Leopold wolf following grizzly bear
A slate of bills making their way through Montana’s legislative session indicate a potential sea change in how the Treasure State will manage big carnivores and who gets a say in making those decisions.
Nicky Ouellet: Rachel, we’re halfway through Montana’s legislative session. Can you bring us up to speed on several bills that made it through the transmittal deadline that take aim at reducing the wolf population in Montana?
Rachel Cramer: Earlier this month, Montana’s Senate passed Senate Bill 314 from Sen. Bob Brown, a Republican from Thompson Falls, which would allow hunters and trappers to kill unlimited numbers of wolves on a single license. For context, the bag limit right now is five wolves per season whether someone has a trapping license, hunting license or both.
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This week, a new bill was introduced to the Montana House Fish, Wildlife & Parks Committee that would legalize the use of hounds for hunting black bears in Montana. House Bill 468, which is sponsored by Rep. Paul Fielder (R-Thompson Falls), would specifically allow hound hunting for black bears during the spring season, give “the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission authority to determine where hound hunting would be allowed” and establish a training season that would run from the end of hunting season through July 31, according to The Independent Record.
“In Montana, a person may take game birds, hunt mountain lions and hunt bobcats with the aid of a dog or dogs,” said Fielder during the committee meeting. “This bill simply adds black bears to the list of animals that may be hunted with a dog.”
The Montana Senate Fish and Game Committee advanced a pair of bills late Thursday evening that would allow private payments to wolf trappers and hunters as well as directing Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to consider more aggressive means of taking the animals.
Sen. Bob Brown, R-Thompson Falls, brought Senate Bill 267 and Senate Bill 314 to a marathon committee meeting that included multiple bills on wolves, grizzly bears and management of game fish.
SB 267 would allow private reimbursement for costs incurred for hunting or trapping wolves. A similar bill in the 2019 session was voted down as opponents criticized the measure as effectively putting a bounty on the animals.
Montana Senate committee advances more wolf bills helenair.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from helenair.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
A bill heard Tuesday from a Thompson Falls lawmaker would allow hound hunting for black bears in Montana.
Rep. Paul Fielder, a Republican, brought House Bill 468 to the House Fish, Wildlife & Parks Committee. The bill would allow hound hunting for black bears during the spring season and grants the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission authority to determine where hound hunting would be allowed. The legislation would also establish a training season to chase black bears from the end of hunting season until July 31.
Currently, black bears may only be hunted via spot-and-stalk hunting in the state during spring and fall seasons.