Hunting is a vital part of history and tradition to many. Especially to some Native American tribes, such as the Crow in Montana. A tribal man, Clayvin Herrera was out hunting elk with his hunting party in 2014 and followed elk from his reservation to the Big Horn National Forest in Wyoming. The group killed 3 elk and packed them back home to feed their families back on the reservation.
Wyoming Game and Fish officials conducted an investigation and charged Clayvin for hunting out of season and without a license. Clayvin’s hunting rights have been suspended for 3 years along with an $8,000 fine being granted. Herrera took his case to court citing a treaty signed in 1868 granting hunting rights to tribal members on unpopulated US forest lands. Wyoming has countered that President Cleveland’s designation of the Big Horn National Forest nullifies that treaty. The Supreme Court will hear this case, and staff at EHUNTR will continue to monitor the situation.
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