Montana legislative update - GYC speaks up on a series of wolf and other wildlife bills
OUR POSITION:
GYC opposes HB 627, HB 628, and HB 630.
HB 627 mandates that the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission allow snaring as a tool for harvesting wolves within specific geographies of the state.
HB 628 would mandate an extension of the wolf hunting and trapping season.
HB 630 would allow the use of hounds to hunt black bears in many areas of the state.
Each of these bills represent unscientific and overly aggressive wolf and black bear management practices that also pose risks for grizzly bear conflicts and incidental deaths of grizzlies or other wildlife. All these bills would weaken the state’s ability to sustainably manage grizzly bear mortalities in important connectivity areas.
All three pieces of legislation are bad public policy because they undermine the role of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission. Each bill removes flexibility for setting hunting season regulations based on current data and realities on the ground. It is critical that wildlife professionals have the opportunity to propose variations in annual hunting regulations based on current conditions. These bills are an attempt to override small constraints around wolf and black bear hunting put in place by the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission to protect grizzly bears, following allowance of these tools in the last legislative session. This kind of legislative interference in wildlife management further degrades public trust in the state’s ability to effectively manage our cherished wildlife species.
STATUS:
March 6 Update: House Bills 627, 628, and 630 died on the senate floor on Friday, March 3. This is good news for Montana wolves.
February 28 Update: House Bills 627, 628, and 630 narrowly passed out of the House Fish, Wildlife and Parks Committee on Tuesday, February 28, despite strong bi-partisan opposition. GYC will continue to keep an eye on these bills and let you know of opportunities to take action in the event they are considered in the senate.
A wolf in Yellowstone National Park. GYC will oppose legislative interference in wildlife management further degrades public trust in the state’s ability to effectively manage our cherished wildlife species, including wolves. (Photo NPS/Neal Herbert)
OUR POSITION:
GYC supports HB 757, HB 765, and HB 779.
HB 757 would encourage the use of wildlife-friendly fencing on state lands in Montana. Wildlife-friendly fencing is an effective wildlife conservation tool because it reduces wildlife mortality and improves wildlife movement. Increasing the permeability of landscapes helps ensure wildlife can move to meet their basic needs.
HB 765 would make it illegal for entities to reimburse wolf hunters and trappers for their expenses. The current allowance essentially represents a bounty program and undermines science-based and responsible wildlife management. This bill would remove an outdated and unethical practice used to exterminate wolves in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
HB 779 restores the ability of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission to set wolf hunting and trapping quotas of zero in hunting units adjacent to national parks. It is critical that the agency and commission have the authority to implement a quota of zero in hunting units adjacent to national parks if data provided by expert wildlife biologists indicate the approach is warranted to protect other wildlife conservation goals.
STATUS:
House Bills 757, 765, and 779 were all tabled in the House Fish, Wildlife and Parks Committee on Tuesday, February 28. We are disappointed by the committee’s unwillingness to advance common sense, broadly supported, positive solutions for wildlife.
—Brooke Shifrin, Wildlife Conservation Coordinator
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is the land of 49+ Indigenous Tribes who maintain current and ancestral connections to the lands, waters, wildlife, plants, and more.
