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Yellowstone Softens Stance on Bison Slaughter Targets

Park is backing off plan to kill bison this winter

By Justin Franz

BOZEMAN — Yellowstone National Park is backing off its proposal to kill roughly 1,000 wild bison this winter as officials seek to reduce the animals’ annual migration into Montana.

Park officials met with representatives of American Indian tribes, the state and other federal agencies Thursday.

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports the park proposed delaying trapping until Feb. 15 and eliminating a target number to be removed from the herd. But some tribal governments called for trapping to be delayed until late March.

The eventual plan will give guidelines to bison managers during the winter months as they try to bring the population down from 5,000 to 3,000. It must be finalized by Dec. 31 or the previous winter plan will be used.

Bison managers are now moving away from setting a numeric goal.