MT FWP approves Bitterroot wolf hunt
by Marnee Banks (Helena), KXLH.com, Nov 18, 2010 [here]
It is illegal for most Montanans to kill wolves, but if the MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission gets its way, some people in the Bitterroot will be able to have a special hunt. The News Station’s Marnee Banks was at the Commission meeting on Thursday and has details about the decision to allow the special wolf hunt.
Michael Thompson, FWP Region 2 Manager, explained, “We have a long body of data and experience with this population and other populations leading up to this point in time. What we are seeing is something that is off the chart.”
FWP staff reports that the wolf population is adversely affecting elk cow calf ratios in the Bitterroot Valley. They are seeing 9 calves per 100 cows, when the management objective is 25 calves per 100 cows.
So they are asking US Fish & Wildlife Service for a special permit to kill wolves in hunting district 250. … [more]