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Save American Bison From Public Land Eviction

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Sponsor: The Animal Rescue Site

The federal government is moving to force bison off Montana public lands and replace their access with cattle-only permits.

Save American Bison From Public Land Eviction

The federal government is moving to cancel bison grazing permits on public lands in Montana and replace them with cattle-only permits. The decision targets American Prairie’s bison herd, which has grazed on Bureau of Land Management land for years with federal approval.1

These are not stray animals. They are managed bison on a conservation landscape in north-central Montana. American Prairie says its herd has used BLM land with permission since 2005, and the group has worked to restore bison to one of the few places in the United States where a large prairie ecosystem could survive.2

A Dangerous Reversal For Wildlife And Public Lands

BLM’s proposed decision would cancel permits that authorize bison on several allotments and issue cattle-only permits where bison had been allowed.3 The agency argues the animals are not “production livestock,” even though bison have long been treated as eligible livestock under federal grazing law, according to American Prairie.4

This is more than a Montana land fight. Inside Climate News reported that the decision could affect tribal and private bison herds across the West.5 Tribal leaders have warned that this shift could harm buffalo restoration, food sovereignty, treaty rights, and cultural survival.4

The Buffalo Deserve Better Than Political Erasure

The American bison is the national mammal of the United States. The species once stood at the center of prairie life before mass slaughter drove it to the edge of extinction. Now, after years of restoration work, federal policy could once again push bison aside.

Montana ranching interests and state officials have praised the decision as a win for cattle producers.6 But public lands belong to more than one industry. They should also protect native wildlife, tribal restoration, ecological health, and the living symbols of this country’s natural heritage.

The Interior Department and BLM must reverse course before this decision becomes a model for excluding bison from federal range across the West.

Sign the petition to urge federal officials to stop the removal of bison from public lands and protect responsible bison grazing permits.

More on this issue:

  1. Amanda Eggert, Montana Free Press (16 January 2026), “Bureau of Land Management Revokes American Prairie Bison Leases.”
  2. Victoria Traxler, Montana Public Radio (21 January 2026), “BLM Cancels Bison Grazing Permits For Montana Nature Reserve.”
  3. Bureau of Land Management (16 January 2026), “Notice Of Proposed Decision Affecting American Prairie Grazing Allotments.”
  4. American Prairie (6 February 2026), “American Prairie Challenges BLM’s Proposed Revocation Of Bison Grazing Permits.”
  5. Blaine Harden, Inside Climate News (5 April 2026), “Trump Administration Targets Bison On Federal Grazing Lands.”
  6. Governor’s Office Of Montana (16 January 2026), “Governor Gianforte Praises BLM Decision To Cancel American Prairie Reserve Bison Permits.”

The Petition

To the U.S. Secretary of the Interior and the Bureau of Land Management,

I urge you to rescind the proposed cancellation of bison grazing permits on federal public lands in Montana and protect responsible bison access to public range.

The American bison is not a nuisance to erase from the prairie. It is the national mammal of the United States, a keystone species, and a living part of Native history, culture, food sovereignty, and ecological repair. Federal public lands should not serve only one narrow use when they can support responsible ranching, wildlife restoration, tribal priorities, and public access.

BLM’s proposed decision would cancel permits that authorize bison on several allotments used by American Prairie and reissue cattle-only permits. This reversal could harm more than one herd. It may also set a dangerous precedent for tribal and conservation bison programs across the West.

I urge you to take the following actions:

  1. Rescind the proposed cancellation of American Prairie’s bison grazing permits.
  2. Keep bison eligible for federal grazing permits when they are responsibly managed.
  3. Reject cattle-only restrictions that needlessly exclude native bison from public lands.
  4. Review the decision for political influence and ensure the final outcome follows law, science, and fair process.
  5. Consult directly with tribal nations whose buffalo restoration efforts may be affected.
  6. Protect tribal food sovereignty and cultural survival tied to buffalo restoration.
  7. Affirm that public lands must support conservation and ecological health, not only production agriculture.
  8. Require BLM to use consistent standards for all lawful grazing permit holders.
  9. Preserve existing bison herds that have operated under federal approval for years.
  10. Create a durable policy that allows responsibly managed bison, cattle, wildlife, and public access to coexist where land conditions allow.

This decision will help determine whether America’s public lands still have room for the animal that once defined the prairie. By protecting bison access, you can defend wildlife, tribal restoration, fair land management, and a better future for all who depend on healthy public lands.

Sincerely,

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