Wesley Littlefield 08.13.26
American Prairie has “been holding a bison harvest since 2018 as a management tool to maintain the health and population size of [its] herds.” But this year it’s been canceled thanks to a recent “Bureau of Land Management’s decision to revoke the organization’s bison grazing permits.”
This means that the typical 5,000 applicants for the free online drawing (not the $300 resident tag) won’t get their shot at the 20-25 Montana bison tag opportunities this fall. “For hunters and public lands advocates, the issue is bigger than one canceled harvest. The BLM decision greatly affects public access for all by restricting how public lands can be used for native species restoration, conservation grazing, hunting opportunity, and broader outdoor recreation.”
What’s Actually Happening?
American Prairie spokeswoman Beth Saboe says, “They’ve [the BLM] proposed rulemaking on how grazing permits are issued that would permanently bar conservation organizations.” The federal proposal would redefine “livestock” on 155 million acres of BLM-managed land to include only “production-oriented” herds. Under the Taylor Grazing Act, that means only herds eligible would be those for sale or consumption, and the American Prairie bison herds don’t meet that requirement. Mrs. Saboe also says, “It’s the first time this act has ever been interpreted this way, and the BLM argued the oppohttps://wildernessgeargrid.com/ in recent years.”
What Does This Mean For Hunters, Conservationists, & The General Public?
It’s not just the 20-25 lucky hunters that lose out on this rare, inexpensive opportunity. “American Prairie currently provides access to adjacent public lands across its deeded lands, enrolls more than 80,000 deeded acres in Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ Block Management program, and offers opportunities for hunting, camping, hiking, fishing, birdwatching, biking, stargazing, and other forms of outdoor recreation.” This ruling could affect all of that because by tweaking just a few words in the current language, the government could revoke your ability to pursue these activities on public lands, just like it’s trying to do by changing the language of the Grazing Act.
To ensure all Americans have access to public lands, American Prairie strives to “create the largest wildlife refuge in the Lower 48 by purchasing private land next to public lands. We own 600,000+ acres. We open the properties to the public. You can cross most of the land owned by American Prairie. We understand hunting is an important management tool. It’s a big win-win because it’s a great management tool and gives hunters the opportunity to fill their freezer with a real bison hunt on 30,000 acres in their native habitat. When they [the bison] see a human, they tend to take off for miles.” So it’s nothing like hunting farm-raised bison in a high fence.
For now, “the bison must be moved off federal grazing areas. We have to decrease the population size” without the hunt. But American Prairie and the Coalition of Large Tribes (COLT) are fighting back by appealing the BLM’s decision; things are just a bit fuzzy right now. “We don’t have a clear direction yet. Once it is clear, we will reinstitute a public hunt.”
Parting Shots: How to Get Involved
“In Montana, the biggest users of public land are hunters. We see so many hunters using American Prairie property. It’s [the BLM’s current decision] just a slippery slope. Who do you want to be deciding the future of your public lands?” If you want a say in the future of your public lands, American Prairie encourages hunters, recreationists, conservationists, and public lands supporters to submit public comments on the proposed federal grazing rule here.
