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Senate approves three wolf-management bills after heated debate over population targets, methods and tourism impacts
Summary
The Senate concurred in House Bill 176 (26-24), House Bill 258 (31-19) and House Bill 259 (32-18). Debate split between lawmakers who said wolf numbers in parts of western Montana and impacts on elk and livestock justify state-level management changes, and others who warned of relisting risk, modeling accuracy and effects on tourism.
The Montana Senate on second reading voted to concur in three related wolf-management bills after extended floor debate.
Senator Hertz, the carrier for all three measures, argued the bills respond to population changes since delisting and aim to give the Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission additional authority to manage wolves, reduce populations where necessary and align hunting seasons with other seasons. "We just have to balance between the two," Hertz said, pointing to maps and federal materials distributed to members showing wolf distribution and elk-population differences across the state.
House Bill 176 directs the commission to set hunting…
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