WEST YELLOWSTONE: The U.S. Forest Service issues a warning to the Montana Department of Livestock for hazing buffalo in closed eagle habitat
After watching video footage provided by the Buffalo Field Campaign of the hazing operation, District Ranger Gary Benes, Assistant Ranger Claude Coffin and Acting District Ranger Gene Hardin said in a letter that the video showed the DOL violated requirements of their Special-use permit by hazing buffalo with snowmobiles within 1/4 mile of open water prior to 10 a.m.
Hardin says there are no set number of warnings for violations before other action is taken.
Along with being a key area in winter migration for Yellowstone bison, Horse Butte is critical habitat for threatened bald eagles. In an attempt to protect nesting sites the Forest Service added restrictions to the DOL's use permit allowing them to operate their bison trap used to capture and test bison leaving Yellowstone National Park.
According to these restrictions, activities associated with the removal of bison on the Madison arm and upper Madison river are only to be allowed between 10:00 a.m. and 3 p.m. Volunteers for the campaign filmed the operation involving nine snowmobiles before 7 a.m.
In addition to water restrictions, several areas on the Butte are off-limits to any activity. However, DOL can get special permission to enter these areas on a case by case basis.
"They create restrictions to protect bald eagles but they can easily be broken. There are no clear guidelines for granting special permission and no set number of warnings for DOL violations. It appears the closures are purely political and there is no real protection for wildlife," said volunteer Summer Nelson.
Summer grazing on Horse Butte amounts to 172 cow/calf pairs bringing in less than $800 to the U.S. Treasury. The Horse Butte capture facility has been permitted to operate during winter for the next ten years. Eighteen of the 29 buffalo caught Mar. 31 were shipped to slaughter bringing the number killed this winter to 45.
That last paragraph is worth repeating.
Summer grazing on Horse Butte amounts to 172 cow/calf pairs bringing in less than $800 to the U.S. Treasury. The Horse Butte capture facility has been permitted to operate during winter for the next ten years. Eighteen of the 29 buffalo caught Mar. 31 were shipped to slaughter bringing the number killed this winter to 45.