A federal judge in Cheyenne is expected to issue a decision this week on whether roughly 500 cow‑calf pairs can be allowed to graze four Gros Ventre Range allotments that are home to grizzly bears. The restraining order filed by the Western Watersheds Project seeks to keep the 30,500‑acre Elk Ridge complex cattle‑free until the court rules.
The Elk Ridge complex – comprising the Tosi Creek, Elk Ridge, Lime Creek and Rock Creek allotments – has not seen livestock grazing since a 2016 domestic sheep buyout. Ranchers, represented by the Upper Green River Cattlemen’s Association, want to replace sheep with cattle, but the most recent comprehensive impact analysis dates back to 1978.
Legal arguments and procedural background
U.S. District Court Judge Kelly Rankin held a hearing on Wednesday. Dagny Signorelli, Wyoming state director for Western Watersheds Project, said the judge seemed poised to rule quickly, noting that the Forest Service had urged a decision so cattle could be on the land by Thursday.
The Bridger‑Teton National Forest’s annual operating instructions had already approved cattle grazing from Aug. 15 to Oct. 15, effectively opening the season last week. In the meantime, President Coke Landers of the Upper Green River Cattlemen’s Association reported that between 500 and 550 cow‑calf pairs are staged nearby, awaiting the court’s order.
Environmental assessment controversy
Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Levi Martin argued that the Forest Service’s decision does not constitute a major federal action, relying on a 48‑year‑old environmental assessment (EA) from 1978. The EA permits limited, rotational grazing and was cited by the agency as satisfying the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements.
Western Watersheds Project attorney Jessica Blome called the government’s reliance on the 1978 EA a distortion. She explained that the original analysis explicitly closed the Tosi Creek allotment to cattle because of its wilderness character, and that the EA allowed grazing on only one allotment per four‑year cycle, with the entire complex rested in the fourth year. The Forest Service’s current plan, which would allow 660 cow‑calf pairs across all four allotments for two months each in 2026 and 2027, differs significantly from the older assessment.
Wildlife and safety concerns
The Upper Green allotments have long been a hotspot for human‑bear conflict. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently concluded that additional cattle would not further impact the threatened grizzly bear population, but the region still sees bear‑related cattle losses. Landers estimated 35 confirmed grizzly kills this year, with three of those likely caused by wolves.
Forest Service Supervisor Chad Hudson cited damage from the 2025 Dollar Lake Fire as a reason for approving grazing on the disputed allotments, a rationale that environmental groups have questioned, especially since the fire‑damaged Gypsum allotment remains open for grazing.
Next steps
The court’s ruling will determine whether the status quo – keeping cattle out of the Elk Ridge complex – remains in place or if ranchers can move their herds onto the land as scheduled. Both sides await the decision, which will have implications for local ranching economies, wildlife management, and the interpretation of decades‑old environmental reviews.
Original reporting: Oil City News (Casper WY) — read the source article.
