A Project of Sage Steppe Wild
-
On May 31, 2023, the West lost one of its most ardent wildlife advocates, Dr. James (Jim) Bailey of Belgrade, Montana died peacefully at home. He was 89. I saw Jim in Bozeman in mid-April. He attended a lecture I gave for Earth Day Celebrations and then, during the same week, gave a talk on…
-
Bison migrate from Yellowstone National Park to access snow-free areas where they can obtain forage. Photo George Wuerthner This winter, more than a thousand bison were killed by tribal members after leaving Yellowstone National Park’s protection. Last week, I found some recent carcasses killed by the tribes, but the good news is that most of…
-
Tribal members gutting a bison killed on Custer Gallatin National Forest land near Gardiner, Montana. As of a week ago, as many as 1,139 bison have been slaughtered by tribal members. Yet the entire so-called tribal bison “hunt” may be illegal. Yet, no group, including those who profess to care about the bison, including the…
-
Yellowstone bison are a globally unique animal. Harsh winters can drive bison out of the park where they are often killed. Photo George Wuerthner Yellowstone’s bison are unique, essentially influenced by natural evolutionary processes since the Park’s early days. Today the herd has grown to approximately 6,000 animals. Still, the ability of these bison…
-
UPDATE: Since I wrote this piece, the number of bison killed near Gardiner and elsewhere from all sources has exceeded 1150 animals. You can read the report here. Yellowstone bison are used to being photographed not shot. Photo Bonnie Lynn As I write this essay, sources I trust estimate that at least 700 of…
-
With the cultural appropriation of the horse, Indians became effective predators of the West’s bison herds. INTRODUCTION It’s often repeated over and over that commercial hunting by white sharp shooters led to the demise of the large western bison herds. However, there is plenty of evidence that Indian bison hunting led to the demise of…
-
COMMENTS DUE IMMEDIATELY — BY JAN. 21 This alert written by Stephany Seay TAKE ACTION! Comments Needed on Montana’s 2022-2023 Bison Hunt Regulations! This is a great opportunity to raise our voices for Yellowstone’s imperiled Central herd, the last truly wild, migratory buffalo left in the country. It is also an opportunity to challenge the…
-
Yellowstone bison have been subject to evolutionary influences like harsh winters, predators, and other natural agents. Photo George Wuerthner The state, federal and tribal groups involved in the Interagency Bison Management recently announced they would slaughter up to 900 Yellowstone bison this winter. Yellowstone’s wild bison were declared our national mammal in 2016 and are…
Author
George Wuerthner is an ecologist and writer who has published 38 books on various topics related to environmental and natural history. He has visited over 400 designated wilderness areas and over 200 national park units.