American Prairie acquires Anchor Ranch; debate over bison permits continues
On Sept. 4, 2025, American Prairie announced the purchase of the Anchor Ranch, totaling 67,960 acres, including 22,837 acres of deeded land and 45,123 leased acres. According to the press release, this is “the second-largest land purchase in the non-profit’s 24-year history.”
Reportedly, access to a 3.8-mile section of Bullwhacker Road which previous owners had closed, will be opened to the public to provide access to the adjoining Upper Missouri River National Monument.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to secure an important piece of ecologically and culturally significant land,” said American Prairie CEO Alison Fox in the press release. “But this acquisition is equally important as a way to return public access to the people so they can explore, hunt, and recreate on land that’s been off-limits for many years.”
As stated in the press release, American Prairie also acquired 1,888 deeded acres adjacent to the south side of Anchor ranch, and in a third and separate transaction in the Cow Creek basin of Blaine County, the organization acquired an additional 5,401 acres, consisting of 1,188 deeded acres and 4,213 leased acres. These three purchases bring American Prairie’s total acreage to 603,657 acres, including 167,070 deeded acres and 436,587 leased public acres.
“On both the Anchor Ranch and the 5,401-acre property with public grazing leases, the ranching families who lease the properties will remain in place, and the land will continue to be used for agricultural production,” said the American Prairie release.
“We are really pleased to have the existing lessees stay on the ground where their cattle have been grazing, and we look forward to working with these ranching families,” said Fox.
American Prairie states that it currently leases out hundreds of thousands of acres on 10 of its 12 management units to 25 local livestock producers who run approximately 7,000 head of cattle.
Bison: yes or no?
Meanwhile, American Prairie bison grazing permits continue to be disputed.
According to the organization, they plan to “restore bison to their historic habitat on American Prairie lands.”
“Today the species is listed as ‘near threatened’ and ‘ecologically extinct,'” American Prairie states on their website. “Although some progress has been made, the bison’s recovery has been slow and is far from complete. Hundreds of thousands of bison remain in North America today, with most being raised for commercial uses in herds on small acreages behind fences. Less than ten percent of existing bison are managed for conservation or as a wild species. Thousands of bison on large landscapes are needed to fulfill their former ecological role. Moreover, most conservation herds are very small, numbering in the dozens to a few hundred, and are mostly confined to small, fenced-in areas. These conditions threaten the genetic health of bison and greatly hinder their ability to roam widely and display natural behaviors. This combination of genetic, ecological, and behavioral concerns makes bison restoration a high priority for wildlife conservation in North America.”
The Bureau of Land Management reported July 28, 2022 that it would indeed allow bison to graze six allotments in Phillips County, Montana, at the request of American Prairie (formerly known as the American Prairie Reserve or APR). According to the BLM, the Telegraph Creek, Box Elder, Flat Creek, White Rock, French Coulee, Garey Coulee allotments were approved for bison, totaling approximately 63,500 acres of BLM-administered lands which currently provide 7,969 animal unit months of permitted use. At the time, the BLM also said the East Dry Fork common allotment grazed with another livestock operator would remain approved for cattle-only grazing.
The State of Montana along with several grazing districts and livestock industry groups appealed the BLM decision in 2022.
No change
Perri Jacobs and her husband hold the East Dry Fork lease in common with American Prairie. Another cattle rancher runs on the American Prairie permit. This allotment was the only one that was not granted approval for bison grazing in 2022, out of the seven allotments that American Prairie requested BLM permission to graze bison on.
“American Prairie continues to purchase ranches,” Jacobs said. “We live in a capital system and they have every right to do it if there’s a willing seller, but it is discouraging for sure. We don’t have the millions it would take to stop them.”
Jacobs’ were part of an appeal to the BLM initiated in 2022, along with the Montana Stockgrowers, county grazing districts and other livestock organizations in the state.
But, Jacobs said, the appeal went to Washington, D.C., and nothing has been done with it for three years. She is hopeful that with the new administration there will be some movement forward with the process.
“They do not have any requirement that they ever act on it, ever; it can sit there forever,” she said.
Wyoming congresswoman Harriet Hageman recently presented the Expedited Appeals Review Act or the EARA, which Jacobs believes would be beneficial in situations where agency decisions are appealed.
According to Hageman’s website: “This bill authorizes a party that files an appeal of a Department of the Interior decision with the Interior Board of Land Appeals to submit a written request for expedited review of the appeal. (The mission of the board is to provide an impartial forum within Interior for the resolution of disputes involving public lands and natural resources under Interior’s jurisdiction.)
If a party submits such a request, the board must issue a final decision on the appeal not later than six months after the date on which the request for expedited review was received. However, the deadline may not be earlier than 18 months after the date on which the appeal was initially filed with the board.
If the deadline for expedited review is not met, Interior’s decision is deemed a final agency action and is subject to de novo judicial review (i.e., without deference to the agency’s decision).
This bill applies to appeals pending as of the date of enactment of this bill and appeals filed after the date of enactment.”
“We have some optimism with the current administration,” Jacobs said.
Jacobs is aware that Montana Stockgrowers and representatives of other groups are spending time in Washington, D.C. to make their voices heard on this and other agriculture-related issues.
Jacobs’ previously leased land from American Prairie and still have a BLM allotment in common with them. “At one time we did, we started getting vocal in opposition to them, they decided they didn’t want to lease to us,” she said.
Jacobs’ still have a BLM allotment in common with American Prairie, fenced in three pastures for rotation. In the 2022 proposal, American Prairie suggested splitting the allotment with Jacobs’ permitted one of the three pastures and American Prairie permitted the other two pastures to be operated separately rather than in grazed in common.
Of the seven allotments on which AP requested bison grazing, the east Dry Fork allotment was the only one to remain cattle only, Jacobs said.
“When that decision came out, we were the only people in the world who were happy with it,” she said. “We livestock ranchers could keep doing what we’ve been doing.”
Jacobs Ranch does not border an American Prairie bison herds, but they are within a few miles of one herd. Perri said that American Prairie is good about keeping their exterior fences in good condition.
“When bison do get out, their stated goal is to have the animal taken care of within 24 hours,” she said. “A lot of times that means an animal is put down, since they don’t work the animals a lot they can’t be herded, although they sometimes go out with ATVs. Typically, if they get out, it’s a single bison, usually a bull.”
Most of American Prairie’s exterior fence has an electric strand. Anecdotally, Jacobs said, while the fence might be built for pronghorn to go under and deer and elk to go over, the wild animals can sense the electricity and avoid it.
“We are anxious for a decision from the BLM on our appeal,” Jacobs said. “I can tell you that whatever direction it goes, the losing party will probably take it to the next step. I predict this will not be settled till it goes to the supreme court.”
While Jacobs is hopeful for progress on the appeal with the current administration, she knows the volatile political climate is impacting the situation.
“The challenge is, how do they make those changes permanent before the next person comes along?”
Governor’s appeal
On Sept. 5, 2025, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, Congressmen Ryan Zinke and Troy Downing and Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum regarding American Prairie grazing permits in eastern Montana.
“Since 2017, American Prairie Reserve (APR) has been in the process of seeking the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) approval to change livestock grazing permits into permits to graze their non-production, “rewilded” conservation bison herd. Under the Biden Administration, BLM issued a decision to grant the requested permits on a number of BLM grazing allotments in eastern Montana. The State of Montana, grazing districts, and livestock industry groups all appealed BLM’s decision, as it violated federal laws like the Taylor Grazing Act and National Environmental Policy Act. Those appeals have been working through the administrative hearings process at the U.S. Department of the Interior since 2022,” the letter stated in part.
“APR is dedicated to ‘re-wilded’ free-roaming bison and converting Montana’s historic farms and ranches into the largest wildlife refuge in the continental United States. The effect of this change would remove immense swaths of land from production agriculture with far reaching implications and undermine the proud heritage of these small, agriculture-focused communities. It also threatens the economic vitality of our most important industry, decreasing agricultural production revenue and directly impacting industries downstream that shape our overall economy. Once the damage is done, and these generational farms and ranches are gone, they cannot be brought back. …
“As Montanans, we are tremendously grateful for the sacrifices and investments our farmers and ranchers make every day, and our collective leadership is committed to defending and securing the long-term viability of their livelihoods.”
In a press release, the Montana Farm Bureau reported contacting Secretary Burgum in support of Governor Gianforte’s letter.
“Our members have long been concerned, and even alarmed by, actions requested and granted by the American Prairie Reserve regarding their Bureau of Land Management (BLM) allotments. This is why MFBF is a party to the lawsuit referred to in the letter. We joined the appeal of BLM’s decision, as it violates federal laws like the Taylor Grazing Act and National Environmental Policy Act,” MFBF President Cyndi Johnson reportedly told Secretary Burgum. She explained that farmer and rancher members are concerned about the outcome of the decisions because it allows permits to be issued for “rewilding”; in this case, permits for bison to graze on lands once occupied by cattle and other traditional livestock.
According to the MFBF, the bison, which are considered livestock in Montana, are being treated as a conservation species in an effort to create a refuge for “free roaming” bison, a concept that has been strongly opposed by Farm Bureau members since the concept emerged in the 2010s.
Johnson urged Burgum’s agency to take swift action, and said the final decision in the court case violated the Taylor Grazing Act and processes put forth in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
“The practice of removing cattle and sheep AUMs from BLM lands in favor of a non-preferred species sets a dangerous precedent for more livestock AUM removals. Agriculture is still the number-one industry in our state and the removal of livestock from the landscape will be devastating to individual farmers and ranchers. This economic harm will trickle through the rest of the state’s economy,” Johnson concluded in the MFBF release.
Disease Risk?
There is a risk that brucellosis can be transmitted from bison or elk to cattle, said Emily Kaleczyc, Montana’s assistant state veterinarian.
“The short answer is yes, bison and elk can transmit brucellosis to cattle,” Kaleczyc said. “Because the biology is the same across all three species, there is an opportunity to transmit bacteria around abortion or calving events when contaminated material is put out into the environment. The animals have to be on the same landscape when calving or abortion occurs. Transmission happens when infectious material is present and a cow comes along and licks the fetus or afterbirth.”
Even with a large elk population and the wild bison herd in Yellowstone National Park which is known to carry brucellosis, Kaleczyc said they do not see many cases of brucellosis transmitted to cattle in the state.
“All of our domestic cattle cases in recent history in Montana are due to exposure to wild elk. All entities involved in the Yellowstone bison herd management have been very successful in keeping those animals away from domestic cattle.”
“American Prairie’s bison are considered livestock according to parameters our state law has put in place as far as how they define bison. This means most bison populations in the state of Montana to be considered livestock,” said Montana State Veterinarian Tahnee Szymanski.
According to Montana codified law, 81-1-101, domestic or feral bison are differentiated from wild buffalo or wild bison as follows:
“Domestic bison” means a bison that is not a wild buffalo or wild bison.
“Feral bison” means a domestic bison or progeny of a domestic bison that has escaped or been released from captivity and is running at large and unrestrained on public or private land.
“Wild buffalo” or “wild bison” means a bison that: (a) has not been reduced to captivity; (b) has never been subject to the per capita feed under 15-24-921; (c) has never been owned by a person; and (d) is not the offspring of a bison that has been subject to the per capita fee under 15-24-921.
As per this definition, “Bison in Yellowstone National Park are considered wildlife,” Dr. Szymanski said. “From a disease perspective, not from a law perspective, the only bison population in Montana considered wildlife are the Yellowstone National Park bison. From my side of the coin, they do not get the disease class of the state they’re in; every other bison in the state of Montana is considered brucellosis and TB free.”
Yellowstone Park bison are not regularly tested for disease, Dr. Szymanski said. “When they come out of the park in the winter and are captured for the quarantine program or the food transfer program, they would be tested, but as a general rule of thumb that population not subject to routine surveillance. We know they are infected with brucellosis.”
Wildlife or livestock?
Although American Prairie claims bison restoration is “a high priority for wildlife conservation in North America,” they also state that “Bison are currently classified as livestock by the Montana Department of Livestock. …We are required by the Bureau of Land Management and State of Montana to pay the same Animal Unit Month (AUM) fees and taxes as any other producer does to graze livestock.”
Only one of American Prairie’s bison herds is worked regularly, according to Jacobs, handled once per year for disease testing as per an agreement with the Phillips County Conservation District.
According to the American Prairie Reserve Bison Change of Use (DOI-BLM-MT-L010-2018-0007-EA) dated March 2022, “Bison are authorized and managed as livestock and must comport with all Montana Department of Livestock regulations pertaining to disease control and sanitation. Cooperation with state agencies is required pursuant to BLM grazing regulations at 43 CFR 4120.5-2. For example, on December 11, 2020, APR entered into an agreement with the Phillips Conservation District, which includes a commitment to provide disease testing for 325 bison annually for the first five years, scaling back to 150 bison a year for the following 5 years, as part of a disease identification and management plan (Phillips County Conservation District Board of Adjustment 2020).
“Agriculture, chiefly cattle grazing, is the dominant land use in Montana and in the local areas around American Prairies bison herds,” American Prairie states on their website. “Our bison herds have been successfully coexisting with cattle on these landscapes for decades. Our bison team works closely with neighbors, agencies and stakeholders throughout the region to address concerns that bison may present. Cattle grazing will likely always be the dominant industry in Northeast and North Central Montana and our management aims to show that a thriving bison population can be successfully managed alongside thriving cattle operations.”
