The U.S. Forest Service this week proposed closing hunting with firearms in part of a controversial pinch-point where bison migrate out of Yellowstone National Park.
Every winter, state and tribal hunters line up in Beattie Gulch, just north of Gardiner, waiting for bison. Local residents have filed suit, alleging the close quarters and proximity to private property make the hunt there unsafe.
The proposed closure is of 23 acres, mostly just off Old Yellowstone Road. The Forest Service has issued temporary shooting bans there for several years. But this one would be permanent.
The Forest Service issued notice of the closure last summer, but re-posted its proposal this week due to an administrative error. A 60-day public comment period began on Wednesday, and any comments sent in over the summer must be re-submitted.
