HB 101 Montana House · 2025 Regular Session

Reclassify wolves as furbearers and align existing wolf tagging and furbearer hunting restrictions

HB 101 reclassifies gray wolves as furbearers, integrating them into existing furbearer hunting and trapping regulations. The bill establishes specific wolf hunting licenses for residents and nonresidents, outlining associated fees and tagging requirements for harvested wolves. It introduces new management provisions, allowing for more liberal harvest opportunities such as multiple licenses per individual, the use of bait for trapping, and night hunting on private lands. Additionally, the bill permits landowners to take wolves threatening human safety, livestock, or dogs on their property without a license under specific reporting requirements and a quota.
Bill status died 2 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2024
Committee Review
Dec 2024
House Failed
Mar 2025
Governor
Introduced Dec 16, 2024 Last action May 20, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

LC0517.pdf HB0101_1.pdf · 5 edits
MODERATE
The bill was renumbered from LC 0517 to HB 101.1, shifting the focus from including wolf licenses with resident trapping permits to explicitly excluding them from nonresident trapping licenses. The legislation now clarifies that gray wolves are distinct from furbeared animals, requiring specific validation methods for wolf tags and establishing stricter penalties for violations. Additionally, the bill updates the list of amended statutes to include new sections related to wolf management and repeals specific sections regarding wolf delisting processes.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded to explicitly separate gray wolf management from general furbearer regulations, creating a distinct legal framework for wolf hunting and trapping that differs from standard trapping licenses.
ELIGIBILITY

Changed the relationship between wolf licenses and trapping licenses, removing the ability to include a wolf license with a nonresident Class C trapping license.

REQUIREMENT

Added specific requirements for physically possessing and validating a gray wolf carcass immediately after the kill, either through electronic validation or cutting out the date on the tag.

Established new sections for resident and nonresident gray wolf licenses with specific fees and eligibility criteria.

ENFORCEMENT

Increased penalties for violating wolf tagging offenses, adding potential imprisonment and forfeiture of hunting, fishing, or trapping privileges.

SCOPE

Updated the list of amended MCA sections to include new provisions for wolf management following delisting and repealed sections related to wolf delisting.

Floor votes · House Mar 1, 2025

How they voted

4156
Failed · 3 other
Total votes 100
Mar 1, 2025
D Democratic42
40 Yea 1 Nay 1
95% Yea
R Republican58
1 Yea 55 Nay 2
94% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
22
Key actions
0
Committee
1
Amendments
2
Mar 1, 2025
Vote failed
House Vote: fail (41-56-3)
house
Jan 31, 2025
Amended
(H) Tabled in Committee - (H) Fish, Wildlife and Parks
lower
Jan 24, 2025
Amended
(H) Tabled in Committee - (H) Fish, Wildlife and Parks
lower
Dec 20, 2024
Committee
(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Fish, Wildlife and Parks
lower
Dec 16, 2024
Introduced
(H) Introduced
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Jamie Isaly
Jamie Isaly
DDemocratic
MT
58