Montana

TexasTowelie

(116,812 posts) Sat Apr 24, 2021, 11:17 PM Apr 2021

Native lawmakers blast Gianforte after bison plan dropped

BILLINGS — Native American lawmakers criticized Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte on Friday over his decision to scrap a bison management plan that would have allowed the wild animals to be restored in more areas of the state.

Members of the Legislature's American Indian caucus said they should have been consulted before Gianforte canceled the plan, citing opposition from ranchers.

Bison, also known as buffalo, have deep historical meaning for Plains Indian tribes that once depended on the animals for food, clothing and other necessities. Bison were driven to near-extinction by settlers in the late 1800s.

Efforts to restore the animals outside of Yellowstone National Park have long met resistance from agricultural interests. Bison in sufficient numbers could compete with cattle for grazing space on public lands. Ranchers also have raised worries about a disease carried by Yellowstone bison called brucellosis, although no transmissions from bison to cattle have been recorded.

Read more: https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/native-lawmakers-blast-gianforte-after-bison-plan-dropped/article_7f64ddaa-7385-500a-835b-9b97b9f27bf7.html

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Native lawmakers blast Gianforte after bison plan dropped (Original Post) TexasTowelie Apr 2021 OP

"Bison were driven to near-extinction by settlers in the late 1800s." sprinkleeninow Apr 2021 #1

Certainly seems that way, doesn't it! calimary Apr 2021 #2

All they have to do is create a bison-hunting season, with a lottery system that favors wealthy LaMouffette Apr 2021 #3

Already have that. 2naSalit Apr 2021 #4

Yeah, you're right. I should've googled first. LaMouffette Apr 2021 #6

It took several years to come to that agreement... 2naSalit Apr 2021 #5

sprinkleeninow

(20,546 posts)

1. "Bison were driven to near-extinction by settlers in the late 1800s."

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Sat Apr 24, 2021, 11:42 PM

Apr 2021

The settlers must've been republiQants.

Seems like republiQants have a penchant for extinction of this planet's inhabitants. Flora, fauna, humanity.

calimary

(84,339 posts)

2. Certainly seems that way, doesn't it!

Reply to sprinkleeninow (Reply #1)

Sun Apr 25, 2021, 02:40 AM

Apr 2021

LaMouffette

(2,269 posts)

3. All they have to do is create a bison-hunting season, with a lottery system that favors wealthy

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Sun Apr 25, 2021, 06:03 AM

Apr 2021

in-state and out-of-state hunters, and watch the Repubs fall all over themselves in their rush to return the bison to the wild, just so they can have fun killing them and making money off other rich people who want to have fun killing them.

2naSalit

(92,732 posts)

4. Already have that.

Reply to LaMouffette (Reply #3)

Sun Apr 25, 2021, 06:22 AM

Apr 2021

Thing is, it's a lot of work even without the chase part. It's not as popular a thing as one might imagine. Hundreds of them are killed each year in hunting programs already.

It's about the fact that ranching interests want to have all the grazing feed on public lands that they pay squat for. There is sparse vegetation out here and either the wildlife get to eat it or the cattle do. We taxpayers pay a hell of a lot of $$ to keep the landscape free of wildlife for the cattle. It is comparable to the Amazon rain forest being chopped and burned for cattle only it's not just trees.

And it's about who has local legislative control.

LaMouffette

(2,269 posts)

6. Yeah, you're right. I should've googled first.

Reply to 2naSalit (Reply #4)

Sun Apr 25, 2021, 09:03 AM

Apr 2021

2naSalit

(92,732 posts)

5. It took several years to come to that agreement...

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Sun Apr 25, 2021, 06:26 AM

Apr 2021

And a Yellowstone NP superintendent, a halfway decent one, was run out of his job by the former guy for signing that agreement. The ranching industry still has a strangle-hold in the legislature and the body slammer gov is giving them everything they ever wanted along with mining interests and logging. Body slammer thinks he's the former guy.

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