Coalition Supports Bill to Diversify Funding for Bison Management
According to mandates in the state Constitution, the Montana legislature has provided guidelines for restoring public-trust, wild bison in our state. Along with requirements to protect and indemnify private property, and to avoid livestock disease issues, MCA 87-1-216 requires Fish, Wildlife & Parks to identify stable, long-term sources of funding for managing any new wild bison herd.
Senator Pat Flowers has introduced Senate Bill 255 that would allow the Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission to authorize an auction hunting license and/or a lottery hunting license for special bison hunts, with proceeds dedicated to management of any new wild bison herd.
Ultimately, bison management can be funded from sales of regular hunting licenses. However, in the first years after founding a new bison herd, few bison should be harvested. Auction and lottery licenses can be used to raise substantial funds from a few licenses.
The Montana Wild Bison Restoration Coalition strongly supports SB 255 as another step toward providing a heritage of public-trust, wild bison to future generations of Montanans.
Thank you,
Jim Bailey, Montana Wild Bison Restoration Coalition
