Wyoming bison status dispute draws scrutiny from lawmakers

Tensions over the legal status of tribal bison in Wyoming surfaced before the Wyoming Legislature’s Select Committee on Tribal Relations on Jan. 28, according to WyoFile. The dispute followed an October incident in which buffalo associated with the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative wandered onto a neighboring rancher’s property. Jason Baldes, an Eastern Shoshone leader of the initiative, said it took hours of negotiations with state officials before he was allowed to retrieve the animals. Rancher Mitch Benson later told lawmakers he sought “clarity” on how escaped tribal bison should be managed.

Under Wyoming law, most bison are classified as livestock, including those on private lands near the Wind River Indian Reservation. Wyoming Game and Fish Department Chief Warden Dan Smith testified that privately owned bison falling outside reservation boundaries do not fall under the department’s authority. Gov. Mark Gordon said there had been a “misunderstanding” and outlined procedures for handling stray animals, according to WyoFile.