The Yellowstone Newspaper Archives for April 2002

Return to the Newspaper Archives Page

Yellowstone right now
from Weather Underground

Grand Teton right now
from Weather Underground

April 2002

The Magic of Yellowstone front page

The Yellowstone Fact Guide
Links to maps, visitor information, resources on wildlife, thermal features, and much more.

Yellowstone Newspaper
founded January 15, 1999

I don't have reporters, and so you won't find stories here that aren't elsewhere on the internet. What you will find here is Yellowstone news that I have compiled from news gathering and activist sources. What I want is for this page to be a resource for those looking for or needing to do research on current events in Yellowstone. For further factual research, go to The Magic of Yellowstone Fact Guide or History Guide.

Help report. If you have a news tip or know of an online news resource, either post in our new and improved discussion forum or email Jim at jsmacdonald@yellowstonemagic.com

See Old Faithful Live! (daytime only)

Current Yellowstone Newspaper

Jobs in Yellowstone and Grand Teton
Looking for a seasonal job in Wonderland? This is a great place to start.

News from Activists:

News from the Newspapers:

Opinion Pieces:

4/30/02 Private development may cause loss of 18 bald eagles and force Forest Service to curtail recreation on Snake River in Wyoming (by Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance as reported in ENN)
4/29/02 Yellowstone Park denning info (by Ralph Maughan)
4/26/02 All Yellowstone buffalo to be killed (by Buffalo Field Campaign)--That is, all buffalo that leave Yellowstone
4/25/02 Bison removed from YNP herd (by Montana Department of Livestock)
4/25/02 Updates from the field (by Buffalo Field Campaign as reported by truthout)--Two more protesters arrested
4/24/02 34 wild bison captured: Protester locks to bison trap (by Buffalo Field Campaign)
4/20/02 Governor Martz expresses concern over Idaho's confirmation of brucellosis infection in cattle herd (by Montana Department of Livestock)
4/19/02 Bison test positive at 62 percent ratio (by Montana Department of Livestock)--The number of positives is unusually high this year. The DOL consistently points out in their press releases that by law they don't have to test any of the bison they capture now because the herd numbers exceed the target number of bison for Yellowstone.
4/18/02 Updates from the field (by Buffalo Field Campaign)--Another 34 bison have been captured and another one of their activists arrested
4/17/02 Activist delays bison capture with blockade of Forest Road 610: At least 17 bison captured in the Horse Butte bison trap (by Buffalo Field Campaign)
4/16/02 Are wolf/livestock depredations soaring? The dangers of wolf managers crying "wolf." (by Ralph Maughan)
4/11/02 Updates from the field (by Buffalo Field Campaign as reported by truthout)--The good news is that they graciously presented my excerpted remarks. The bad news is is that of the 20 bison captured by the DOL, 7 (including 6 cows) were sent to slaughter. It breaks my heart.
4/10/02 Twenty bison captured (by Montana Department of Livestock)
4/10/02 A political solution to public lands grazing: Voluntary grazing permit buyout (by National Public Lands Grazing Campaign)
4/4/02 Personal photographs and captions from the Stampede for the Buffalo in Washington, DC --We had about 50 people. Please read the narrative in the opinion section, or follow the links on the picture page.
4/4/02 Updates from the field (by Buffalo Field Campaign)
4/4/02 Yellowstone experiences worst year ever for illegal snowmobile activity: Taxpayer-funded enforcement failed to make a difference (by Greater Yellowstone Coalition)
4/3/02 Lockdown temporarily halts bison capture at Horse Butte West (by Buffalo Field Campaign)
4/3/02 Bison captured at Horse Butte facility (by Montana Department of Livestock)--15 captured and only 4 escape. 2 others previously tested negatve and were released.
4/2/02 Stampede for the Buffalo on Thursday April 4. Details are here. I will file a report of events from my perspective as a report/opinion piece in the opinion section on Thursday evening.
4/2/02 Druid youngsters kill a bison. Molly's Pack kills a lot of them, but has a hard time keeping them (by Ralph Maughan)

4/30/02 For second week, bison leaving Yellowstone killed without brucellosis testing(AP story in Casper Star-Tribune)--More Terrible News! 72 more buffalo sent to slaughter; one more protester arrested
4/30/02 EPA puts a chill on snowmobiles: Report: The agency backs plan to eliminate the vehicles from Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks (by Gary Polakovich Los Angeles Times)
4/30/02 EPA adds voice against park snowmobiling (AP story in Billings Gazette)--picked up widely nationally
4/30/02 Cooke City cleans up by making snow (by Scott McMillion Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/29/02 Death Sentence Faces Roaming Bison (by ENS)
4/29/02 Griz ordered to get scarce (by Karen Mockler High Country News)
4/29/02 Are Wyoming's feedgrounds a hotbed of disease? Conservationists' proposed phaseout could cause elk herds to plummet (by Karen Mockler High Country News)
4/29/02 Road construction arrives at Grand Teton (AP story in Billings Gazette)--3rd article
4/29/02 Grant sought to increase Jackson air service (AP story in Billings Gazette)--4th article
4/29/02 Snowmobile aggravated homicide case remanded (AP story in Billings Gazette)--5th article
4/28/02 Wasting disease appears in check (AP story in Billings Gazette)
4/28/02 County seeks opinion on feeding (AP story in Billings Gazette)--4th article
4/28/02 Plans developed to protect homes (AP story in Billings Gazette)--6th article
4/28/02 Bear Fence (photo by Mike Stark Billings Gazette)
4/27/02 Livestock Department now shooting park bison (AP story in Billings Gazette)--This story is getting sparse national attention. Abridged versions are in NJ, OK, Newsday and the Boston Globe.
4/27/02 Big Sky gets bearproof trash containers (by Nick Gevock Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/27/02 Public-private deal to preserve fishing access site forever (by Scott McMillion Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/26/02 State skips brucellosis tests, sends 32 to slaughter (by Scott McMillion Bozeman Daily Chronicle)--DOL HAS BEEN WARNING FOR MONTHS THAT THEY COULD SLAUGHTER BISON WITHOUT TESTING; NOW THEY ARE DOING SO.
4/25/02 Changes in Yellowstone (by Gloria Wester Laurel Outlook--MT)
4/25/02 Governor unveils 'tourist' tax plan (by Laurel Outlook--MT)
4/25/02 Grand Teton visitors warned: Bears emerging (AP story in Billings Gazette)--7th article
4/25/02 Yellowstone Association offers spring courses (by Billings Gazette)
4/25/02 Unusual genetic purity found in Yellowstone bison (AP story in Billings Gazette)
4/24/02 Wyoming officials to draft plan for wolves (by Mike Stark Billings Gazette)
4/24/02 Park road work slated, includes Canyon to Fishing Bridge in August (by Cody Enterprise)
4/24/02 G&F mulls new antler picking rules (AP story in Billings Gazette)
4/24/02 Substantial portion of remaining 'pure' bison in Yellowstone (by Scott McMillion Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/23/02 National Park Week Proclamation (by the White House)
4/23/02 Prosecutors seek death penalty for Gibbons (by TahlequahDaily Press--OK)
4/23/02 Delisting debate: Removing wolves from Endangered Species list thorny issue (by Mike Stark Billings Gazette)
4/23/02 Genetically, bison don't measure up to frontier ancestors (Mark Derr New York Times)--Free registration required to see this article. Only approximately 15000 pure bison exist out of 300,000 total and 3,400 of those are in Yellowstone.
4/22/02 Elk refuge brucellosis cases down (AP story in Billings Gazette)
4/22/02 Grand Teton motorists urged to watch out for wildlife (AP story in Billings Gazette)
4/22/02 Firm behind park amenities sees chance for natural growth (by Jason Blevins Denver Post)
4/22/02 Snake River rafters worried about access (AP story in Billings Gazette)
4/22/02 Wyoming tourism industry 'resilient' (AP story in Billings Gazette)
4/21/02 Park to urge bicycle safety (AP story in Billings Gazette)
4/21/02 2nd Dubois man fined in grizzly killing (AP story in Billings Gazette)--1st article
4/21/02 Deer licenses may increase (AP story in Billings Gazette)--4th article
4/20/02 Brucellosis cases alarm Martz (AP story in Billings Gazette)--Brucellosis transmitted probably from elk to herd of cattle near Yellowstone in Idaho. This is big.
4/20/02 Bears are awakening (by Scott McMillion Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/19/02 Bison slaughtered after testing positive for brucellosis (by Scott McMillion Bozeman Daily Chronicle)--21 OF 34 BISON CAPTURED SLAUGHTERED
4/19/02 Diseased bison ordered killed (AP story in Billings Gazette)
4/19/02 Prescribed burns planned in Grand Teton Park (AP story in Billings Gazette)--3rd article
4/19/02 Farm Bill could mean killing of sick bison in Yellowstone (by The New York Times)--You must register with them to see this very interesting story. The registration is free.
4/19/02 For U.S. tourists, vacation's a walk in the park (by Kitty Bean Yancey USA Today)
4/18/02 Agency seeks accord on bison files (by Billings Gazette)
4/18/02 Wolf vs. rancher: new chapter in Old West dilemma: Resurgence of the predator imperils livestock, giving teeth to an old debate (by Todd Wilkinson in Christian Science Monitor)
4/18/02 Governor asks for statewide drought declaration (AP story in Casper Star-Tribune)--However, Yellowstone is not expected to face drought conditions this year, though precipitation is below normal.
4/18/02 FS may make trail passes mandatory nationwide (AP story in Billings Gazette)
4/17/02 Cornyn blasts Daschle over Arctic drilling (by Julie Breaux Odessa American--TX)--Jim Henry, CEO of Petroleum says that Arctic wildlife refuge is "no Yellowstone" and if people want to save something they should be saving Yellowstone. I wonder if it's "no Yellowstone" to Mr. Henry because there's no oil in Yellowstone.
4/17/02 Swan hunt challenged by animal rights activistst (by Scott McMillion Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/17/02 Bush asked to end U.S. forest logging (AP story in Billings Gazette)
4/16/02 Yellowstone interior roads to start opening (by Billings Gazette)
4/16/02 Park's first HQ on historic rolls (by Billings Gazette)
4/15/02 Bureau of Reclamation to dismantle quake sensor network (AP story in Casper Star-Tribune)
4/14/02 Yellowstone wolf count up (by Denver Post)--4th article
4/14/02 Elk exposure to brucellosis up (AP story in Billings Gazette)
4/14/02 Wolf killed after 'killing frenzy' among the lambs (AP story in Billings Gazette)
4/14/02 National Parks' age of decline: Critics say Bush hasn't honored pledge to halt years of budget neglect (by Eric Pianin Washington Post)
4/13/02 New brucellosis test for bison not yet approved (by Scott McMillion Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/12/02 GRAY WOLF RECOVERY WEEKLY PROGRESS REPORT: Status of Gray Wolf Recovery, Weeks of 4/05 - 4/12, 2002 (by U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service)
4/12/02 Wyoming open up options on land (AP story in Billings Gazette)
4/11/02 Public scoping begins on ranger station and associated facilities at Canyon (by National Park Service)
4/11/02 Feds kill wolf in area where llamas attacked; another killed after sheep attack (AP story in Billings Gazette)
4/11/02 Wolf pack spotted near Red Lodge (AP story in Casper Star-Tribune)
4/11/02 Groups propose buy out of grazing permits (by Mike Stark Billings Gazette)
4/11/02 Artist heads out West to capture splendor of national parks (by Rex Rutkoski Valley News Dispatch in Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
4/10/02 Focusing on Yellowstone (by Shauna Decker in Rexburg Standard Journal--ID)
4/10/02 Debate ensues as aspens disappear from Yellowstone (Earl Lane Newsday in azcentral.com)
4/10/02 Brucellosis rates jump in Alpine elk: Game and Fish officials try to determine what caused brucellosis exposure rates to hit 50 percent (by Deanna Darr Jackson Hole Guide)--now offline
4/10/02 Black bear birth rates low after long drought: Researchers say early indications show few yearlings and cubs (by Deanna Darr Jackson Hole Guide)--now offline
4/10/02 State continues planning for antler hunting season: Game and Fish will host a public meeting on the issue May 29 in Jackson (by Deanna Darr Jackson Hole Guide)--now offline
4/10/02 Wooden boxes replace lost bird habitat: Elk Refuge volunteers help biologist employ bird boxes to supplement loss of nesting sites (by Deanna Darr Jackson Hole Guide)
4/10/02 Illness may cut bighorn sheep licenses (AP story in Billings Gazette)
4/9/02 Interior Secretary Norton talks to UPI (by UPI)--She discusses Yellowstone, including the controversial decision concerning snowmoblies
4/9/02 Feds urged to change wolf policy (by Mike Stark Billings Gazette)
4/9/02 Sled competition helps bring county role to light (by Carole Cloudwalker Cody Enterprise)
4/9/02 State would like to introduce Yellowstone area grizzly hunt (by Scott McMillion Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/9/02 Wildlife managers hope to bring grizzly hunts back to southwestern Montana (AP story in Casper Star-Tribune)
4/9/02 Livingston man goes to extremes for off-season photos (by Brett French Billings Gazette)
4/9/02 Enviro group gives zeros to Wyoming delegation (AP story in Billings Gazette)
4/8/02 Interagency team unveils wide range of options for elk, bison (AP story in Casper Star-Tribune)
4/8/02 Activists still not telling the truth, say snowmobilers (U. S. Newswire)
4/8/02 Judge upholds grizzly-damage award (AP story in Billings Gazette)--1st article
4/7/02 2 schools win clean snowmobile prize (AP story in Billings Gazette)
4/6/02 Amfac changes name to Xanterra (by Denver Business Journal)--How bizarre!
4/6/02 Father of girl killed in snowmobile accident charged (AP story in Billings Gazette)--6th article
4/5/02 GRAY WOLF RECOVERY WEEKLY PROGRESS REPORT: Status of Gray Wolf Recovery, Weeks of 3/29 - 4/05, 2002 (by U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service)
4/5/02 Snowmobilers in Yellowstone set record for citations (by Mike Stark Billings Gazette)
4/5/02 Federal magistrate says Forest Service doesn't have to build road (by Scott McMillion Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/5/02 Judge denies proposal for road in wilderness (AP story in Billings Gazette)
4/5/02 Land Trust receives $100,000 grant (AP story in Billings Gazette)--7th article
4/4/02 Bison advocates demonstrate at USDA (AP story in azcentral.com)--I'm happy and surprised to see this picked up by the AP (version in 4/5 Billings Gazette has a picture that we believe in the larger view has a shot of my wife Loree)
4/4/02 10 great places to lodge when visiting national parks (by USA Today)
4/4/02 Apple-fed grizzly killed (by Mike Stark Billings Gazette)
4/4/02 Agents round up 15 bison, arrest one protestor (by Scott McMillion Bozeman Daily Chronicle)--Ironic and appropriate that this story coincides with the Buffalo Stampede
4/3/02 Bears outlawed in Wyoming counties over food fight (by Jack Clinton ENS)
4/3/02 Yellowstone offers online bear field trip for students (by National Park Service)
4/3/02 4 bison shot on ranch north of Jackson (AP story in Billings Gazette)--8th article
4/2/02 Wolves way down on the list of sheep predators (by Scott McMillion Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/2/02 Yellowstone photograph may be work of Old West master (Ask Helaine & Joe Evansville (IN) Courier & Press)
4/2/02 You thought digging out of snow was bad?
(by Zay N. Smith Chicago Sun Times)--1st article
4/2/02 County considers stricter wetlands rehab rules (AP story in Billings Gazette)--6th article
4/2/02 Accessory to deadly hit-and-run sentenced (AP story in Billings Gazette)--7th article
4/2/02 Deer, elk disease moves north from Colorado (by Mike Stark Billings Gazette)
4/2/02 Sled ban might be postponed (by Carole Cloudwalker Billings Gazette)
4/1/02 Move over! Will snowmobile tourism relax its grip on a gateway town? (by Ray Ring High Mountan News)--An excellent piece on how the snowmobile controversy has deeply divided West Yellowstone
4/1/02 Cleaner machines drive (slowly) toward Yellowstone (by Ray Ring High Mountan News)
4/1/02 Winter-use plan lurches toward the finish line (by Ray Ring High Mountan News)
4/1/02 Wyoming 'feeling pressure' to start wolf planning (by Jim Mann The Daily Inter Lake--Kalispell, MT)
4/1/02 Absaroka wolves contracting mange (AP story in Casper Star-Tribune)
4/1/02 Fewer moose hunting permits to be issued for Jackson Hole (AP story in Casper Star-Tribune)

(comment in discussion forum)
4/29/02 An Earth Day essay (by Flo Gardipee as published by Ralph Maughan)
4/28/02 Unnatural parks: Picturesque locations lack proper funding for upkeep (by Times Record News--Witchita Falls, TX)
4/28/02 Wildlife diseases have a human factor (by The Missoulian)
4/27/02 Brucellosis, mad elk disease, wolves, and the fantasies of Northern Rockies wildlife politicians (by Ralph Maughan)
4/26/02 On yesterday's slaughter of 32 bison (by Jim Macdonald The Magic of Yellowstone)
4/25/02Just say know: What it takes to keep public documents public (by Ken Picard Missoula Independent)
4/24/02How green is The White House? It's greener than the environmentalists admit. But it still rolls out the red carpet for corporations. Here's how. (by Andrew Goldstein and Matthew Cooper CNN)
4/23/02Elk group leaders could use Biology and History classes (by Patrick Wherritt Jr. in Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/22/02A cheer for peace and quiet (by The Washington Post)
4/22/02People with tourist money were enjoying watching the bloody killing (by Judy Cain in Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/21/02The real backcountry elitists are the noisy, smelly ones (by Ed Scheterlak in Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/19/02Stopping all livestock grazing will ruin land (by Wayne Burleson in Billings Gazette)
4/19/02National Park grand lodges given their due in photos, words (Book Review by Mike Bailey in The Columbian--Vancouver, WA)
4/18/02Right to know passes a test (by Helena Independent Record)
4/18/02Recent headlines have been putting wolves in a bad light (by William C. Patric in Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/18/02Who will pay for wolf management? (by Dave Skinner in Sidney Herald-Leader--MT)
4/17/02Livestock impacts hunters and fishers (by George Wuerthner as published by Ralph Maughan)
4/17/02Vaccination would settle buffalo war (by Kyle Ferris in Billings Gazette)--3rd letter
4/17/02Don't abandon buffalo calves (by Samantha Oldman in Billings Gazette)--4th letter
4/16/02Against the Slaughter of Yellowstone bison (by Dave Colavito in The Magic of Yellowstone discussion forum)
4/16/02Feds implored to consider park-area wolves separately (by Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/16/02Northern elk range in its worst shape ever (by Robert L. Ross in Bozeman Daily Chronicle)--also in 4/19 Billings Gazette
4/12/02A two-stroke marvel (by Rocky Mountain News)
4/12/02Wild idea threatens wolves (by Billings Gazette)
4/10/02Antler season (by Jackson Hole Guide)--2nd opinion. I think there is an ironic typo in the last line. --Now offline
4/10/02Lawmaker should get his facts straight (by Defenders of Wildlife as reported by Ralph Maughan)--A big story out of Idaho in the past couple days. The Fish and Wildlife Service destroyed an entire pack of wolves near Clayton, Idaho. There's much more on this on Ralph's site. This response from Defenders goes into the general issues of wolf management.
4/10/02Lawmaker should get his facts straight (by Susan Chin Phoenix Research Associates in Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/10/02Camping experience changed for the worse (by Rolland Otto in Billings Gazette)--4th letter
4/10/02Recreationists need to learn to share the woods (by Bob Stevenson in Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/8/02Yellowstone's damaged resource: Trust (by Geneen Haugen Denver Post)
4/8/02Hatred toward wolves a sign of something much bigger (by Todd Wilkinson in Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/8/02Elite Forest Users need to learn to share the backcountry (by Troy Evenson in Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/7/02Yellowstone Treasures (by Terry Richard The Oregonian)--a short book review of Janet Chapple's new book by that title. Her daughter Beth runs a very nice site helping to promote the book.
4/7/02Columnist’s defense of motorized recreation hysterical (by Todd Tanner in Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/6/02How do you see the future of winter use in Yellowstone National Park? (by Bob Furu in West Yellowstone News)
4/5/02 Coming together on behalf of Yellowstone buffalo (by Jim Macdonald)--A lengthy reflective narrative of the Stampede for the Buffalo, April 4, in Washington, DC. If you are short of time, try a somewhat abridged version
4/5/02 Both sides in wolf debate are kidding themselves (by Troy Davis in Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/4/02 New wolf policy proves deadly to Idaho and Montana wolves. Policy of appeasement will not work (by Ralph Maughan)
4/4/02 Environmental groups just looking after their own interests (by Derrick C. Monson in Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/4/02 Last Great Place was destroyed by Montana’s granddads (by Mike Smith in Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/3/02 National Parks are treasures that deserve our care alive (by Paul Shea in Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/3/02 Outsiders trying to ban motorized recreation (by Kevin Miller in Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/1/02 Why do animals cross the road? To stay alive (by Todd Wilkinson in Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
4/1/02 Control elk herds by bringing back predators (by Eliza Gibbons in Rocky Mountain News)--suggests reintroduction of wolves (on the Yellowstone model) in Colorado to deal with disease problems. The big problem there is mad elk disease, which was recently found, and is a potential threat to all the major wildlife in Yellowstone