Bill > HB101

This bill reclassifies gray wolves as furbearers in Montana, implementing several key changes to wolf hunting and management regulations. The bill creates new specific licenses for hunting gray wolves, with resident and nonresident wolf licenses priced at $12 and $50 respectively, and establishes detailed tagging requirements for wolves killed during hunting. Hunters must now immediately validate their license when killing a wolf, either electronically or by cutting out the date on the tag. The bill also expands the definition of "fur-bearing animals" to explicitly include gray wolves and modifies wolf management regulations following delisting from endangered species status. Additionally, the bill introduces new hunting restrictions, such as prohibiting hunting wolves within city limits, from public highways, or from vehicles, and mandates that hunters cannot waste wolf heads or pelts in the field. The legislation aims to provide more structured management of the wolf population, allowing for controlled hunting while maintaining protections for livestock and establishing clear guidelines for wolf take. The bill repeals previous wolf-specific licensing sections and integrates wolf hunting regulations more comprehensively into existing wildlife management frameworks.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC0517