Earlier this year, Montana legislatures passed new laws regarding the management of wolves within the state. As a result, Montana FWP has released a seventeen-page document full of new wolf management proposals.
These new wolf proposals are the FWP’s attempt to implement the new laws passed by the lawmakers. These proposed new regulations will be adopted and drafted at a June 24th meeting. After that earlier meeting, they will go to a final approval meeting sometime in August of this year. Below we will list some of the important points within the document.
New Wolf Proposal Information
- The purpose of these changes is to reduce the overall wolf population. However, the population must not be reduced below 15 breeding pairs of wolves, and the wolves required to support the 15 breeding pairs.
- Create regulations and rules in regard to allowing night hunting of wolves.
- Extend the wolf trapping season dates. Likewise, create regulations that allow snares to be used during the trapping season.
- As a part of new wolf regulations, increase the wolf bag limit per individual hunter or trapper.
- Allow the new increased bag limit of wolves to be taken on a single wolf hunting license.
Montana Wolf Harvest
Montana FWP is uncertain how effective the new regulations will be at lowering the wolf population. Wolf hunters and trappers have averaged 242 wolves a year over the last 3 years. However, last year, wolf harvest hit a high of 328 animals.
Only six people filled the state’s five-wolf limit last year, increasing bag limits would likely not make a major difference. Hunting over bait by itself would not likely make a significant impact but could be more effective coupled with hunting at night. – FWP Document
However, FWP does expect to see some increase in the taking of wolves. They expect the majority of the increase to come from the extended trapping season and the use of snares.
Another issue the FWP is concerned about is protecting both Lynx and Grizzlies from the extended trapping season and snare use.
Any final season structure should substantively include elements to reduce or eliminate unauthorized take of federally listed species like grizzly bears and lynx. In addition, non-target captures of grizzly bears represent real concerns for human safety.” – FWP Document
Concerns About Trapping
The document also suggests some solutions for the above-listed concerns. Firstly, If wolf harvest reaches 450 wolves in the season, the Commission should meet and discuss the next course of action. This process would be repeated for every 50 wolves harvested after reaching the 450 wolf mark.
The other issues that the document tries to address are using snares and capturing protected species. The Commission would meet to discuss action if a lynx or grizzly bear were captured in foot traps or snares. Likewise, the document also discusses the possibility of trappers having to alter their traps to reduce the chance of catching the two species of concern.
Lastly, the document discusses the possibility of only allowing snares to be used on private land within the state. The new wolf proposal states that the private land stipulation would only run for the first season until the state could implement an online training course for trappers using snares.
So, what are your thoughts on this new wolf proposal? Will you be taking advantage of the new wolf regulations this year? Let us know in the comments!
