Tribe Says Feds Shot Coyotes From Chopper Near Bison; Feds Claim 'Misinformation'

The Eastern Shoshone Tribe has accused a federal agency of gunning coyotes from a helicopter near a bison herd and without tribal permission. In response, the agency sent a cryptic comment calling the tribe’s claim “misinformation.”

Also, the tribe’s herd manager says it is merely “alleged” that the federal agency was responsible.

The Eastern Shoshone Tribe released a statement to its Facebook page Wednesday detailing an incident from March 13.

Jason Baldes, executive director of the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative and the Eastern Shoshone Tribe’s herd manager, noticed a helicopter flying near a herd of buffalo, says the statement.

Baldes heard gunfire, which video footage later confirmed came from the helicopter, the statement adds.

“Mr. Baldes learned that the helicopter was a predator control helicopter operated by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services,” the document continues, adding that the helicopter was tasked with removing coyotes near Pavillion, Wyoming.

Neither the Eastern Shoshone Business Council, which is the tribe’s executive branch, the buffalo initiative nor the Shoshone and Arapaho Tribal Game and Fish Department had authorized the helicopter to fly over the reservation, says the statement, “much less actively shoot at wildlife near a herd of buffalo that the Tribe and Buffalo Initiative are actively working to reintegrate into the area.”

The tribe’s statement chides the bureau, saying it showed “a lack of respect for the Tribe and its inherent sovereign authority to engage in self-determination efforts to restore buffalo to the Reservation.”

The statement says the tribe is willing to collaborate with neighbors and agencies on conservation, but expects to base such arrangements on “mutual respect.”

It ends with an open invitation for USDA Wildlife Services to contact the tribe.

‘Misinformation’

USDA Wildlife Services responded to Cowboy State Daily’s request for comment on that with a cryptic Wednesday email. The agency did not respond to multiple follow-up questions by publication time Friday, but said it could provide more information later.  

“USDA’s Wildlife Services respects the Tribe’s sovereignty and does not conduct operations on tribal lands without permission,” says the Wednesday email from Tanya Espinosa, spokeswoman for Wildlife Services’ umbrella agency, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

“We are working with the Tribe regarding the misinformation and we can provide additional information at a later date if you’d like,” the email says. “We appreciate and look forward to continued partnership with the tribe.”

The email concludes: “I also would like to clarify that no animals were removed nor were firearms discharged near the bison.” 

‘Alleged’

In his own, Friday email to Cowboy State Daily, Baldes said the firing agency "was allegedly Wildlife Services, (yet) they deny being near the buffalo enclosure at that time.”

Baldes said he was told by Tribal Fish and Game that it was USDA contracted to kill coyotes near Pavillion.  

He confirmed that a helicopter was flying illegally over tribal land and firing at something near the buffalo herd, “but not among them.”

“There is footage of a helicopter with live gunfire near the buffalo, and certainly over Tribal land, and a flight path of a helicopter at that time with transponder turned off during its flight near us at that time,” Baldes added.

Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.