YELLOWSTONE — On May 7 in 1894, the first of several Lacey Acts were passed, giving official protection to Yellowstone’s wildlife by making it illegal to hunt inside the park.
The Lacey Act was the Nation’s first federal wildlife protection law. To recognize its origins, Yellowstone National Park (YNP) shared on social media the story which prompted public support of the Act being passed into law.
“In the late winter of 1894, U.S. Army soldiers and scout Felix Burgess experienced tough snow conditions as they patrolled Yellowstone’s backcountry for known poacher, Ed Howell,” YNP shared on Facebook.
“They used the snow to their advantage by tracking Howell to Pelican Valley on skis. As Howell was butchering one of eleven bison he had shot on that trip, Burgess snuck up to the carcass on his skis, using the day’s high winds to cover any noises he made. Howell’s hunting rifle was propped against a tree and his dog was huddled by the bison to stay warm and did not notice the scout’s approach. Thus, Howell was defenseless when Burgess announced his presence. Howell was arrested and taken back to Mammoth, but there was little the Superintendent could do to punish him—poaching was against regulations but not actually illegal—and Howell was released.”
According to YNP, when the story of Howell got out, the public was outraged. In response, Congress passed the 1894 Lacey Act just two months later, which made poaching in Yellowstone illegal.
“In 1894, the bison in Yellowstone were the only known herd living in the wild in the entire United States,” YNP said via Facebook. “And there weren’t many left. The story plays out like a good novel and was published at the time in the weekly journal Forest and Stream.”
The Lacey Act was first introduced by Iowa Congressman John Lacey in the House of Representatives in the spring of 1900. It was signed into law by President William McKinley on May 25, 1900. The enacted law prevented hunters from illegally killing game in one state and escaping prosecution by crossing state lines.
Over the years, the Lacy Acts have been updated and modified to reflect the current conservation needs of Yellowstone.
The Lacey Act: Protecting the Environment by Restricting Trade published by the Congressional Research Service states that the Lacey Act evolved in 1981 to prohibit import, export, transport, purchase or sale of species in and outside of Yellowstone. Congress amended the Lacey Act most recently in 2008, expanding the reach of the act to include timber and timber products.
According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, the law continues to be a critical cornerstone for resource protection and conservation law enforcement.
