Bison restoration isn't broken, so stop trying to fix it
The question is not if we should restore bison in Montana — in fact, that’s already in progress. What’s being debated in Montana right now are the devilish details of how and where we do it.
The model of bison restoration that is currently working just fine is for individual ranches, private nonprofits and Indian tribes to use their own resources to establish and grow bison herds. Under this model, we’ve had thousands of bison restored to the Montana landscape in multiple locations around the state.
But a radical extreme objects to private and tribal groups leading the way on bison restoration. To them, anything that even remotely approaches “ownership” of the animals is unacceptable. Notwithstanding the facts that these private and tribal entities practice scientific range management, are incredible stewards of the habitat and good neighbors to adjacent landowners.
The only reason there is controversy over bison restoration in Montana is because the extremists, fueled by environmental groups headquartered in New York and Washington D.C., are unwilling to accept the middle-road approach to restoration already in progress.
Instead, they are attempting to establish free-roaming bison herd that can enter any property in the state regardless of the landowner’s wishes. Alarmingly, this radical fringe has found a willing ear with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks leadership.
Consider the stark differences between these two models of restoration. On one hand, you have individuals who see a benefit to restoring bison. They’re willing to spend their own dollars to make it happen. And they’re willing to take on the risk those animals might bring — for instance they’d have to pay for damaged fences or crops caused by bison who’ve escaped their property.
On the other hand, we have a different group of individuals who see a benefit to restoring bison. Only they’re not willing to pay a dime to see it happen. They want taxpayers to buy it for them. And they’re not willing to take on any of the risk — that they’ll shift over to private landowners who will have to eat the cost of any damages done to their property, destroyed crops and possible catastrophic herd decimation that would come with a brucellosis transmission.
The advocates of free-roaming bison are asking us to give them a free lunch. They get all the benefit and someone else foots the bill.
But of course this isn’t fair to everyone else. And it becomes all the more unjust when adding the fact that it’s completely unnecessary in light of the fact that an alternative restoration model is already in place, it’s working great, and it treats everyone fairly.
The advocates of free roaming bison should stop acting like theirs is a noble cause. The only way they can get what they want is through the coercive power of government. It’s state-sponsored theft. And so far, Montana FWP has seemed to be a willing accomplice in the heist.
Chuck Denowh is the policy director of United Property Owners of Montana.