Montana trappers say they’ll aggressively fight a ballot initiative to end commercial and recreational trapping on all of Montana’s public lands. I-177 will appear on November’s ballot.
Its supporters say trapping is cruel and unnecessary.
Trapping advocates say it’s a legitimate wildlife management tool that raises revenue for the state. The Montana Trappers Association also questions the validity of I-177.
Montana Trap-Free Public Lands collected more than enough valid signatures from at least one third of Montana’s legislative districts.
The trappers say the state constitution requires those signatures come from at least 5 percent of qualified voters from half of Montana’s counties. State officials say the signature gathering criteria used for I-177 is legal and valid.