By Josh Margolis
ROCKY BOY, Mont. (NMB) – Members of the Chippewa Cree Tribe met on Friday morning to discuss plans to bring buffalo back to Rocky Boy for the first time in over a decade.
According to the plans, at least eight Yellowstone buffalo could potentially be transferred from Fort Peck as soon as December, when around 30 buffalo are slated to complete brucellosis quarantine.
During the meeting, cattlemen provided constructive criticism on the tentative plans. Concerns ranged from making sure buffalo have adequate water supply, finding an ideal location for them to roam, and details regarding proposed fencing.
“We still need a ton more of community input to be successful,” says Jason Belcourt, Sustainability Coordinator for the Chippewa Cree Tribe. “This will be the third time of bringing buffalo home to Rocky Boy. Let’s make sure we do it right, let’s make sure that they’re with us this time, forever.”
The Chippewa Cree Tribe recently received a $21,000 grant from the Inter-Tribal Bison Council as part of efforts to bring buffalo back. However, the grant proposal requested $108,000.
“We wrote for eight miles of fence. We didn’t get eight miles of fence, obviously. I was disappointed. At the same time, I was thankful. Thankful that ITBC gave us that much. At the same time, $21,000 was not going to accomplish our needs. But everything is in baby steps, and everything happens for a reason. There’s monies behind this, there’s other supplemental program dollars coming behind us. So it is what it is.”
Belcourt says that he believes the venture could eventually become profitable for the Reservation.
“We just have to get a track record going that we’re able to do a value added product and follow all the rules and regulations and put out a good product. It’s highly doable and profitable.”
Belcourt says the next step will be creating an advisory council to provide more guidance.
Buffalo are considered sacred to the Chippewa Cree people, and have spiritual significance.
