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Experience tells us wait for it. 4 more wolves were added to the kill summary total days after the Montana wolf killing season closed on March 15. Yet, the wolves killed are required to be reported within 24 hours. The changing of wolves killed has become the norm in Montana, rather than the exception. After all, they are considered just numbers and not sentient individual vital beings.

As usual, we are looking into it. We highly doubt we will get a straightforward answer, if any.
 

For the Montana 2024/2025 wolf killing season, this now brings the
Total reported killed by shooters and trappers to 294 wolves.

There’s a reason we call them shooters. Real hunters kill what they eat, do not support unfair chase, and adhere to principles of ethical hunting, i.e. know your target and a quick clean kill. Of the total, at least 110 wolves were caught in leghold traps and 9 were snared this season. So about 40% reported killed were by trappers.

This is the 2nd highest number reported wolves killed since they were delisted in Montana over a decade ago. The 2020 season claimed the lives of a minimum of 320 wolves and before war was declared on them in the 2021 Montana legislature.

Thus far, the wolf haters and killers have been successful in passing anti-wolf bills this session via the House and almost exclusively along party lines with only 1-2 and 3, at most, of the 58 Republicans aligning with the 42 Democrats in opposing this amped up war on wolves. Yet, opposing trapping and pro-wildlife values are bipartisan.

We will now see if the Montana Senate has the courage to do the right, ethical, and responsible thing for wolves, wildlife, tourism, our economy, reputation, the majority of Montanans, and kill the bills before them and those upcoming.
They need to continue to HEAR from YOU!

Here is how to look up and contact Montana Senators via email, calling, or both! 
Here is how to find yours and always advise them if you are a constituent.

The following two bills will be heard in the Senate Fish & Game committee, Tuesday, 3/18. The meeting is scheduled to start at 3:00pm mst.

HB258 Requiring the Extension of Wolf Hunting Season. Sponsor: Rep. Paul Fielder HD14.
Requires wolf hunting season end June 15 along with the spring bear season. Therefore, the wolf hunting season would run 9 1/2 months. This will destroy wolves during the whelping period, including newborn, and dependent pups. Amended for a limited quota and bag limit within 15 miles from the border of Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. 
PASSED House 3rd reading 57:43 on 2/26/25
 

HB259 Revise Fish & Wildlife Commission Techniques for Gray Wolf Management. Sponsor: Rep. Paul Fielder HD14.

Requires the Commission to eliminate quotas, with single license purchase, and use most aggressive measures, inc. thermal and infrared, to slaughter the most wolves in regions that they occur the most. Amendment to change from “shall” to “may”, failed.

PASSED House 3rd reading 57:43 on 2/25/25. 

Scheduled for 4/1 in the Senate Fish & Game committee
HB554 Remove FWP requirement to reclassify wolves as furbearers or big game. Sponsor: Rep Brandon Ler HD33, Savage. In other words remove wolves from the limited regulations of these other classifications, and classify or treat them like nongame or other “predators” to enable the mass unregulated killing of them.
House Fish Wildlife & Parks hearing 2/27/25 meeting.
PASSED House 3rd reading 57:42 on 3/6/25

In order to participate with written or verbal comment, you must register under public participation. You can also use this link to your account to have messages delivered to the committee or 5 legislators, e.g. in the Senate.

You must register to speak no later than two hours prior, i.e. before 1:00pm mst, on the day of the hearing.

Plan on stating a 1-2 minute comment and hope that you get to. Be firm, yet respectful. Whether you plan to speak or not, submit your written testimony for the record.

Awaiting executive action aka voting in the Senate Fish & Game:

HB 219 Generally revise hunting laws related to unlawful contest or prize. Sponsor: Rep. Lukas Schubert HD8
Montana’s Wolf Bounty expansion of bounties for wolves to the legal killing of a wolf to those without a wolf license, such as under SB200 and beyond.
Waiting executive action in Committee. If passes moves to Senate Floor.

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HB176  Amended to allow unlimited wolf hunting quota when population is at or above 550 wolves. Sponsor: Rep. Shannon Maness HD70. The bill requires the continued use of the flawed population model IPOM, but does allow if they so desire an additional population estimator.
Waiting executive action in Committee. If passes moves to Senate floor.

Senate Fish & Game Committee members. Meet 3:00pm T&TH room 422
Email addresses:

<a href="mailto:"Denley.Loge@legmt.gov" ; "Pat.Flowers@legmt.gov" ; "Shelley.Vance@legmt.gov" ; "Jason.Ellsworth@legmt.gov" ; "greg.hertz@legmt.gov" ; "Tom.McGillvray@legmt.gov" ; "Shane.Morigeau@legmt.gov" ; "Mark.Noland@legmt.gov" ; "Sara.Novak@legmt.gov" ; "Bob.Phalen@legmt.gov" ; "Vince.Ricci@legmt.gov" ; "Laura.Smith@legmt.gov" ” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>”Denley.Loge@legmt.gov” <Denley.Loge@legmt.gov>; “Pat.Flowers@legmt.gov” <Pat.Flowers@legmt.gov>; “Shelley.Vance@legmt.gov” <Shelley.Vance@legmt.gov>; “Jason.Ellsworth@legmt.gov” <Jason.Ellsworth@legmt.gov>; “greg.hertz@legmt.gov” <greg.hertz@legmt.gov>; “Tom.McGillvray@legmt.gov” <Tom.McGillvray@legmt.gov>; “Shane.Morigeau@legmt.gov” <Shane.Morigeau@legmt.gov>; “Mark.Noland@legmt.gov” <Mark.Noland@legmt.gov>; “Sara.Novak@legmt.gov” <Sara.Novak@legmt.gov>; “Bob.Phalen@legmt.gov” <Bob.Phalen@legmt.gov>; “Vince.Ricci@legmt.gov” <Vince.Ricci@legmt.gov>; “Laura.Smith@legmt.gov” <Laura.Smith@legmt.gov>

Nonresidents, keep contacting our tourism board
By email:<a href="mailto:travelcounselor@visitmt.com" ” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”> travelcounselor@visitmt.com
Online: https://www.visitmt.com/contact

Montana has a 6 1/2 month long wolf killing season, i.e., 9/2 – 3/15, and with a court ordered shortened trapping season, i.e. 1/1 – 2/15, in ~ 2/3rd of the state covering West to Central Montana. Wolves, including the young of the year, can be pre-baited, gunned down at night on private land with night vision aides, called in, trapped, snared, left trapped/snared suffering for 48 hours and to draw more wolves in, shot over bait, killed and left to rot afterwards in the field.
 

In our state, you can kill 20 wolves. The cost is $10-$12 for resident wolf tags. With a mere single $28 license purchase, you can trap/snare 10 wolves. Party trapping is legal. Gang setting unlimited secreted baited traps and snares is legal. A bounty of $750-$1,000/wolf and with no oversight can be collected from an Idaho based organization, who according to their last income tax reporting raised over a million dollars that year.

Still, a handful of special interests and highly empowered by like minded politicians in the Montana 2025 legislature are not satisfied. They are committed to destroying as many wolves as possible and rapidly by extending the 6 1/2-month long season another 3 months to kill wolves and puppies during the whelping period, allow unlimited quotas and with a single tag, thermal and infrared for night hunting, extended bounties and likely prizes, 10-year-olds killing wolves, setup unregulated management, and require a critically flawed population model estimate. Their stopping point is 450 wolves, and just in order to avoid re-listing, they think.

Thank you and do not give up!
The heartbreak and frustration are real, but you are not alone!
Remember we have a choice, the wolves and indiscriminate victims of this unjust war do not!

From Your Friends at Trap Free Montana &
Trap Free Montana Public Lands