Six conservation groups have called on Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer to convene an emergency meeting of agencies that could stop the hazing of Yellowstone bison outside West Yellowstone, Mont.

National Park Service and Montana Department of Livestock officials began hazing operations Wednesday to push roughly 370 bison back into the West Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Bison that leave Yellowstone are hazed back inside the park because some carry brucellosis, a bacterial infection that can cause domestic cattle to abort their fetuses.
 
Yellowstone spokesman Al Nash said the park on the first day of hazing moved 90 adult bison and 20 calves from an area north of West Yellowstone called Baker’s Hole to Seven Mile Bridge on the West Entrance road inside the park. Eventually all the bison will be moved to an area along the Firehole River where geothermal features have helped provide some early plant growth for the animals to eat, he said.

The Park Service and the Montana Department of Livestock killed roughly 1,700 animals this winter. With natural deaths this winter, officials estimate the park’s bison population has fallen from 4,700 animals this summer to around 2,100 animals.

The conservation groups, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, the National Parks Conservation Association, the Montana Wildlife Federation, the National Wildlife Federation, Defenders of Wildlife and the Bear Creek Council, say the hazing isn’t necessary and puts Yellowstone’s remaining bison at serious risk.

“After such a devastating winter for this herd, there’s every reason to provide bison extra breathing room outside the park,” said Amy McNamara, national parks program director for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. “Animals are weakened by the long winter, and newborn calves are in the West Yellowstone area. There is no reason to be putting additional pressure on these animals.”

In the letter, the conservation groups call on Schweitzer to “convene an emergency meeting of the Interagency Bison Management Plan partners to consider and ... adopt emergency provisions that will immediately end the hazing this year.”

The Interagency Bison Management Plan is the document that guides bison management as the animals move outside the park. The plan’s partners include the Park Service, the Montana Department of Livestock and the state of Montana.

McNamara said conservation groups have purchased a cattle grazing allotment on Horse Butte and landowners have stopped all cattle grazing so bison might be allowed to use the area. The six conservation groups have recommended an area around Horse Butte where they say bison could roam without coming into contact with cattle.

Nash didn’t have a comment on the letter itself but called Wednesday’s hazing operation successful.

“We believe that there’s enough spring growth [near the Firehole River] to hold the animals once they reach that point,” Nash said.

Darrell Geist, habitat coordinator for the Buffalo Field Campaign, said he watched some of the hazing operation.

“It was pretty intense,” he said. “They had helicopters out and law enforcement on horseback and ATVs.”

“It’s painful to see,” Geist said. “They’ve got calves that are running after their mothers trying to feed because they are so hungry. Those little fellas are going to be hazed more than 25 miles if [the Park Service] sticks to the plan.”