Anti-bison landowners to deny hunter access

BILLINGS (AP) — Some Montana landowners are removing their properties from a hunter access program to protest the state’s plans to relocate bison that wander out of Yellowstone National Park.

The Billings Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/UfmrQJ) dozens of landowners have published their names in northeastern Montana newspaper ads saying they plan to close their lands to hunters until state officials drop those plans.

Retired rancher Rich Sudduth says the move is designed to get the attention of Fish, Wildlife and Parks by cutting into its revenue.

FWP officials say about 50 of 1,300 landowners have dropped out of a program that pays landowners for public hunting access, including 15 in northeastern Montana. The program still has about 8 million acres open to hunters.

Last spring, FWP transferred 64 bison to Fort Peck Indian Reservation.