PRAY, Mont. (AP) — Federal and Montana agencies have hit an impasse on what to do with bison leaving Yellowstone National Park — even as biologists predict this winter’s migration will top 1,000 animals.
Park officials on Thursday offered a proposal to kill or remove up to 360 bison that enter Montana to keep the population in check and help prevent disease transmissions to cattle.
But Gov. Brian Schweitzer says he will block the shipment of any of those animals to slaughter because of concerns they could spread the disease brucellosis.
Schweitzer also wants bison population control to include hunting inside the park. Park Superintendent Dan Wenk opposes the idea and says hunting would be limited to outside the park.
Wenk says he remains hopeful an agreement can be reached before the migration begins.
