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CONTINENTAL DIVIDES
“We feel this is a priority. We made a
commitment in this very room to vacci-
GUN ADVOCATES APPEAL nate or to increase vaccination,” Zaluski
‘FIREARMS FREEDOM ACT’ told the group’s members.
RULING
Under the plan, livestock agency Thanksgiving
make iT a
Gun advocates are asking the U.S. Su- employees would capture bison that
preme Court to overturn a lower court’s migrate outside the park and vaccinate

ruling against state laws designed to them.
buck federal gun rules.
They would then receive a tempo-
Earlier this year, the 9th U.S. Cir- rary marker or tag, Zaluski said.
cuit Court of Appeals upheld a district There is no target number of bison
judge’s decision against the 2009 Mon- to vaccinate or measurement for the
tana Firearms Freedom Act. The mea- program’s efectiveness, Zaluski said.
sure has since been passed in other pro- The state agency would depend on other
gun states.
partners, such as the National Park Ser- aT The C
lub
The laws attempt to declare that fed- vice, to help with monitoring.
eral irearms regulations don’t apply to Nineteen cows and 14 domestic bison
guns kept in the state where they were in the state have tested positive for bru-
manufactured.
cellosis since 2007, including two cases ~speCial m~
The Justice Department has suc- lastmonth.
enu
cessfully argued that the courts have al- O-
ready decided Congress can use its pow- LOCAL DEER HARVEST, WOLF venrOasTeD Turkey
Adults - 15.99 K
er to regulate interstate commerce.
HUNT REMAIN AHEAD OF LAST • ids/Senior - 12.99
Gun advocates asked the Supreme YEAR
O-
Court on Monday to limit the reach of The number of hunters and tagged venrOasTeD prime rib
Congress to regulate guns.
deer remains slightly ahead of last year 21.99
The Supreme Court is expected to in Northwest Montana, according to
decide next year whether to accept the check station results from Montana with all of
request.
Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
the trimmings
A total of 15,061 hunters have ~ Signature Bacon Cheddar S
tuffing
~ B
MOUNTAIN EXPOSURE
checked 842 white-tailed deer, including rown Sugar, Cinnamon-Spiced Baby Carrots
762 bucks, at the six local check stations ~ Fresh Whipped Real Ma
through Nov. 24, according to FWP. Also shed Potatoes
MONTANA AGENCY TO in the count were 116 mule deer, and 51 with Our Handcrafted, Turkey Gravy
VACCINATE YELLOWSTONE elk for a 6.7 percent rate of hunters with ~ Zesty Orange Cranb
BISON
game overall, compared to a 5.5 percent erry Sauce
The Montana Department of Live- success rate in 2012. Last year there ~ Choice of Caesar Salad or
stock plans to start a vaccination pro- were 532 bucks checked. Hunter num- Hot Handcrafted
Soup of the Day
gram for bison from Yellowstone Na- bers are up 8 percent as compared to last D
tional Park in February, the state veteri- year.
esserT
narian told a group of state, federal and The wolf hunt is also ahead of last OPumpkin Pie or
tribal agencies that manages the ani- year’s tally. Hunters have killed 28 pen Pecan Pie 1.99
mals that wander into Montana.
wolves in Region One to date, compared On ThanA la mode 2.50
The state agency will vaccinate bison to 19 last year. Statewide, hunters have ksgiving 6:30
against brucellosis from late February taken 87 wolves, compared to 66 last am-7pm

Dinne
until early March, Marty Zaluski said at year.
r begins 1
an Interagency Bison Management Plan According to FWP Wildlife Biologist aT 1am
meeting Thursday. Brucellosis is a dis- John Vore, the deer harvest really picked
ease that can cause pregnant animals to up pace because of the rut. For exam-
prematurely abort their young.
ple, at the Swan Check Station, hunters
It has been eradicated nationwide brought through 60 whitetail bucks and
except in and around Yellowstone Na- at Olney, 65 bucks were checked. Both
tional Park, where brucellosis persists in counts are well above average for that

wildlife such as elk and bison.
weekend.
The state livestock agency wants to “We saw a good number of older
reduce the occurrence of the disease bucks come through this weekend,” Vore
in bison from about 50 percent to 10 to said.
Montana Value Montana Made
20 percent, which is comparable to the The counts at the six northwest Mon-
prevalence of the disease in elk, Zaluski tana check stations represent a sampling
said.
of the harvest and do not represent the

The aim is to reduce the chances of complete number of animals taken.
bison transferring brucellosis to cattle. The big game hunting season ends
But the agency’s vaccination program Dec. 1.
has not been approved by the tribes and
other state and federal agencies in the Huge Breakfasts to Certiied Angus Beef ® Steaks • Cocktails • Montana Microbrews
group, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle re-
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www.montanaclub.com
Open early ‘til late.
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