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

HOT TOPICS, Stay Updated: REAL ID travel rules by May 2025, Montana's lawsuit over bison management, and changes to Colorado’s big-game draw system. Join radio hosts Rebecca Wanner aka 'BEC' and Jeff ‘Tigger’ Erhardt (Tigger & BEC) with The Bend Radio Show & Podcast, your news outlet for the latest in Outdoors & Western Lifestyle News!  

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_Gian