Bison Range checks up on herd during annual roundup
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MOIESE — Despite a cloud of controversy over the recent decision by a federal judge invalidating an annual funding agreement between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, the National Bison Range’s annual fall roundup got under way Monday morning.
The only obvious clouds at the roundup were the ones drizzling on workers and spectators, whose numbers were down due to the gloomy weather. Pat Jamieson, outdoor recreation planner for the Bison Range, was stationed at the range’s visitors center during the roundup because of short staffing, but said things were running smoothly.
And that was partially due to an emergency re-hire of seven of the 13 CSKT employees who were terminated following U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly’s decision on the AFA last week. Assistant Regional Director of FWS Region Six, Richard A. Coleman, wrote in an affidavit explaining the Services’ decision to temporarily re-hire the tribal employees, “The (National Bison Range) refuge manager, Jeff King, has informed me that he feels strongly that the best way to safely and efficiently conduct the round-up is through the temporary appointment of these individuals, who have been planning and preparing for this event for the past several months.”
“In black-and-white, the Service said ‘We need (the tribes’) help to make it happen,’” CSKT spokesman Rob McDonald said. “And we’re happy to help.”
Another dozen tribal employees got permission to leave their regular jobs during the roundup — which could last all week — and volunteer at the Bison Range, he added. The seven temporary appointments “will end upon completion of the individuals' tasks for the round-up,” according to Coleman’s statement.
Jamieson said she didn’t know exactly how many people are needed to run the roundup, but there are a host of volunteers involved, helping with everything from working gates and chutes to crowd control. The Range holds the roundup as an annual health check-up for the bison herd, which ranges from 350 to 400 bison. Although the official count isn’t complete yet, Jamieson said the total of bison on the Range this year is right at 400, “give or take one old bull that won’t come in.”
And 70 calves came in with the herd last week — up from 65 last year, she noted. The Range also auctioned off 55 surplus bison to private buyers before the roundup, which is typical when the herd is growing as it should, Jamieson said.
Last year’s roundup marked the beginning of a bison reproductive performance study, which was started because of dwindling numbers of calves in recent years. A year into the study, Jamieson said researchers think a disease called Bovine Viral Diarrhea may be partially to blame for the decrease in calves, so workers are testing the herd for BVD during the roundup.
“(BVD) can cause death in calves,” she explained. “They want to check all the herd, as much as they can.”
