Lengthy letter objecting to 'change class of livestock,' APR requests

Dear Editor,

This letter is to file my total objection to “change class of livestock from cattle to domestic hybrid bison on public lands”. BLM by moving forward is in clear violation of: 1. Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 43, USC Ch.35 “domestic livestock grazing on public lands. (BLM organic act for multiple-use of public lands the public land law of the land). 2. Federal Data Quality Act (DQA) “quality, utility, objectivity and integrity of information”.44 USC 3506 Dec.2001. 3. National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. BLM must meet land health standards. Significant impact to the human environment requires a formal environmental impact statement for public review not a low key E.A. This proposal is a significant impact. 4. The impacts of domestic bison grazing under 12 month continuous use on wildlife habitat and public use of public lands for 12 months the most destructive form of grazing. 5. The danger of having dangerous domestic bison on public lands. Bison are unpredictable and provide danger to the public land user. YNP has “dangerous bison” signs nearly everywhere. More bison/ /human encounters than with bears on the record. 6. BLM is technically and scientifically unknowledgeable today of range ecology and the relationship of overgrazing to vegetation and soil conditions today and incompetent would be the proper word. I do not want to see vegetation the habitat for big game, upland birds and waterfowl destroyed by 12 month continuous grazing by hybrid domestic bison. I was a wildlife biologist for 37 years with 12 years in Malta. I know the area and understand the importance of good range conditions BLM in all their wisdom today lacks any understanding of range condition and trend yes incompetent is the proper word.

Rangeland cattle grazing, public use of public lands and wildlife populations are under siege with BLM’s plan to allow domestic bison on public lands, wildlife unfriendly fences including electric and violates their own fence manual on fences. BLM would allow APF to graze on our public lands under livestock grazing then overnight change that to “wild free-roaming bison” a clear violation of the False Statements Act. I filed a formal appeal to the Board of Land Appeals on the Flat Creek change in class of livestock in 2006.The grandiose plan is for 3.5 million acres 70% public lands including Petroleum and Valley counties There goes public land access and hunting opportunity forever!

The “Vision” so called by APF originated from Frank & Deborah Popper in N.J. with the ‘buffalo commons’ philosophy then on to “Big Open” by UM in Missoula and to create a ‘bison reserve’ in eastern Montana. Only the U.S. Congress can create Bison Reserves that is after they rid us of our public land laws in place now….a pipe dream!! The financial arm of the APF now renamed Prairie Reserve APR is financed by the World Wildlife Fund WWF the largest anti-hunting organization in the world. The WWF cannot own land so they leave it to APR. It is all a giant land grab and theft of public land. State leases also public lands of Montana under siege as well. MDNRC is just as incompetent as BLM today so watch out public land users. Montanan’s life style is about to change if they have their way for the Malta area. APR video “Restoring America’s Serengeti” is a vision to bring back the prairie wolf and plains grizzly bear as well as bison. Just like 1806 it is a vision of the PAST. This land grab includes the BLM 700,000 acre Monument, C. M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, and thousands of acres of BLM in Valley, Phillips and Petroleum counties and Montana State Lands. BLM this is a Significant Impact wake up to reality? With BLM in violation of all the public land laws personnel must be held accountable personnel changes is urgent now. BLM State Office just sets there.

Sportsmen, hunters, FWP should be outraged of this proposal but are they? BLM is rolling over to APR. Anyone who understands grazing habits of large ungulates knows they are selective grazers and graze the most desirable and palatable plants by species accessible areas first. Bison are no different they are selective grazers and will graze accessible areas closely and continuously. Perennial plants can only withstand this for two growing seasons and without root storage during the growing season from rest they die. A. L. .Hormay’s rest-rotation grazing was successful not practiced today and he had 4 successful allotments right in Malta until the BLM destroyed them back to continuous grazing. Look at the bison range adjacent to YNP at Gardner. The range is in an advance stage of deterioration of vegetation and soil and bison in a state of malnutrition. The carrying capacity of the Lamar herd determined by biologist Walter Kittams was 800 1960 now over 5000 with little left for the depleted elk population. APR wants wolves in the Highline great vision!

BLM has other problems with dangerous bison on public lands the Federal Tort Claims. BLM authorizing dangerous bison on public lands and human injury will be subject to Tort Claims. These Tort Claims are not uncommon in YNP today. BLM cannot legally close public land to hunting with bison out there for 12 months. A hunter shooting will stampede the bison could end up in Malta. If I were hunting antelope with a legal permit and attacked by an APR dangerous bison my .300 Weatherby magnum would solve the problem plain and simple APF could pick it up at their convenience. I would also file a Tort Claim under the Tort Claims Act.

APR has another problem. ‘False advertising’ to collect money on a credit card using the term “wild free roaming bison is False Advertising under the state and federal law also using internet to collect money.

Users of public land contact your Congressman, organization, users of public land, news media and friends strongly oppose BLM plan to “change class of livestock “ to domestic hybrid livestock” soon after to be falsely called ‘wild and free roaming bison”. It all is a massive land grab of public land. Send opposition letters as well to BLM request public meetings, ask tough questions. BLM is behind the APF we voters are not. Where does your Congressman stand?

Sincerely,

Jack D. Jones

Wildlife biologist 37 years retired 12 years in Malta.