The final wolf “delisting rule” for Wyoming will be published the end of this month. Expect lawsuits . . .
The federal government plans to announce an end to protections for wolves in Wyoming later this month.
Spokesmen from some environmental groups say they plan to review the final wolf delisting rule carefully when it’s issued Aug. 31. They say legal challenges are likely over the state’s plan to classify wolves as predators that can be shot on sight in most areas.
This year’s Montana wolf hunt proposal stirred things up a bit . . .
The public response to the plans for this year’s wolf hunt in Montana has been staggering: A whopping 6,500 comments have been received on the proposal set for approval Thursday by the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission.
That far outnumbers the 1,500 comments received on the 2011 wolf hunt plan and just about doubles the comments FWP took on last year’s hotly debated proposal to relocate Yellowstone National Park bison, agency officials said.
Driving the renewed interest is a proposal to expand the hunt to include trapping for the first time, along with bow and rifle seasons.
Here’s some more information on the upcoming Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks “listening session” to discuss changes in wolf hunt regulations . . .
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will host an open house in Kalispell on Wednesday, June 13, to give information and answer questions on the proposed 2012-13 wolf hunting and trapping season.
The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Flathead Valley Community College Arts and Technology Building. At the open house, people will break out into small groups to discuss details and work on comments regarding the proposals.
Under the wolf season proposals, the general season would run from Sept. 1, 2012, to Feb. 28, 2013, with trapping allowed from Dec. 15 to the end of the general wolf season. There would be no statewide quota, but quotas would be established in two areas near Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks.
Here’s more information on the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks effort to gather public feedback on this year’s proposed wolf hunting and trapping regulations. (For more background, see last week’s post.) . . .
Residents will have a chance to speak up about proposed changes to the wolf hunting and trapping season at a public gathering in Kalispell next week.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is hosting an open house forum in the Science and Technology building at Flathead Valley Community College from 7 to 9 p.m. on June 13.
Wildlife officials will give a presentation on the proposed regulations that were recently approved by the state wildlife commission. Attendees will be able to ask questions and discuss the proposals further afterward.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is gathering public feedback on this year’s proposed wolf hunting and trapping regulations. (Yes, that’s right, they are talking about allowing trapping this year.)
Most of these state-wide “listening sessions” were held on May 22, but there is one more scheduled for June 13, 7-9 p.m., at the Flathead Valley Community College, 777 Grandview Dr., Kalispell. The increased wolf quota and inclusion of trapping made earlier presentations fairly contentious, so expect the meeting in Kalispell to be lively.
Montana FWP also wants written public comment. Realistically, this is more effective than attending one of the meetings. Deadline for written comments is June 25. Send comments to FWP – Wildlife Bureau, Attn: Public Comment, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701. Call the FWP Wildlife Bureau at 406-444-2612 with any questions about the process.
For details on the proposed changes to Montana’s wolf hunting regulations, read FWP’s “Interested Persons Letter“.
You can also read the full press release online.
This report on a Region 2 “listening session” provides a peek behind the curtain at the current Montana FWP thinking about predator control and hunt quotas . . .
This fall’s Montana wolf hunt will face critics who say it’s too extreme and not extreme enough.
State Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials got a taste of the divide on Tuesday during a Missoula listening session. While not ready for formal public comments, Region 2 Supervisor Mack Long invited the roughly 50 people in the audience to lay out the issues that should be considered. They obliged.
“It’s not too late to turn things around, but we’ve got to do it quick,” Long said. “This is one of the most dynamic times we’ve ever seen in wildlife management.”
The FWP commissioners voted tentative approval for wolf trapping this hunting season, as well as elimination of quotas . . .
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks commissioners have given their initial approval to the 2012 wolf-hunt proposal that would allow trapping and eliminate quotas.
After a nearly four-hour hearing Thursday in which more than 60 people spoke, the commissioners voted to put the proposal out to public comment until June 25.
There’s been some loose talk recently about introducing a wolf trapping season . . .
State wildlife managers want to substantially liberalize the 2012-13 wolf-hunting season in another attempt to decrease pack numbers in Montana.
Trapping wolves, allowing the taking of up to three wolves, using electronic calls, lengthening the hunt and eliminating quotas are among the proposals to be introduced at Thursday’s Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission meeting.
Posted yesterday evening to the Missoulian . . .
The number of wolves in Montana increased by 15 percent to at least 653 animals despite the state’s efforts to reduce the population with an extended hunting season, state wildlife officials said Wednesday.
Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks officials said 87 more wolves were counted at the end of 2011 than were in the state a year before. There were 130 verified packs and 39 breeding pairs counted, also increases from 2010 numbers.
Here is a little more detail on the closure of the wolf hunt in the North Fork area, as well as general hunt status in this corner of Montana . . .
A wolf hunting district covering the North Fork Flathead drainage has been closed by the state because the district’s wolf quota recently was reached.
Wolf Management Unit 110 had a quota for two wolves to be harvested by hunters with wolf permits. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks announced the closure Tuesday.
Only one other wolf-hunting district in Northwest Montana has been closed. District 101 covering the Salish Mountains west of Kalispell had a quota of 19 wolves that was reached Dec. 29.