Hunters hold FWP to legislative mandates for wolf EIS
By The Sierra Times
MISSOULA – Montana hunters have told the Montana Department of Fish,
Wildlife and Parks (FWP) that their options about how delisted wolves may
be managed are severely limited by recent acts of the Montana Legislature.
In response to the proposed wolf management Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) authored by FWP and currently open for public comment, the Montana Shooting Sports Association has notified FWP that most of the alternatives offered by FWP are simply not allowed by laws passed by the Legislature
this session. MSSA is joined in this position by thousands of hunters,
several other Montana organizations of sportsmen and women, 18 state
senators, 33 state representatives, and three Montana counties.
MSSA president Gary Marbut commented, “Our goal is minimum impact by wolves on hunting opportunities and stockgrowing. The 2003 Legislature passed
several laws that restrict the options of FWP for post-delisting wolf
management. The alternatives they’ve floated in the EIS go far beyond what
the Legislature has allowed. Our message to FWP is, ‘Hey, you guys are
responsible to and controlled by the Legislature. Go back to the drawing
board with the EIS and draft an alternative consistent with legislative
intent.’ ”
In its proposed wolf EIS, FWP has offered five management alternatives.
Only one of those, and not the FWP “preferred alternative”, comes close to
the management position advocated by hunters, Alternative 4 which FWP has labeled as “Minimum wolf”. MSSA has advised FWP to craft a new
alternative, similar to Alternative 4, but which clearly states the
limitations on wolf management imposed by the Montana Legislature.
MSSA is the primary statewide political action organization in Montana advocating the interests of gun owners and hunters.
View the full MSSA Wolf EIS position, including a list of those concurring,
at: http://www.mtssa.org/fwp2.phtml