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MONDAY, APRIL 7, 2003

All seven Indian lawmakers in Montana voted against a bill that would allow a hunting season on bison that wander out of the Yellowstone National Park.

But their opposition wasn't enough to defeat the bill, which passed the House in a preliminary vote of 61-39. Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy, a member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe, was one who spoke against SB 395 and compared the Yellowstone bison to Indian people.

"Now they are corralled into Yellowstone Park just as my people are corralled on the reservation," he said, The Billings Gazette reported.

Montana livestock officials are allowed to kill bison that leave the park for fear of transmitting a deadly disease to cattle. In an opinion piece published today in The Gazette, a veterinarian says the policy is "a disgrace."

Yellowstone bison are the last of the truly wild and genetically pure bison remaining in the world," Don Woerner argues. "I propose a moratorium on Yellowstone bison slaughter."

Get the Story:
Bison hunt bill stirs emotions (The Billings Gazette 4/6)
Guest Opinion: West needs wild bison, domestic cattle (The Billings Gazette 4/7)

Get the Bill:
SB395

Relevant Links:
The Inter-Tribal Bison Cooperative - http://www.intertribalbison.org
Montana Department of Livestock - http://www.liv.state.mt.us
Yellowstone National Park - http://www.nps.gov/yell

Related Stories:
Wandering bison hazed back into Yellowstone (4/3)
Large group of bison wander out of Yellowstone (4/2)
Less than half of slaughtered bison had disease (03/19)
Norton asked to end bison slaughter (3/13)
Nearly 250 Yellowstone bison slaughtered last week (3/10)
Slaughter of Yellowstone bison continues (3/7)
Hundreds of Yellowstone bison rounded up (3/6)
Nearly 150 Yellowstone bison being slaughtered (3/5)
About 100 Yellowstone bison headed for slaughter (3/4)
Opinion: Yellowstone bison slaughter is necessary (02/18)
Growth of bison herd prompts fears of more deaths (01/27)
Cow spotted in Yellowstone not hazed (10/23)
Three Yellowstone bison slaughtered (10/03)
Judge orders bison documents released (7/24)
Opinion: Stop slaughtering bison (6/7))
Ruling affecting bison praised (5/31)
Yellowstone bison death toll mounts (5/23)
Bison protesters plead guilty (5/9)
Greater slaughter of bison feared (4/19)
John Potter: Murdering Bison (12/17)
John Potter: Yellowstone Buffalo, Wolves (3/26)
Yellowstone bison slaughter resumes (3/23)
Yellowstone bison agreement finalized (12/21)