New Rules, Legal Battles, and Hunting Updates: What You Need to Know

Season 5, Episode 220

REAL ID Deadline, Montana’s Bison Lawsuit, and Colorado’s Big-Game Draw Changes Explained

New Travel Rules: REAL ID Required by May 2025

Starting May 7, 2025, travelers must present a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license to board domestic flights or enter certain federal facilities such as a federal courthouse. The REAL ID Act, passed in 2005 following 9/11, sets security standards for state-issued IDs but faced years of delays.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is urging travelers to check their IDs now to avoid disruptions like missed flights. Passports and other approved forms of ID will still be accepted for travel if you don’t have a REAL ID.

To ensure you’re ready, visit your state’s DMV website for details on obtaining a REAL ID. Experts warn last-minute delays could lead to headaches for travelers as the deadline approaches. Stay ahead of the curve—check your ID today!

References: https://www.dhs.gov/real-id

https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/releases/2025/01/13/tsa-publishes-final-rule-real-id-enforcement-beginning-may-7-2025#:~:text=Federal%20agencies%2C%20including%20TSA%2C%20will,purposes%2C%20including%20boarding%20commercial%20aircraft.

Montana Sues Yellowstone Over Bison Herd Management: A Battle for Livestock Protection

Montana has filed a lawsuit against the National Park Service (NPS) over its 2024 bison management plan, which increases the allowed bison population in Yellowstone from 3,000 to 6,000. Governor Greg Gianforte and state officials argue that this plan puts Montana’s livestock at risk of brucellosis, a disease spread by bison. The state claims Yellowstone has failed to manage the herd since the 1960s, and that expanding the population violates federal law.

Yellowstone, however, argues that the park can support a larger herd, citing new studies showing that elk, not bison, have been responsible for spreading brucellosis to cattle. NPS also points out that bison-human conflicts have decreased over time, and that tribal and public hunting programs have helped manage the population.

Montana contends that the federal government’s actions burden its farmers and ranchers. They accuse Yellowstone of failing to engage with the state during planning. The lawsuit adds to a long-standing conflict over bison management in the region, with Montana demanding more control to protect local agriculture and wildlife.

References: https://governor.mt.gov/_docs/241231-State-of-Montana-NPS-complaint.pdf

https://news.mt.gov/Governors-Office/Gov_Gianforte_State_Agencies_File_Suit_Over_Yellowstone_National_Parks_Bison_Management_Plan

Colorado’s Big-Game Draw System Changes: What Hunters Need to Know

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is overhauling its big-game draw system to address long-standing issues like point creep and complexity. Starting in 2028, CPW will replace the hybrid draw with a split-draw system, dividing tags evenly between two pools: one for preference points and another for a bonus draw, which operates like a raffle. This change makes it easier for hunters with fewer or no points to get a tag but frustrates those with decades of accumulated points.

Resident hunters will still get priority, with 75% of licenses reserved for them, while nonresidents receive the remaining 25%. The overhaul also introduces a once-in-a-lifetime harvest rule for premier species like bull moose and bighorn sheep, alongside increased fees and mandatory waiting periods for certain tags.

Critics argue that the changes devalue preference points and fail to adequately address concerns about nonresident quotas. Despite the backlash, CPW says the updates aim to simplify the system and make hunting opportunities more accessible. Key policies, such as random draws for desert bighorn sheep, remain unchanged. The new rules will be revisited every 10 years, allowing room for future adjustments. Read the full list of changes HERE.

Reference:https://cpw.widen.net/view/pdf/xpj1vx0mkp/WebsiteFINALDrawChanges.pdf?u=xyuvvu

https://www.outdoorlife.com/conservation/colorado-big-game-draw-changes/

OUTDOORS FIELD REPORTS & COMMENTS

Call or Text your questions, or comments to 305-900-BEND or 305-900-2363

Or email [email protected]

FOLLOW Facebook/Instagram: @thebendshow

https://www.facebook.com/thebendshow

SUBSCRIBE to The Bend YouTube Channel.

Website: TheBendShow.com

https://thebendshow.com/

#catchBECifyoucan #tiggerandbec #outdoors #travel #cowboys

The Outdoors, Rural America, And Wildlife Conservation are Center-Stage.

AND how is that? Because Tigger & BEC… Live This Lifestyle.

Learn more about Jeff ‘Tigger’ Erhardt & Rebecca Wanner aka BEC here: TiggerandBEC.com

https://tiggerandbec.com/

WESTERN LIFESTYLE & THE OUTDOORS

Jeff ‘Tigger’ Erhardt & Rebecca ‘BEC’ Wanner are News Broadcasters that represent the Working Ranch world, Rodeo, and the Western Way of Life as well as advocate for the Outdoors and Wildlife Conservation.

Outdoorsmen themselves, this duo strives to provide the hunter, adventurer, cowboy, cowgirl, rancher and/or successful farmer, and anyone interested in agriculture with the knowledge, education, and tools needed to bring high-quality beef and the wild game harvested to your table for dinner. They understand the importance in sharing meals with family, cooking the fruits of our labor and fish from our adventures, and learning to understand the importance of making memories in the outdoors. Appreciate God’s Country.

United together, this duo offers a glimpse into and speaks about what life truly is like at the end of dirt roads and off the beaten path.

Tigger & BEC look forward to hearing from you, answering your questions and sharing in the journey of making your life a success story. Adventure Awaits Around The Bend.