Bison hunting bill on its way to full House

By WALT WILLIAMS, Chronicle Staff Writer

HELENA - A bill bringing back hunting of wild bison is moving forward despite warnings from lawmakers that it will ruin the state's image in the eyes of the nation.

"If you think the Unabomber and the Freemen caused problems for Montana, wait until you see this happen," Rep. Carol Gibson, D-Billings, said Tuesday.

Senate Bill 395, sponsored by Sen. Gary Perry, R-Manhattan, would resurrect hunting bison that wander out of Yellowstone National Park.

The practice was banned by the Legislature in 1991 after several highly publicized hunts generated public criticism of the sport.

Lawmakers have been flooded with hundreds of e-mails from across the nation asking them to leave the ban intact. The Humane Society of the United States has called its members to action, asking that they contact lawmakers.

But members of the House Fish, Wildlife and Parks Committee voted 11-9 Tuesday to send the bill to the House floor.

"I don't think we should kowtow to these PETA people," Rep. Scott Sales, R-Bozeman, said. "They don't share the same values as the average Montanan."

SB 395 has already passed the Senate, where it picked up the support of Republicans and some Democrats.

However, opposing senators said they remembered the black eye bison hunting gave not only to the state, but hunting in general. Those arguments were repeated Tuesday.

"I think we are on really dangerous ground if we don't give some clarity to people what this is really for," Rep. Michael Lange, R-Billings, said.

Others had concerns about the effect free-ranging bison would have on livestock. The animals are known to carry brucellosis, a disease that causes cattle to abort.

"We have too many bison," Rep. George Golie, D-Great Falls, said. "Forty to 50 percent have brucellosis, and they are a threat to our livestock in the state."

Several amendments were suggested to make the bill more palatable to the groups opposing it, but only one passed - an amendment by Rep. Joe Balyeat, R-Belgrade, clarifying that bison hunting will be managed by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Currently, bison that wander into the state are hazed back into the park by the Montana Department of Livestock. The state's major hunting groups oppose SB 395 because they believe it leaves too much control with that agency.

Bison hunts wouldn't begin immediately upon the passage of the bill, Balyeat said. SB 395 simply gives the commission overseeing FWP the authority to start up hunts if it chooses.

A vote by the full House could come later this week.

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