Nearly 1,000 Yellowstone bison killed this season

Wildlife officials estimate nearly 1,000 Yellowstone National Park bison have been killed this season.

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports that bison managers are making progress on their goal to eliminate as many as 1,300 bison from the Yellowstone area. A 2000 management plan calls for a population of 3,000 bison in the region, but about 5,500 live there now.

The herd is culled through public hunting and shipping some bison to slaughter. Slaughtered bison become meat for various Native American tribes.

Officials say roughly 650 bison have been caught for slaughter so fan and about 400 have been shipped.

Bison cannot be hunted in the park, but instead are caught when they migrate into the Gardiner basin.

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Information from: Bozeman Daily Chronicle, http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com