By Michael Wright
Chronicle Staff Writer
Livestock groups pushed back against a bill Thursday that would broaden how the state can use money designated for wolf management beyond the collaring and killing of wolves.
Sen. Mike Phillips, D-Bozeman, presented Senate Bill 111 to the Senate Fish and Game Committee on Thursday. The bill broadens what money in a special wolf management account can be used for.
Under current law, the money is divided between killing wolves and collaring them, both actions meant to help protect livestock from being eaten by wolves. The bill would allow the money to be used for things like research, habitat improvement and education.
“In effect, it gives our experts the opportunity to exercise their expertise,” Phillips said.
The account has existed since 2011 and is funded by wolf hunting license sales. About $400,000 is put into the fund each year, and the state also receives federal funding for the program.
FWP collars and kills wolves to prevent them from killing livestock. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services carries out the killing of wolves and investigates livestock kills.
Phillips wants to expand the use of that account to simplify the work of FWP by allowing them to use one account for all of their wolf management activities. The bill would also remove a requirement that the agency equally divide the wolf management money between the activities, which he called a “needless mandate” because the requirement that FWP collar and kill wolves to protect livestock is already in law.
FWP’s Ken McDonald spoke in support of the bill, saying it would give them flexibility and wouldn’t change what they do now.
“We have no intent in changing how we manage wolves on the ground,” McDonald said, adding that the bill would allow them to “more efficiently implement the wolf management program.”
But agriculture groups and one rancher don’t buy it. Speaking in opposition to the bill, they raised concerns that the change would give FWP the authority to stop doing some of the things it is doing now and direct all of the money toward management activities not directly related to the collaring and killing of wolves.
“It gives the department unfettered discretion,” said Jim Brown, representing the Montana Woolgrowers Association.
The Rocky Mountain Stockgrowers Association also opposed the bill.
On the other side, alongside FWP, wildlife advocates dismissed concerns that the bill would eliminate the state’s current practices of managing wolves.
“Wolves that need killing are gonna get killed,” said Ben Lamb, representing the National Wildlife Federation and the Montana Wildlife Federation.
The committee did not vote on the measure Thursday.