The Wolf Preservation Blog

“ALERT: Anti-Wolf bill in Helena! Please contact your MT legislators

On Thursday, March 24, at 9am, the Montana Senate Finance & Claims Committee will hear testimony on SB 414, the Montana Wolf Control Act. Among other things, this bill wil…l make it legal to shoot wolves at any time on private land, even without a hunting license. This bill will diminish the success of wolf recovery in Montana, while seriously undermining Montana’s federally-approved wolf management plan!

We believe wolves should be managed like other native wildlife, as a valuable part of Montana’s wildlife heritage, not as pests to be destroyed.

Please contact the Senate Finance & Claims committee in Helena and urge them to VOTE NO on SB 414.

Background on SB 414 (Sponsored by Sen. Chas Vincent).

* Prevents Montana game wardens from investigating or citing anyone who kills a wolf when wolves are protected under the Endangered Species Act.

* Allows wolves to be killed on private land at any time without a license, once wolves have been delisted.

* Requires Montana FWP to kill entire packs in response to any livestock depredation or reductions in elk herd numbers, while wolves are protected under the ESA, as long as there are at least 15 breeding pairs in the state.

* Forces the Attorney General to sue the federal government for “economic damages” to livestock and big game caused by wolves.

Nearly a dozen other wolf-related bills have already been drafted in Helena, and are moving through the process. Besides increasing the killing of wolves in Montana, these bill hearings provide a forum for anti-wolf types to vilify wolves, carnivores, and endangered species generally.

That is why your legislators in Helena need to hear from you!

**Please contact the Senate Finance & Claims committee and let them know you oppose SB 414**

You can also call the capitol at 444-4800 and leave a message for the Senate Finance & Claims Committee.

I’ve pasted some more talking points below. Please feel free to put them into your own words. Also, if you would like to attend a hearing at the Capitol in Helena, please contact me for more information.

Thank you for speaking up for wolves and Montana’s wildlife heritage!

[If the links do not work in this message, please copy and paste this address you’re your browser window: http://leg.mt.gov/css/sessions/62nd/legwebmessage.asp ]’