American Prairie National Discovery Center
P.O. Box 892
Lewistown, MT 59457
[Recipient Address]
In Our Communities
Growing: American Prairie currently employs 49 staff members, living primarily in Lewistown, Bozeman, and out on the prairie. We are also growing! We are hiring for multiple exciting job opportunities, including a Chief Marketing Officer, Bison Operations Manager, Travel and Events Coordinator, and more. Visit https://www.americanprairie.org/employment for details and to apply.
Supporting: As a good neighbor and community member, American Prairie is a proud member of the Lewistown and Malta Chambers of Commerce, and supports important community work and projects across the region, including disaster and emergency services. Please contact Corrie at corrie@americanprairie.org about local sponsorships and support.
Grazing: American Prairie leases grass to neighbors and ranchers in the region, with more than 13,000 head of cattle grazing across our land base. We are proud to work with local producers towards our mutual goal of healthy land, animals, and people.
Field Notes: American Prairie’s Local Newsletter
A WORD FROM OUR CEO
Welcome to the first issue of American Prairie Field Notes! As spring returns to the prairie, we are pleased to launch this newsletter to connect our neighbors and community members with up-to-date information and ways to engage. In this first issue, you’ll find an introduction to various aspects of our work, a look at our bison operations, and opportunities for the year ahead. We hope you’ll stay tuned for future issues: the next edition will dive into recreation and public access, including the newest property addition, the 73.
Thank you for your interest in American Prairie! Learn more at AmericanPrairie.org, and don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns, or to share ideas for future newsletter topics. Contact Corrie, American Prairie Senior Outreach Manager, at corrie@americanpriarie.org
See you on the prairie,
Alison P. Fox
We are working to build and preserve a healthy and resilient prairie ecosystem. This includes bison, which were crucial in shaping the ecosystem before nearly vanishing in the late 1800s.
Bison by the Numbers
715
Approximate total number of American Prairie bison across three herds on Dry Fork, White Rock, and Sun Prairie, after our February bison handling. An aerial count will be conducted this spring to assess winter mortality rates, and again in the fall to determine annual mortality and birth rates. These biannual counts and our bison management plan are used to inform the annual management decisions that impact our bison stocking rates. Stocking rates are set in conjunction with the BLM to appropriately reflect differences in year-round or rotational grazing based on the property, and we have always maintained conservative rates in an effort to prevent bison from attempting to leave our pastures in search of food elsewhere.
“Herd health is just as important to us as it is to our neighbors. Our bison have been sourced from herds that have been brucellosis-free for several decades. We carefully follow all of the guidelines set by the Montana Department of Livestock, and work diligently with the Phillips County Conservation District to fulfill the terms of our bison agreement with them.”
–Scott Heidebrink, Director of Bison Restoration
Bison Testing
We collected samples from 122 bison to test for several diseases, complying with the Phillips County Bison Ordinance and going above and beyond Montana state requirements.
We are pleased to share that once again no evidence of clinical disease was found in our bison herds. The animals were tested under the expanded protocols agreed to earlier this year with the Phillips County Conservation District and we shared the full results with the Conservation District board.
Bison Harvest
495
Total number of bison donated to conservation and tribal herds to date. In February, we donated 85 bison to tribal partners, including 19 to Fort Peck, 15 to Fort Belknap, 33 to the Wolakota project, 10 to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, 5 to One Spirit, and 3 to Rocky Boy.
Bison Handling
Over the course of February 1-3, the American Prairie team moved 231 bison through our state-of-the-art handling facility on the Sun Prairie property, and invited neighbors, partners, and many local community members to observe. Together, we were able to accomplish…
• 231 bison handled
• 122 bison disease tested
• 97 solar powered GPS tags deployed
• 3 GPS collars deployed
• 85 bison shipped to partners
Our 2021 public bison harvests were completed in December, resulting in nineteen bison harvested over the fall and winter. The drawing to enter the annual public bison harvest for the 2022-2023 season will open this June. Sign up at americanprairie.org/bison-harvest to be notified via email when the drawing opens online and to receive future bison harvest updates.
Contributing Bison
Prior to distributing 85 bison to tribal partners in the month of February (see details in the “Bison by the Numbers” section), we contributed approximately 2,100 pounds of bison meat to our communities in 2021. 1600 pounds were distributed through the Montana Food Bank Network, and 500 went directly to local pantries and food banks in Lewistown, Fort Belknap, and Malta.
BLM Approves Grazing Application
On March 30, 2022, after four years of thoughtful consideration and public input, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approved of American Prairie’s application to graze bison across 63,500 acres of public lands in Phillips County.
“We are extremely pleased with this decision,” said Pete Geddes, Vice President and Chief External Relations officer for American Prairie. “It allows us to exercise our legal grazing privileges to sustainability grow our conservation herd of bison, continue good stewardship of the land, and create more opportunities for visitors to experience Montana’s prairie lands and wildlife.”
The BLM asserts that this Proposed Decision is in conformance with the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLMPA), and Federal Grazing Regulations. The BLM’s proposed decision authorizes American Prairie to graze bison, behind fences, on six grazing allotments in Phillips County where the organization holds priority grazing leases. The majority of internal fencing on BLM-administered lands would remain intact.
American Prairie estimates the decision will allow them to sustainably grow their private conservation herd of bison, currently numbering 813 animals, to 1,000 animals by 2025.
Hunting
American Prairie recognizes that carefully managed hunting plays an important role in maintaining more diverse ecosystems, and we are proud to offer hunting opportunities on designated properties. We enrolled more than 69,000 acres of our private land in Montana’s 2021 block management program for hunting, and in 2022 we’ll open up access to more than 9,000 new acres of previously landlocked state and federal land.
Making plans for hunting season?
Check our website this summer for information on a special drawing for elk hunting on the Blue Ridge property and for 2022 hunting details. We anticipate having finalized Block Management agreements with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks by August. To learn more about how we manage hunting, and to stay upto-date on access and key dates, please visit AmericanPrairie.org/Hunting.
Collaborating for Conservation
Did you know you can get paid for your wildlife photos? Meet the Wild Sky Program!
Wild Sky is a collaboration between American Prairie, ranchers, landowners, and land managers that live and operate in key wildlife corridors and within neighboring communities in central Montana. As one component of the program, we run cameras for conservation, where trail cameras are deployed on a property and landowners receive direct payments for documentation of specific species. In 2021, American Prairie paid participating ranchers more than $20,000 for wildlife camera trap images alone.
For those participating in the program, American Prairie pays the following amounts for wildlife photos (one picture, per camera, per day for each individual animal or elk herd):
The National Discovery Center
Our much-anticipated gateway to the prairie is now open on Main Street in Lewistown! The Discovery Center is designed to be a rendezvous point for visitors exploring the region — a place where folks can pick up maps, book a campsite, or get help planning their trip. It also serves as a place for visitors to be immersed in this grassland ecosystem, even without dirt road travel to the prairie. The National Discovery Center features nearly 3,000 square feet of science-based, interactive exhibits on topics such as:
• What makes prairie and temperate grassland ecosystems so important
• The impact of the Missouri River and other waterways in the region
• A human history timeline
• Geology of the Missouri Breaks
• Constellations and nocturnal animals
• Bird migrations and flyways
• The roles of keystone species as ecosystem engineers
The Discovery Center also features a 40-seat immersive theater with rotating short documentary films, and a large conference and event space. And stay tuned for the opening of our Children’s Center! This space will include a smell and sound station, prairie dog-themed tunnels, a reading corner, and more! Visit us at 302 W Main Street in Lewistown, Montana.
Discovery Center Event Space
We look forward to hosting events that provide learning opportunities, create dialogue, support other conservation projects in the state, and facilitate meaningful gatherings for the communities of Central Montana. Know of an event you’d like to host here?
Contact us about renting: ndc@americanprairie.org or call (406) 380-2105
Coyote, Red Fox Badger, Elk Bobcat, Bighorn Sheep
Cougar, Black Bear Wolf, Grizzly Bear, Swift Fox, Black-Footed Ferret
