Mont., fed gov't loosen rules on Yellowstone bison

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State and federal officials have agreed to allow bison to migrate into parts of Montana from Yellowstone National Park — a move expected to slow but not stop an annual slaughter of the animals. The agreement carves out two areas next to Yellowstone where bison can winter, ending a long-standing stalemate on the issue. That means at least some bison leaving the park could avoid a widely criticized slaughter program meant to guard against transmissions of a disease, brucellosis, to cattle. "This is a huge step in legally recognizing the bison's right to be outside the park," said Yellowstone Superintendent Suzanne Lewis. More than 3,000 migrating bison have been slaughtered or shot by hunters in recent years, including 1,601 last winter. That practice will continue for bison that migrate beyond the two newly designated areas. Wednesday's action was spurred by a recent Government Accountability Office investigation that sharply criticized the federal government's role in the bison slaughter. Livestock interests had resisted any changes to the slaughter program, while conservationists and bison advocacy groups criticized authorities for being inflexible. Several groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council and Greater Yellowstone Coalition, praised Wednesday's agreement, but others said it did not go far enough....