LC 517 Legislature · 2025 Regular Session

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

This bill reclassifies gray wolves as furbearers in Montana, allowing them to be hunted and trapped under existing furbearer regulations. It establishes new tagging requirements for wolves, mandating that hunters and trappers validate their licenses or tags at the kill site to prove lawful harvest. The legislation creates specific wolf hunting licenses for residents and nonresidents, with discounted rates for those holding combination sports licenses. Key provisions include setting wolf management goals to maintain at least 15 breeding pairs, permitting landowners to remove wolves threatening people or livestock without a license, and prohibiting hunting wolves from vehicles or using motion-tracking cameras. The bill also adds penalties for violating wolf tagging rules and allows the commission to adjust hunting seasons and methods based on regional wolf population conditions.
Bill status introduced 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Oct 2024
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Oct 9, 2024 Last action Dec 10, 2024
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