Montana Wolf Hunt?

[Layin_It_Down]

Caught the news the other night and it sounds like Montana will have a Wolf hunt this year. Does anybody know the details on how this will work? The way it sounded on the news is, it will be an over-the-counter type tag for residents ($19), but the FWP will set a quota. Shoot till it's full I guess.

 

[shoots-straight]

Commissioners approved a harvest quota of 75 wolves across three wolf management units. For northwestern Montana, the commission approved a quota of 41, with a subquota of two in the North Fork of the Flathead River area; a quota of 22 was approved for western Montana; and a quota of 12 in southwestern Montana.

The cost for NR is $350. You buy the tag hunt until the quota's filled. Mandatory check.

 

[Layin_It_Down]

Do you know when tags will be available for sale and/or when the season starts. I imagine any landowner with livestock will let a person hunt.

 

[Meatatarian]

Do you know when tags will be available for sale and/or when the season starts. I imagine any landowner with livestock will let a person hunt.

Depends on when the forthcoming lawsuits are ruled on.

 

[Layin_It_Down]

So there's nothing set in stone then?

 

[Meatatarian]

The season and quota are, but a judge could rule that wolves should not be off the endangered list as happened last year.

 

[shoots-straight]

I believe this year will go ahead with the hunt. Last time WS dropped any attempt to fight the case, knowing they would loose with Wyoming's situation. This time, WS, Montana Dept. of Fish and Game, and others have signed on to fight the suit to re-list them. With no injunction being filed YET, and a lack of evidence that their in immediate danger of being wiped out, there's a great chance of the season at least getting through this year. Montana's season is slated to coincide with the general big game season.

 

[----]

I can't wait... Besides opening day, I think I might target one of these guys pretty hard. With only having to haul out the hide/head, It'll be fun not having to worry about the logistics of getting the animal out.

Any guesses on how long the quota's will last? I could see the SW unit closing pretty quick, but I bet the other two stay open for most the season.

 

[Lawnboy]

I'm betting that it will be harder than you think to reach the quota numbers. Maybe I'm wrong. Hopefully we will see.

 

[----]

What possibly could you mean??? Everyone I talk to sees more wolves than elk nearly every time they go out
I suppose I worded my post badly, I agree that they aren't going to be killed at a very high rate, especially in the NW/W units. In the SW unit however, in my opinion, there's SO many people hunting the first couple weeks, and there are a few packs that will be pretty vulnerable. All speculation on my part though...
If it looks like it's going to go through, we should start a pool on the first hunttalker to tip one over.

 

[Lawnboy]

I think it would be a true hunt no doubt. They will smarten up quickly once bullets start flying.

 

[----]

Here's the article on FWP's website:
http://fwp.mt.gov/news/article_8212.aspx

Montana Sets Wolf-Hunt Quota At 75
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Friday, July 10, 2009

Montana’s Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission set the state’s first regulated wolf hunting season quota at 75 wolves today leading officials to say the historic decision represents a victory for wildlife conservation in Montana and for the often maligned federal Endangered Species Act.

"Today, we can celebrate the fact that Montana manages elk, deer, bears, mountain lions, ducks, bighorn sheep, and wolves in balance with their habitats, other species, and in balance with the people who live here," said FWP Director Joe Maurier. " Montanans have worked hard to recover the Rocky Mountain wolf and to integrate wolves into Montana’s wildlife management programs. That’s always been the promise of the Endangered Species Act and we’re pleased so see it fulfilled here in Montana."

Commissioners approved a harvest quota of 75 wolves across three wolf management units. For northwestern Montana, the commission approved a quota of 41, with a subquota of two in the North Fork of the Flathead River area; a quota of 22 was approved for western Montana; and a quota of 12 in southwestern Montana.

"Montana’s approach is by definition open, balanced, scientific and cautious," Maurier said. "The quota of 75 wolves is conservative and respectful because it limits the total number of wolves that can be taken by hunters and it ensures that FWP can carefully monitor the population before, during, and after the hunting season to examine how the population responds."

Wolf hunting-season dates correspond to Montana’s early back-country big game hunting season, which runs Sept. 15 through Nov. 29; and the big game rifle season set for Oct. 25 through Nov. 29. Hunting licenses will cost $19 for residents and $350 for nonresidents. License sales are set to begin Aug 17.

"The people of Montana have done their part to make sure that wolves have a place to live and we owe Montanans our thanks," Maurier said. "FWP, too, is well prepared to manage and conserve the wolf as part of Montana’s wildlife stewardship responsibilities."



Officials caution, however, that the wolf hunting season could be blocked by groups that recently sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to prevent wolf delisting. Such legal challenges prevented wolf delisting and a hunting season last year and could affect the sale of wolf hunting licenses this year. FWP intends to once again join the USFWS’ s defense of the delisting decision in court at the appropriate time.

The recovery goal for wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains was set at a minimum of 30 breeding pairs—successfully reproducing wolf packs—and a minimum of 300 individual wolves for at least three consecutive years. This goal was achieved in 2002, and the wolf population has increased every year since. The northern Rockies’ "metapopulation" is comprised of wolf populations in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. Today, about 1,645 wolves, with about 95 breeding pairs, live in the region, where wolves can travel about freely to join existing packs or form new packs. This, combined with wolf populations in Canada and Alaska, assures genetic diversity.

In Montana, officials estimate that 497 wolves, in 84 verified packs, and 34 breeding pairs inhabited the state at the end of 2008.

Delisting allows Montana to manage wolves in a manner similar to how bears, mountain lions and other wildlife species are managed, guided completely by state management plans and laws.

 

[Meatatarian]

This story's a little over a month old and says there were lawsuits filed then. I hope there are no injunctions, but who knows how a judge will rule.

http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_c49c2058-e780-57d9-ab65-43c8a8b22814.html

 

[Layin_It_Down]

I think the dogs'll smartin up quick too. I would bet every landowner with livestock will be some of the first to buy tags. If I want one, I better get on it.

 

[shoots-straight]

It opens for everyone they same day. If they shoot it with a tag, it goes against the quota, if they shoot it under the wolf management rules it doesn't. They should stay away from buying the tags and leave that to us.

 

[Horn Seeker]

Oh....there will be an injunction... I hope I'm wrong!!!

Only 12 for SW MT! Daaaannnnng!

 

[mtmiller]

I'm betting that it will be harder than you think to reach the quota numbers. Maybe I'm wrong. Hopefully we will see.

ALL WOLF HUNTING TO CLOSE IN MONTANA
Wolf hunting in Montana will close statewide Monday, November 16, 2009 at one half-hour after sunset.
The order halting the hunt came after Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials received word that the pre-established harvest quota for wolves in WMU 2 had been met and was expected to be met in WMU 1. WMU 3 was closed on October 26, 2009. Montana's statewide quota was 75 wolves.
For more information, visit FWP’s web site at fwp.mt.gov click "Montana Wolf Hunt,"or call the toll-free number at 1-800-385-7826.

http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/planahunt/wolfStatus.html

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

So, Who got one? If your afraid to post, just wink! John

 

[----]

Any guesses on how long the quota's will last? I could see the SW unit closing pretty quick, but I bet the other two stay open for most the season.

Somebody's closer.....

Kinda bums me out though. I've been following a pack around the last ten days or so in unit 1, and figured I had a week or so left to make it happen.

Any bets I run into them tomorrow?

 

[shoots-straight]

Should of had one opening day, found them this weekend, and it's over. I pray cool minds prevail and we hunt them again next year. If it is stopped then we'll go through the circus all over again.