Grand Teton National Park officials were ordered not to kill non-native mountain goats from the air/NPS file

Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, responding to a request from Wyoming's governor, ordered Grand Teton National Park officials not to use aerial gunners to cull non-native mountain goats from the park.

Wyoming officials don't oppose the removal of the goats from the park, where they pose a threat of transmitting disease to native bighorn sheep and competing for forage, but simply the method.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission passed a resolution last month condemning the use of aerial gunning to remove mountain goats from the Targhee herd and urged Grand Teton to use skilled volunteers to kill the mountain goats. Game and Fish Director Brian Nesvik made a third request to stop the plan on Friday, citing public disapproval.

“We remain prepared to work with Grand Teton to meet their management objectives using methods that align with the value Wyoming people have for wildlife,” Nesvik said.

Grand Teton officials did not immediately respond Monday evening to a request for comment. 

Gov. Mark Gordon expressed his gratitude to Secretary Bernhardt after the secretary intervened to call off the aerial culling that was to begin last Friday.

Bernhardt’s order to “stand down” came in a phone call to Gopaul Noojibail, acting park superintendent late Friday. The call was made after Gordon shared with Bernhardt a strongly-worded letter sent to Noojibail earlier Friday. In the letter, the governor criticized the Park Service’s choice to “act unilaterally aerially executing mountain goats over the State of Wyoming’s objections.”

“I appreciate the excellent working relationship we have with Secretary Bernhardt and that he is willing to discuss this issue in more detail without the pressure of ongoing aerial hunting,” Gordon said. “I look forward to a more fruitful conversation about better ways to address this issue in a more cooperative manner.”