More than 550 Yellowstone bison culled

More than 550 bison have been killed through hunting and ship-to-slaughter so far this winter and bison managers seem assured to reach the cull goal for the year. Yellowstone National Park biologist Rick Wallen said Friday afternoon that 328 bison have been shipped to slaughter so far. According to a report from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, hunters have killed another 234, bringing the overall total near the lower end of bison managers’ removal target of between 600 and 900 animals. “This is the kind of year where we can actually make some progress at the objectives that were set forth,” Wallen said. Hunting and slaughter take place each year as part of a multi-agency agreement that calls for a bison population of about 3,000. More than 1,200 bison were killed last year, the largest number in a decade. Prior to this year’s cull, park biologists estimated there were about 4,800 bison in the park. Removing 600 would keep the population near stable, while 900 would result in a more significant decrease. Hunters licensed through six tribal nations and the state of Montana take aim at bison each year. The largest share of those have been taken by the Nez Perce Tribe, which has harvested nearly 80 bison...more