In February, an unlikely group of conservationists, bison advocates, ranchers, hunters, landowners and citizens came together to create a plan for managing Yellowstone-area bison.

Their goal was to “try to move the issue of Yellowstone bison forward,” and to come up with a consensus among a diverse group – a task that was sure to be challenging.

But the group continued to meet monthly, and on Nov. 30 will be presenting its recommendation to the host of agencies responsible for managing bison.

“I think we’ve come up with a pretty good agreement,” Glenn Hockett, president of the Gallatin Wildlife Association, said, adding that it was tough work to get to this point.

“It’s like getting your teeth pulled out,” he said. “It is painfully slow, agonizing work. But it’s good in terms of learning to listen and trying to see things from the other side’s point of view.”

Bison management in the Yellowstone area has long been a controversial issue. Each winter, the animals leave the park to search for better grazing grounds. Once the bison are outside park borders, groups and individuals from all backgrounds seem to bicker over how they should be handled.

A group of government agencies and tribes currently work together under a plan that directs their decisions on how to manage bison.

The citizens’ group will be presenting its recommendations to those agencies, with the hope that all or some of them will be implemented.

“I’d be amazed if they don’t look at this as a blessing,” Hockett said. “I would think they’d be hungry for a document that’s bipartisan or consensus.”

But he said he’s confident they’ll take the recommendations seriously.

The citizens’ group has worked to address bison management issues such as habitat, population management, risk management and education.

Becky Weed — a rancher, conservationist and former member of the Board of Livestock — said it’s “high time these groups really have a direct dialogue with each other and that’s what’s happening.”

“It’s been a really interesting process,” she said. “To a large degree, it’s only just the beginning – but it’s a good beginning.”

The Nov. 30 meeting will be open to the public.

Carly Flandro may be reached at 582-2638 or cflandro@dailychronicle.com.

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