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Montana politics, elections and legislative news

Lawmakers propose to halve the state's wolf population

Republican lawmakers want to cut Montana’s wolf population in half. One bill to do that received preliminary approval in the state House.

Sponsors of the legislation say there are still too many wolves in the state. Belgrade Republican Jedidiah Hinkle says the population has not shrunk enough since lawmakers loosened hunting and trapping regulations in 2021.

“Let it be known, legislative intent: We want the commission to set the quotas in the state so that these numbers can start dropping down to what is the intent of the law in 2021,” said Hinkle.

Browning Democrat Tyson Running Wolf criticized the Legislature's entire approach to wolf management.

“This sounds like a 'hunt, baby hunt' bill. Like I heard it and I've been hearing it for the last four years and it had nothing to do with management of reducing wolves. It all had to do with 'hunt them wolves'. But I think we've got a problem here. I think our hunters suck,” Running Wolf said.

The bill would allow the Fish and Wildlife Commission to set an unlimited kill quota for wolves across the state, so long as the population stays above 550. It was one of several policies to reduce wolf populations but the only to advance in the House.

Several members of the Democratic caucus spoke against policies, referencing declines in livestock-wolf conflicts in recent years, and large elk populations across much of the state. They also questioned the process of managing and specifically counting wolf populations to be sure that numbers don’t fall below 550.

The bill to increase the kill quota passed its first vote on the House floor Friday along party lines.

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 three dogs, one of which is afraid of birds.

ellis.juhlin@mso.umt.edu
406-272-2568
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