When ‘Too Wild’ Becomes the Problem: What Montana’s Bison Battle Means for Public Lands Hunters

Yellowstone bison follow ancient migration instincts and push north through the Gardiner Basin toward lower-elevation forage along the Yellowstone River corridor. Montana’s bison hunting season, which has expanded modestly in recent years in the hunt units surrounding Yellowstone’s northern boundary, is a direct product of that friction. Montana FWP adjusts bison hunting seasons and unit boundaries based on population counts and interagency negotiations. The Gardiner Basin and Beattie Gulch area sit at the overlap of Yellowstone National Park, Gallatin National Forest, and private ground. The Gardiner Basin and Beattie Gulch area sit at the overlap of Yellowstone National Park, Gallatin National Forest, and private ground.