Members of Montana tribes are slated to be among the participants in the state's first bison hunt in 15 years. A total of 50 licensed hunters will be allowed to hunt bison between November 15, 2005, and February 15, 2006. State law set aside 16 of the licenses for members of the state's tribes. The state allowed hunting from 1985 to 1990. Public outcry, including opposition from tribes and Native activists, prompted the state to shut it down. The state hopes the situation will be different this time around. One supporter is Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D), who has been an advocate for tribes and says the hunt is needed to keep the bison population in check. The bison come from Yellowstone National Park and are the descendants of the last free-roaming herd in the United States. Hunters will be allowed to kill them if they leave the park boundaries. Get the Story:
Critics of Montana Hunt Say Bison Aren't Fair Game (The New York Times 10/17)
pwnyt 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:
Montana commission approves rules for bison hunt (09/09)
Two more bison bills introduced in Montana Legislature (02/08)
New bison hunt bill in Montana includes tribes (2/1)
Yellowstone bison to undergo quarantine experiment (01/20)
Montana governor proposes sending bison to tribes (1/19)
Controversial bison hunt in Montana killed (01/11)
Montana proposes rules for Yellowstone bison hunt (06/08)
Bison hazed back into Yellowstone National Park (05/02)
Mont. lawmakers still working on bison hunt bill (04/17)
Editorial: Bison hunt is no better than slaughter (04/09)
Indian lawmakers in Mont. oppose bison hunt (4/7)
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)