Trump admin wants to push bison from public lands in Montana. What to know
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Bison are the national mammal of the United States and are seen as a symbol of the West. Now, the Trump administration is pushing to move the animals from public lands in Montana.
The Bureau of Land Management wants to stop hundreds of animals from feeding on federal land in Phillips County, the second-largest county in the state.
In January, American Prairie, a non-profit at the center of the dispute, challenged a federal proposal that would reverse the BLM’s 2022 grazing authorization, which allowed hundreds of bison to graze on 63,000 acres in north-central Montana, the organization explained on its website.
If the decision goes through, American Prairie says it would have to move hundreds of bison away from the land, the New York Times reported.
“This proposal is an unprecedented reversal of BLM’s own decision-making after more than 40 years of treating bison as eligible livestock under federal grazing law,” Alison Fox, the CEO of American Prairie, said in a statement.
“BLM lawfully approved these permits after a thorough environmental review and defended them for years,” she added. “Abruptly rescinding them now—under political pressure—creates immense uncertainty and sends a chilling signal to Tribes, ranchers, and conservation partners who depend on fair and predictable public land management.”
The Coalition of Large Tribes, which advocates for over 50 Native American tribes, has also opposed the plan and warned that it could have “unintended negative consequences for tribal bison herds.”
The proposal comes after years of criticism from politicians and local ranchers who want to use the lands for cattle, the Montana Free Press reported.
If it goes through, the plan could give Republicans a boost in Western states during the midterm elections, as some farmers and ranchers have publicly opposed tariffs and higher prices for fertilizers and diesel, according to the New York Times.
USA TODAY has contacted the BLM for comment.
Why are bison important?
Bison are large mammals with thick brown fur and horns on their heads.
Males, known as bulls, can be up to 5.5 to 6.5 feet tall, while females, also called cows, are 4 to 5 feet tall, according to the Smithsonian National Zoo. The animal can weigh between 1,800 and 2,400 lbs.
The mammals were once known as a keystone species of the Great Plains ecosystem. That means the health of the ecosystem greatly depended on the bison, and they were seen as “pillars of community stability,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Before 1800, the bison population was estimated to range from 30 to 100 million, according to the National Zoo. But in 1890, there were fewer than 1,000 bison left in North America.
Drought, overhunting, the displacement of Native Americans and settlers moving to the West greatly contributed to the near-extinction of the bison, the National Park Service explained on its website. The American government also killed many bison in an effort to “destroy the livelihood of Plains Indians” during the 1800s, when settlers moved to the area, according to the zoo.
In 2026, the bison population sits at 500,000, and they are seen as a “near threatened” species and “vulnerable” to further population decline by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The American bison can largely be found in Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Utah and Alaska.
Julia Gomez is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers invasive species, space phenomena, scientific studies, natural disasters and trending news. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com.
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