CORWIN SPRINGS, Mont. – For the first time since the 1800s, a small group of wild bison was herded Wednesday through fresh-fallen snow to reach their historical grazing grounds north of Yellowstone National Park.
As pronghorn antelope and mule deer scattered to avoid the procession, park employees and state livestock agents on horseback pushed the 25 bison about 10 miles down the Yellowstone River valley. It took about three hours to reach an open meadow in the Gallatin National Forest, where the animals will be allowed to remain until spring.
The move could provide at least some relief from government-sponsored mass slaughters of the iconic Western animals, often called buffalo. Past winter journeys by bison seeking to graze at lower elevations have been blocked over fears that a disease carried by some could infect cattle.
During the last major migration, in 2008, 1,600 Yellowstone bison were killed — about a third of the park's total.
Yet progress toward ending the slaughters remains tenuous. Deep snow in Yellowstone's interior has set the stage for another major migration to lower elevations this year. Hundreds of bison could yet be captured and killed.
"It seems like the progress is slow, but it's slow because it's so complex," said Colin Campbell, Yellowstone's acting superintendent. "In all reality, there will always be limits, like there are with any wildlife species."
Wildlife officials said the Forest Service land where the 25 bison will be allowed to roam is roughly 2,500 acres, or less than four square miles. If this year's "test" operation goes well, the number of bison allowed eventually could be increased to 100.
Keeping them from wandering deeper into Montana immediately proved a difficult task. Park employees on Thursday were attempting to haze back onto the Gallatin forest 11 bison that waded across the Yellowstone River toward private property.
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