Wolf trappers in Montana would be allowed to use snares under a bill that drew significant debate Tuesday.
The House Fish, Wildlife and Parks Committee held a lengthy hearing on House Bill 224 from Rep. Paul Fielder, R-Thompson Falls. The bill would mandate that licensed trappers in Montana be allowed to use snares for wolves. Currently, trappers are only allowed to use foothold traps to capture wolves, although snares may be legally used for other species.
âPresently Montana allows snares as a wildlife management tool for the harvest and taking of furbearers, predators and nongame wildlife, but not wolves,â Fielder told the committee. â⦠Allowing snaring of wolves by licensed trappers will give wildlife managers another tool to reduce wolf numbers, especially in areas where ungulate numbers are stressed by wolves."