If the number of comments is any indication, this is and will continue to be a hot-button topic in the state of Montana.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks reports that they received over 26,000 comments during the Public Comment Period regarding updates to Montana's wolf hunting regulations. Based in part on that input, the Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted several changes to the 2021-2022 wolf hunting and trapping regulations at its recent meeting.

Changes include eliminating quotas, increasing the number of wolf trapping and hunting licenses allowed for individual hunters, extending wolf trapping seasons and the allowance of snares for trapping wolves.

It's no a number set in stone at this point. A harvest of 450 wolves shall initiate a commission review with potential for rapid in-season adjustments to hunting and trapping regulations. From there, the commission shall be similarly re-engaged at intervals of additional 50 wolves harvested, if season adjustments allow for additional wolf harvest. Additionally, the following harvests by any region alone shall initiate a commission review with potential for rapid in-season adjustments to hunting and trapping regulations:

Region 1 – 195 wolves

Region 2 – 116 wolves

Region 3 – 82 wolves

Region 4 – 39 wolves

Region 5 – 11 wolves

Region 6 – 3 wolves

Region 7 – 4 wolves

Here are a few other details of the regulations:

Wolf and furbearer seasons will continue to be set by the commission annually to allow opportunity for season adjustments between consecutive seasons based upon review of harvest, population size and conflicts.

Hunters will be allowed to purchase and possess 10 wolf hunting licenses.

Trappers will be allowed a bag limit of 10 wolves.

Season dates for trapping wolves will be the first Monday after Thanksgiving (for 2021, that is November 29) to March 15, 2022, for the entire state.

LOOK: Here are the pets banned in each state

Because the regulation of exotic animals is left to states, some organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, advocate for federal, standardized legislation that would ban owning large cats, bears, primates, and large poisonous snakes as pets.

Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state, as well as across the nation.

 

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