and hats off to you if you did.

Of course! And thank-you for the kudos. BTW, I don't even own a dog, let alone calves.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Straight Arrow:
So tell me this, when you go to try to sell your calves to a buyer, (steer calves..heifer calves..whatever), do you let them know that there are buffalo across the fence from you, or do they just know that? And since Montana is a “ fence out state”, you must have poured a ton of money into getting your fences up to par for these buffalo that are being run next to you. Great work and hats off to you if you did.

Name one commercial bison operation that has brucellosis positives in it.

Also name one commercial bison operation that operates in a fence out scenario.

 

[MThuntr]

Name one commercial bison operation that has brucellosis positives in it.

Fact is there have been ZERO confirmed cases of a bison transmitting burcellosis to cattle even in the area immediately adjacent to YNP. The risk is actually higher from elk that freely moved from Yellowstone to surrounding areas and even that risk is low

 

[golfer]

Fact is there have been ZERO confirmed cases of a bison transmitting burcellosis to cattle even in the area immediately adjacent to YNP. The risk is actually higher from elk that freely moved from Yellowstone to surrounding areas and even that risk is low

This. I believe elk are much more likely to transmit it to cattle. So do we start vaccinating the elk or just wipe them off the landscape?

 

[Gerald Martin]

Name one commercial bison operation that has brucellosis positives in it.

Also name one commercial bison operation that operates in a fence out scenario.

Operating without hyperbole. Five minute HT suspension and no cheese for you for a day.
Show some respect for the process, man or quit arguing. Facts ain’t welcome round UPOM country.

 

[Gerald Martin]

This. I believe elk are much more likely to transmit it to cattle. So do we start vaccinating the elk or just wipe them off the landscape?

Just a couple years ago there was an attempt to pass legislation or get FWP to eliminate/dramatically reduce elk in the greater Yellowstone area due to fears that ranchers cows would get brucellosis from elk.

 

[GKimPrice]

Here's a thought, I've been watching these sorts of bills show up in states all across the West and most or nearly all actually or or were sponsored by Republicans ...... just sayin' - I have ALWAYS voted "conservative" in nature but I recently came to a conclusion that I think I was just ignoring most of my adult life ..... when it comes to public land access, land rights and such topics Republicans are NOT our friends - Here's a question: Given only two choices, locked out of land or restricted on HOW you travel in these lands, which would you choose ? Unfortunately, all too often these are the choices left to us "regular folks" ....

 

[Ben Lamb]

Fact is there have been ZERO confirmed cases of a bison transmitting burcellosis to cattle even in the area immediately adjacent to YNP. The risk is actually higher from elk that freely moved from Yellowstone to surrounding areas and even that risk is low

YNP & the surrounding feedgrounds are the incubator for the last reservoir of Bovine Brucellosis in the wild. Elk travel farther than bison, but the bison do have it, and they can spread it. Just because spatial & temporal separation has been achieved, resulting in no known transmission, doesn't necessarily mean that it cant' occur. But that's WILD bison (which will no longer exist in MT if GG signs the bill, which I bet he will). DOMESTIC Bison are regulated just like livestock, because they are livestock. There's a big difference there legally & practically in terms of management. With wildlife, the cheapest & most effective means is to manage the livestock. THere is no way to manage brucellosis in elk & bison without eliminating those animals from an over 10 million acre landscape (4 million for the Park, 6 for GTNP & elsewhere surrounding the GYA). Maintaining that seperation between wildlife & livestock keeps the risk low to livestock & producers, while recognizing that the disease has no impact on wildlife.

Furthermore, Brucellosis regulation is a throwback to the pre-pasteurization era, where undulant fever was far more widespread now. There have been some recent developments to move B. Abortus off of the select agent list, in order to get better vaccines for livestock, and until the USDA & APHIS stop treating brucellosis like it was 1924, this issue won't go away.

UPOM did advocate for test & slaughter of the Northern Yellowstone Elk herd just as they started to rebound after their crash.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Here's a thought, I've been watching these sorts of bills show up in states all across the West and most or nearly all actually or or were sponsored by Republicans ...... just sayin' - I have ALWAYS voted "conservative" in nature but I recently came to a conclusion that I think I was just ignoring most of my adult life ..... when it comes to public land access, land rights and such topics Republicans are NOT our friends - Here's a question: Given only two choices, locked out of land or restricted on HOW you travel in these lands, which would you choose ? Unfortunately, all too often these are the choices left to us "regular folks" ....

It's a chit-sandwich for sportsmen. Dems attack guns, Reps attack hunting, public lands & wildlife. There are unicorns out there that value both, so it's necessary for voters to get more involved in order to sort the wheat from the chaff.

 

[Gerald Martin]

UPOM-“Because 1800’s era eradication didn’t go far enough. Finish it.”

 

[Gerald Martin]

Gerald Martin-Consultant for hire. “ Because you need my slogan to get your movement flowin’.”

 

[Ben Lamb]

UPOM-“Because 1800’s era eradication didn’t go far enough. Finish it.”

MOGA - "We spent how much on lobbyists & didn't get shit?"

 

[OntarioHunter]

Gerald Martin-Consultant for hire. “ Because you need my slogan to get your movement flowin’.”

I prefer Exlax.

 

[Gerald Martin]

I prefer Exlax.

Not even Exlax makes UPOM smooth and acceptable.

 

[tjones]

MOGA - "We spent how much on lobbyists & didn't get shit?"

How much do outfitters pay to be a part of this grifter outfit?

 

[Gr8bawana]

Here's a thought, I've been watching these sorts of bills show up in states all across the West and most or nearly all actually or or were sponsored by Republicans ...... just sayin' - I have ALWAYS voted "conservative" in nature but I recently came to a conclusion that I think I was just ignoring most of my adult life ..... when it comes to public land access, land rights and such topics Republicans are NOT our friends - Here's a question: Given only two choices, locked out of land or restricted on HOW you travel in these lands, which would you choose ? Unfortunately, all too often these are the choices left to us "regular folks" ....

The good citizens of Montana are being are being represented by their duly elected officials. I'm sure they voted for the candidates that most closely aligned with their own values.

 

[Brad W]

I hope all you good Montana sportsmen and women will go round up some unicorns for the 2022 state elections. With GG still in office the 2023 legislative session could be another real “fun” one.