Montana
Montana’s new bison rewilding paradigm
The prairie grasslands of central Montana have been the focal point of wild bison restoration attempts for many years. So far, past bison rewilding efforts have met with little success in our region, notwithstanding the American Prairie Reserve’s attempt to raise bison as domestic livestock for release one day as a wildlife species.
While American Prairie Reserve’s plan for creating a multimillion acre wild bison reserve remains palpable, it seems their effort is now being augmented by a new bison rewilding paradigm developed last year by Department of the Interior.
On March 23, 2023, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland issued Secretarial Order 3410 titled: Restoration of American Bison and the Prairie Grasslands. The order provides for restoring bison on tribal lands throughout the west and centers on Haaland’s precept that “restoring bison and healthy grasslands can serve as a step toward national healing and reconciliation after centuries of federal policies designed to erase Native people and their culture.”
Haaland’s playbook calls for the translocation of bison from various places to Indian reservations throughout the west. While establishing bison herds on tribal lands seems inoffensive at first glance, one could argue that this tactic is part of a backdoor plan to phase in bison on native grasslands in Montana.
For example, the Blackfeet announced several years ago that they intend to release some of their bison onto adjacent national forest lands. A former superintendent of Glacier National Park stated that he would welcome bison that stray into the park from the Blackfeet Reservation.
Over time, there will be escaped bison from tribal lands that are left to wander because they are tough to round up and hard to retrieve. Add planned bison releases by some Montana tribes to the mix and a bison rewilding paradigm becomes reality.
But there’s more. Haaland indicates that Interior’s bison rewilding plan will not be limited to tribal lands and has directed her Bison Working Group to: “Actively pursue bison restoration on both Federal and Tribal lands; support partner restoration efforts (e.g. APR); and, pursue opportunities with other federal agencies for bison restoration on lands they manage.”
Going forward, the tea leaves seem to read that the CMR National Wildlife Refuge (CMR) will soon be revising its wildlife management plan to provide for free ranging bison on the refuge.
Bison on the CMR would be managed unfenced the same as any other wildlife species. Natural barriers, no tolerance zones and perhaps a few drift fences will be the only management tools used to control bison. Because American Prairie Reserve owns thousands of acres of private land around the CMR, bison that stray off the refuge would be welcomed on American Prairie Reserve’s private holdings and allowed to proliferate as a wildlife species. And, let’s not forget that American Prairie Reserve has also purchased land that butts up to the Fort Belknap Reservation.
Haaland portrays her bison rewilding initiative as a win-win for everyone and states that: “The best science shows that returning bison to grasslands can enhance soil development, restore native plants and wildlife, and promote carbon sequestration, thereby providing benefits for agriculture, outdoor recreation, and Tribes.”
Ready or not, it won’t be long before meta populations of free ranging bison will be scattered throughout Montana. They will leak in from tribal lands and from other federally managed lands like monuments, refuges and parks.
It’s a new bison rewilding paradigm for Montana.
Ron Poertner lives in Winifred.
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 13, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from May 13 drawing
22-31-52-56-67, Powerball: 15, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from May 13 drawing
17-18-28-37-42, Star Ball: 04, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from May 13 drawing
02-06-10-16, Bonus: 16
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from May 13 drawing
08-13-39-63-66, Powerball: 02
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Montana Cash numbers from May 13 drawing
02-04-13-17-32
Check Montana Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 13 drawing
21-24-29-42-49, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Montana
Public Meeting at Hub on Smith Concerning Montana Water Call Prompting Priority Administration in Tongue Basin
Wyoming State Engineer Brandon Gebhart announced that on May 5, 2026, the State of Montana placed a call under Article V(A) of the Yellowstone River Compact to fill Tongue River Reservoir in Montana. As a result, priority administration is in effect on post-1950 water rights in Wyoming that divert water from the Tongue River and its tributaries and are not excluded from the compact.
A public meeting will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 18, in the dining room of The Hub on Smith. Attendees are asked to enter on the north side of the building.
The Tongue River Basin has been experiencing drought conditions over the past year with historically low winter snowpack and streamflow conditions. According to the release, those conditions led to Montana’s interstate call and prompted the administration of the Tongue River Basin in Wyoming.
The priority administration will affect post-1950 water rights within the Tongue River Basin, including reservoir storage, stream diversions and groundwater withdrawals, all of which affect river flows. Post-1950 water rights will be regulated off or prevented from turning on. Wyoming hydrographer-commissioners will continue to administer reservoir storage and post-1950 diversions throughout the spring and work with affected water users until the administration is lifted.
As provided in the compact, domestic uses less than one-half acre in area and livestock uses, including stock reservoirs less than 20 acre-feet in capacity, are excluded from this administration. The release noted these excluded rights could be subject to future regulation to satisfy priority calls by senior Wyoming water rights.
Beginning May 5, 2026, Wyoming hydrographer-commissioners have worked to record the current storage levels of reservoirs with post-1950 water rights. Going forward, those reservoirs can continue to accrue storage so long as post-1950 storage gained after the interstate call on May 5 remains in storage until either the water is released to satisfy the Montana call or Montana lifts the call because Tongue River Reservoir will fill.
Reservoirs with unfulfilled pre-1950 water rights can continue to store water and that storage will not be subject to release to satisfy Montana’s call. However, that storage and other direct flow rights could be subject to regulation to satisfy priority calls by senior Wyoming water rights.
The priority administration will be carried out pursuant to state law by hydrographer-commissioners assigned to various portions of the Tongue River Basin, working under the direction of Division II Superintendent David Schroeder.
The Wyoming State Engineer’s Office can be contacted at:
Jack Morey, deputy state engineer, 307-777-5032, jack.morey2@wyo.gov
David Schroeder, Division II superintendent, 307-674-7012, d.schroeder@wyo.gov
Jeff Cowley, interstate streams administrator, 307-777-1942, jeff.cowley@wyo.gov
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 12, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 12 drawing
17-32-35-40-47, Mega Ball: 17
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from May 12 drawing
04-12-17-24, Bonus: 11
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 12 drawing
19-21-35-38-53, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
-
Kentucky6 seconds agoWhich Kentucky Derby horses are running in the 2026 Preakness Stakes?
-
Louisiana6 minutes agoLouisiana National Guard troops return to Washington for Trump task force
-
Maine12 minutes agoA top issue in Maine and Oklahoma governors’ races? Tribal sovereignty. – ICT
-
Maryland18 minutes agoMaryland Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for May 13, 2026
-
Michigan24 minutes agoPuppies, prom and pancakes: What to do in West Michigan this weekend
-
Massachusetts30 minutes agoBattenfeld: Have Massachusetts voters finally had enough of soft on crime?
-
Minnesota36 minutes agoCaribou Coffee in Minnesota launches value menu
-
Mississippi42 minutes agoMississippi State, Ole Miss baseball hosting scenarios for NCAA Tournament bracket