State approves new wolf hunt, trap regulations

The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission approved several new wolf hunting and trapping regulations on Friday.

The commission voted 3-2 to allow more methods of hunting and trapping wolves in the state. Controversy swirled around a proposal from Commissioner Pat Tabor, of Whitefish, after Gov. Greg Gianforte signed two pieces of legislation earlier this year to expand the ways trappers and hunters may pursue wolves as well as paying bounties for harvested wolves.

Sen. Bob Brown, of Thompson Falls, introduced one bill that increased bag limits, night hunting and bait. Another bill from Brown provided for "the reimbursement for receipts of costs incurred related to the hunting or trapping of wolves."

At a June commission meeting, wolf advocates passionately opposed the proposal, which allows the use of snares, baiting and night hunting.

The Montana Trappers Association and the Idaho-based Foundation for Wildlife Management, which has chapters in Northwest Montana, supported the measures.

The Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks received more than 26,000 public comments on the proposal.

Before the commission voted on Friday, some Fish and Wildlife commissioners did not support the use of bait or night hunting.

"My largest concern is are we selling our souls and fair chase to provide methods that are unnecessary and are more likely to have repercussions, and to have unanticipated outcomes by using things like nighttime hunting, snaring and baiting," Commissioner Pat Byorth said.

Byorth joined Commissioner KC Walsh in voting against the proposals, while Commissioner Brian Cebull and commission chair Lesley Robinson voted with Tabor.

Tabor, an outfitter who offers hunting, fishing and packing trips in Northwest Montana, spoke at length about FWP's proposal.

"The training of trappers with snares is very, very important," Tabor said. "I think that is the difference maker of making mistakes not only with [wolves] but also with other species."

Tabor said trapping should be limited in grizzly bear recovery zones until trappers are better educated about the use of snares.

"The biggest concerns for me are the grizzly bear elements, and that's why I'm proposing we stay out of grizzly bear zones until the education can happen," Tabor said.

He said the new regulations are for the 2021-22 season and adjustments could be made later.

"The purpose is to make sure we work really, really hard protecting the grizzlies," Tabor said.

OPPONENTS OF the new measures spoke passionately during the hearing.

"You're going to kill beautiful wolves," said Stephen Capra of Footlose Montana, an anti-trapping group. "You're murdering innocent wildlife. These trappers are sick and may God have mercy on your soul."

Several representatives of pro-wolf groups have promised lawsuits over the new regulations.

Hunters and trappers will still be subject to some restrictions, including how snares are constructed and placed, and limits on placing snares in lynx protection zones.

Trappers may use snares on public and private lands, while night hunting is allowed only on private land. The use of bait for hunting and trapping will be allowed statewide.

If hunters and trappers harvest 450 wolves in Montana, it will trigger a commission review that could result in a rapid midseason change of the regulations. A review also would be required if 195 wolves are harvested in Northwest Montana's Region 1, or if 116 wolves are taken in southwestern Montana's Region 2.

The regulations also are subject to change if a snare captures a lynx or a grizzly bear, both federally protected species.

Fish, Wildlife and Parks Wildlife Chief Ken McDonald said hunters and trappers killed 315 wolves in the state in 2019, and 328 wolves in 2020. He said Montana now has an estimated 1,177 wolves. If the state's wolf population falls to 150, it would trigger a return to the federal Endangered Species List.

Under the new rules, trappers will be allowed a maximum of 10 wolves and hunters may buy 10 wolf licenses.

THE WOLF trapping season will begin on the first Monday after Thanksgiving and end March 15. For trapping districts located in federal grizzly bear recovery zones, the season could begin on the first Monday after Thanksgiving or any time up to Dec. 15.

In Northwest Montana, there are two recovery zones, including the Northern Continental Divide Recovery Zone that spans more than 8,900 square miles, 85% of which is public land. The zone includes Glacier National Park, parts of the Flathead and Blackfeet reservations, portions of the Flathead, Kootenai, Lolo and Helena-Lewis and Clark national forests, Bureau of Land Management lands, and some state and private lands.

Also within that region are the Bob Marshall, Mission Mountains, Great Bear, Rattlesnake and Scapegoat wilderness areas, one wilderness area designated by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, and one federally designated wilderness study area.

The other Region 1 recovery zone includes the Cabinet-Yaak Ecosystem, which is situated in Northwest Montana and northeastern Idaho. The recovery zone covers more than 2,600 square miles of forested and mountainous habitat throughout the Yaak River drainage and the Cabinet Mountains.