Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Your guide the 2024 Montana elections
Montana news about the environment, natural resources, wildlife, climate change and more.

Judge orders shorter wolf trapping season to protect grizzly bears in Montana

Grizzly bear. Stock photo.
(PD)
Grizzly bear. Stock photo.

A federal court shortened Montana’s wolf trapping by over two months. The ruling aims to protect grizzlies.

Federal District Court Judge Donald Molloy cut western Montana’s wolf trapping season in half. The ruling also includes Hill, Blaine and Phillips Counties.

Plaintiffs WildEarth Guardians and the Flathead-Lolo-Bitterroot Task Force argue the length of the trapping season threatens grizzly bears. Mike Bader is with the task force.

"Bears have been discovered in Montana missing toes and feet," Bader said. "And they don't lose those in fight injuries. Bears don't bite each other's feet off. It just doesn't happen." 

State biologists documented four bears in 2021 with missing toes or parts of legs, according to court documents.

Former state biologists and bear experts say nearly half of all grizzly bears are active within the trapping season dates set by the state

The judge ruled that the likelihood of grizzly bears being caught in traps is higher with a longer season.

"They've expanded the area where trapping can happen. The seasons are longer. The amount of wolves that each trapper can take is 10. So they've really elevated the chances of a grizzly bear getting caught in one of these traps," said Bader.

Grizzly bears are federally protected.

Gov. Greg Gianforte, issued a statement saying the case is “misusing the Endangered Species Act protections for the grizzly.” The state intends to appeal.

Updated: November 30, 2023 at 4:13 PM MST
Ellis Juhlin is MTPR's Environmental Reporter. She covers wildlife, natural resources, climate change and agriculture stories. She worked at Utah Public Radio and Yellowstone Public Radio prior to joining MTPR, and in wildlife conservation before becoming a journalist. She has a Master's Degree in Ecology from Utah State University and is an average birder who wants you to keep your cat indoors. Her life is run by her two dogs, one of which is afraid of birds.

ellis.juhlin@mso.umt.edu
406-272-2568
Contact me
Explore the places where we come together and fall apart. The Wide Open brings nuanced reporting on under-covered environmental issues. Our deep storytelling provides context to the forces shaping our lives — with plenty of adventure, wildlife and rich sound along the way.
Become a sustaining member for as low as $5/month
Make an annual or one-time donation to support MTPR
Pay an existing pledge or update your payment information