Montana Outfitters and Guides Association (MOGA) submitted comments to the Fish Wildlife and Parks Commission regarding the proposed changes to wolf management in Montana.
“Our comments build largely off of our Policy statement released earlier this month”, said Mac Minard, Executive Director of MOGA. That policy is grounded in three primary management principles; 1) regulated hunting and trapping needs to be liberalized for predators commensurate with the principles of sustain yield, 2) a fully funded Wildlife Services is essential is applying surgical control (of wolves primarily) in places and times where regulated hunting and trapping can not meet the needed reductions and 3) predators need to be managed in concert with stated management goals for ungulate populations.
MFWP is calling on the public to comment on proposals that will largely liberalize hunting opportunity for wolves in Montana. According to Minard, “Outfitters support the efforts of the Department and the Commission; however, we do not believe their proposal is aggressive enough to realistically or significantly bring down wolf numbers.
MOGA offered the following comments on the FWP proposal:
I. Management Target of 425 wolves
We oppose arbitrary target numbers of wolves that are not biologically sustainable. A 425 minimum number is not an acceptable benchmark of wolf numbers as it is not scientifically based. Arbitrary numbers will be grasped and managed for regardless of the prey base and we find this unacceptable vs. a science based number that is tied to a prey base. FWP biologists have recommended predator and prey numbers being tied together at an optimum number of 4 wolves or grizzly bears per 1,000 elk. These ratios need to be applied to individual EMU’s not applied to state wide numbers as a whole.
We support wolf numbers that preclude them being relisted under the endangered species act and we support minimum agreed number of wolves with USFWS and MT until ungulate populations can be surveyed for effect.
II. License Fees and 5-Day Waiting Period
We believe the current fee structure is too high and significantly limits participation. Most wolf hunting in Montana will come opportunistically while hunters are in the field pursuing other big game. A modest license fee without a penalty for harvest will be more attractive and will encourage participation. MOGA supports legislative efforts to place the non-resident fee of $50 per year (note: Idaho is $31.75).
We are opposed to requiring a 5-day waiting period between when a person is legally licensed and when one can hunt wolves. The restriction, which exits in Commission Rule, serves as an impediment to participation and should be removed. This rule is a significant barrier to participation and serves no biological need or management purpose. Visitors to Montana are generally precluded from participating and residents, who can purchase an elk license, and hunt for a trophy bull the same day, have to unnecessarily comply with a rule that serves no meaningful purpose.
III. Pertaining to Season Dates
We recommend that the wolf hunting season run from the start of archery (September 1, 2012) to March 31, 2013 with the same start dates of the general season proposed by MFWP (including Sept 15 start dates for back country and WMU’s 150, 316, 280).
The trapping/snaring season is recommended to start on January 1, 2013 (per MTA’s recommendation) and end on March 31, 2013. The later trapping season start date is in consideration of December Holidays when Montanans may be in the woods cutting Christmas trees and enjoying the holidays. A few days delay will not applicably affect trapping efficiency and MTA is to be credited for suggesting this consideration.
Hunter orange not required after 11-25-2012.
IV. With Respect to Trapping/Snaring
We recognize that the use of trapping will be necessary to help manage wolf abundance. Leg hold traps and snares are essential to that activity. Snares are currently legal for other forms of furbearers and the application to wolf trapping will not have an appreciable effect on game populations and incidental species. We strongly encourage the Commission to standup for Montana’s trapping heritage and avoid half-measures that serve only to placate a segment of society that seeks to ban all forms of trapping. The use of snares must be provided for if trapping is to remain a viable tool.
We believe the following principles regarding trapping should apply:
A mandatory wolf trapping education class taught by experienced trappers/educators focused on ethics, trap placement and the non-trapping/hunting public.
Both leg hold traps and snares should be available to trappers for the taking of wolves.
A 48 hour trap check requirement is too short and eliminates the effectiveness of trappers using traps and snares; it creates a significant enforceability challenge that can only be met with an unnecessary burden of defining regulation.
A 24 hour reporting requirement does not address backcountry logistics, it creates more logistical difficulty.
Trapping season should be from January 1, - March 31 to coincide with the most effective trapping time period of the year and to minimize conflict with the non-trapping public. The exception to this would be a backcountry trapping opportunity from October 15 – March 31.
Of the comments offered by MOGA, Executive Director Mac Minard said, “We are very glad we can be part of this process and have faith the Commission will consider this offering and act accordingly. Wolf management is a point around which all sportsmen can rally. It is not about the fringe groups and radical agendas on either side. It is about establishing reasonable regulations that provide for sustainable harvests and control and considers impacts to all species.” There are a lot of Sportsmen in Montana who feel exactly the same as we do.
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