GARDINER, Mont. (AP) – Montana’s first bison hunt in 15 years opened at sunrise Tuesday, with a 17-year-old boy bagging the first buffalo within 90 minutes.

The hunt, aimed at thinning the bison population near Yellowstone National Park, came after years of protests from animal rights activists.

State and federal officials say the hunt will help manage a population that has grown to an estimated 4,900 animals, more than some fear the area can support. Some ranchers also worry that some diseased bison could spread illness to cattle.

George Clement, a teenager who took the day off from school, killed the first bison near Gardiner. Officials later confirmed a second bison was killed on private property near the park’s western boundary.

Montana’s last bison hunt was in 1990. Other hunts since then were canceled because of protests over the way wardens would lead each hunter to an animal, which was then shot at close range, often while peacefully grazing.

This year, there are new limits. For example, wildlife officials cannot tell hunters where bison have wandered outside the park, and no more than 50 bison overall can be killed during the three-month season.

Fifty hunting licenses – entitling hunters to kill one bison each – were made available.

Animal-rights activists were on hand with cameras as Clement and his companions skinned the animal where it fell. State wildlife officials also were out in force to monitor the hunt and protesters.

Wildlife officials said they expected many hunters to stay home on the season’s opening day.

“I’ve had a lot of hunters say to me, ‘We’re going to stay away. We don’t want the attention,”‘ said Mel Frost, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.