< Back

Alternative 1: No Action — Continuation of the Current Interim Bison Management Plan

Adopting this alternative would continue current bison management as set forth in the 1996 Interim Bison Management Plan as defined by National Environmental Policy Act guiding regulations (40 CFR 1502.14). The interim plan relies on strict border enforcement to keep bison and cattle separate, and has no provision for the quarantine of bison. Bison are prevented from crossing the northern park boundary at Reese Creek because the adjacent land is private and occupied by cattle throughout the year. All bison captured at the Stephens Creek facility are shipped to slaughter.

Bison are allowed in the Eagle Creek/Bear Creek area, a large tract of public (U.S. Forest Service) land north and east of Reese Creek. The Department of Livestock, with help from the agencies, maintains a boundary at Little Trail Creek/Maiden Basin hydrographic divide in the Eagle Creek/Bear Creek area. Bison moving north of this boundary and approaching private land in the Gardiner area are removed by agency personnel with the permission of the landowner.

In the West Yellowstone area, public lands administered by the U.S. Forest Service are adjacent to the park. Cattle are more dispersed than at Reese Creek and are not grazed during the winter months. Up to 50–100 seronegative nonpregnant bison in the West Yellowstone area are able to overwinter successfully outside the park without coming in contact with cattle. Seropositive, untested, or any pregnant bison are removed. Bison are excluded from the West Yellowstone area from May through October to prevent contact while cattle occupy the region. Bison located outside the park in the west boundary area would be hazed back into the park in the spring, 30 to 60 days before cattle occupy the area. The exact number of days, between 30 and 60, would be at the discretion of the state veterinarian. Those bison that could not be hazed back into the park would be shot. In addition, a handful of bison (usually single bulls) use the Cabin Creek/Lee Metcalf area on the west, or Hellroaring and Slough drainages to the north and east of Eagle Creek/Bear Creek. Those few that do move beyond the borders of either of these large tracts of public land would be hazed or shot.

Adjustments to the interim plan aimed at reducing the number of bison shot or shipped to slaughter were implemented beginning in 1997. These include increased emphasis on hazing bison back into the park, holding bison up to the capacity of the Stephens Creek capture facility until weather conditions moderate, and allowing low-risk bison that evade capture in the West Yellowstone area to remain on public lands for 30 to 60 days before cattle are released on federal grazing allotments.