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Will Raising Buffalo in Wyoming Now Be Illegal Because of BLM Ruling?
A dispute over whether bison should be allowed on federal grazing leases in Montana could have broader consequences for bison ranching in Wyoming. The Bureau of Land Management, under Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, has proposed rescinding a Biden-era permit that allows the American Prairie conservation group to run bison on seven grazing allotments in Phillips County. The BLM argues the group is managing the animals as wildlife rather than food-producing livestock, which would violate the Taylor Grazing Act. If finalized, the decision would remove bison from roughly 63,000 acres and return the land to cattle-only grazing. American Prairie counters that the bison are legally classified as livestock, noting that limited hunting occurs and warning that reclassifying them strictly as wildlife could set a precedent that threatens bison operations beyond Montana.
Bison ranchers and conservationists say the stakes extend well beyond the immediate allotments. Wyoming law prohibits raising wildlife in captivity, meaning a shift to classifying bison solely as wildlife could force some ranchers to exit the industry, even as demand for bison meat grows. American Prairie maintains its herd occupies a gray area between traditional ranching and free-ranging wildlife and plays a key role in restoring native prairie habitat, while also leasing grass to local cattle ranchers. Ranching groups, however, support the BLM’s move, arguing the allotments should be reserved for conventional livestock grazing. The debate highlights the complex and sometimes conflicting ways bison are classified—as wildlife, livestock, or even exotic species—and raises questions about how federal grazing policy should treat a native animal that straddles conservation and agriculture.
Does BLM Pulling Montana Grazing Leases For Bison Reclassify Them As Wildlife?
A Wyoming bison rancher is concerned that a BLM Montana decision to pull grazing leases for bison could lead to reclassifying the large animals as wildlife. That could make raising bison illegal in Wyoming.
‘The Last Stand’ by Michael Punke (The Revenant) – The Battle to Save the Buffalo – The American Prairie Reserve
This is an outstanding history of the American buffalo especially when considering the current efforts to thwart the work of the American Prairie Foundation to develop what could be our next National Park for all.
Michael Punke’s The Last Stand tells the epic story of the American West through the lens of the American bison and the man who saved these icons of the Western
