New federal rule permits stockmen to kill wolves
By MICHAEL BABCOCK
Tribune Outdoor Editor
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has adopted a regulation expanding the authority of Montana and Idaho to manage gray wolves in the Northern Rockies, the agency announced Monday.
On private land, the rule will allow landowners to kill a wolf that is harassing or threatening livestock or pets; on public land, that authority will be extended to permit holders such as grazing leaseholders or outfitters.
The state of Montana will have greater cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and will be able to use funds from wolf recovery for wolf management instead.
The rule goes into effect Feb. 5 and applies only in experimental areas south of the Missouri River and south of Interstate 90, said Ed Bangs, wolf recovery coordinator for Fish and Wildlife.
"This rule is tailored to help with management of problem wolves, and only six out of 100 cause a problem," Bangs said. "Somebody who kills wolves because they don't like them will still be in violation of the ESA (Endangered Species Act), and they still will face the same punishment.
"This is not a good deal for beer-swilling rednecks. This just gives you a few more ways to protect your livestock."
The punishment for killing a wolf can be up to $100,000 in fines, 10 years in prison, loss of hunting permits and loss of personal property used in commission of the crime.
U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., applauded the announcement, which he said would provide additional tools for state and federal game and predator managers, as well as landowners and livestock producers in regions containing wolf populations.
"It's a step in the right direction," Burns said. "I would still like to see the state of Montana have more control over the population, but this new regulation moves us closer to that goal. At the very least, our producers and landowners have better rights to protect their property from attacks by these predators.
"Recovery goals for the wolf population are being exceeded, because the animals have taken like a duck to water to the rangelands of Montana. Now, instead of having to call a state or federal agency, landowners can take a predator out if it is harassing their property," said Burns, who set aside $320,000 for wolf management in the fiscal year 2005 Interior budget.
"These changes provide a logical transition between management by the federal government and management by the states and tribes," said Ralph Morgenweck, USFWS regional director.
"State and tribal management under scientifically sound wolf management plans provides effective wolf conservation and will allow the states and tribes to gain valuable management experience in anticipation of delisting."
"It is a very positive development," said Carolyn Sime, the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks gray wolf coordinator. "The rule recognizes our efforts to put together a good plan, and allows us to move forward with putting that plan in place in the experimental part of Montana with Fish, Wildlife & Parks as the lead agency.
"This recognizes that ... wolves are in need of management, and it is a way for the state to increase its role in day-to-day wolf conservation and management," Sime said.
The rule also applies to Indian tribes that have wolf recovery plans, but there are none in Montana, Bangs said.
"No tribe in Montana has prepared its own wolf management plan," Bangs said. "The Salish-Kootenai and the Blackfeet are outside the experimental areas. The tribes don't have any wolf packs that live on tribal land. While tribes have same authority, none have asked to do this."
There are about 550 wolves in Montana and Idaho. The rule applies only in those two states because they have USFWS-approved wolf management plans. Wyoming has yet to develop a wolf management plan that satisfies the federal government.
Bangs characterized the rule as "a lot more friendly with more local management of wolves than just a few feds bouncing around."
Interest over the proposed rule, known as a 10(j) rule under the Endangered Species Act, for wolf management in the Northern Rockies, prompted more than 23,000 comments after it was published in March 2004.
The final rule announced Monday is as a result of comments from the public, the states and federal agencies and tribes.
Under the final 10j rule, landowners in Montana and Idaho are able to take additional steps to protect their livestock and dogs from attacks by wolves.
States can lead wolf management, including the authority to issue written "take" authorizations to landowners or public land permittees, to control wolves that consistently pose a threat to their livestock.
On public lands, grazing permittees and guiding and outfitter permittees are allowed to take wolves attacking their livestock or domestic animals herding and guarding livestock without prior written authorization.
The changes affect only the experimental population areas established in Montana and Idaho, where wolves were reintroduced in 1995 and 1996. The new regulation does not apply to wolf populations in the Great Lakes region or in the southwestern United States.
Sime said in northwest Montana, FWP already is the lead agency in wolf management under a separate agreement announced earlier in 2004.
Among other things, the regulation provides that in Montana and Idaho:
Wolves attacking livestock, livestock herding and guarding animals, and dogs on private land can be killed by landowners without prior written authorization.
Wolves attacking livestock and livestock herding and guarding animals on public grazing allotments can be taken by grazing permittees, guides and outfitters, and on ceded lands by tribal members, without written authorization.
Wolves determined to be causing unacceptable impacts to wildlife populations, such as herds of deer and elk, can be taken by state or tribal agencies. This is allowed only after the states or tribes complete science-based documents that have undergone public and peer review and have been approved by the service.
States or tribes with approved wolf management plans can establish memorandums of agreement with the Secretary of the Interior, or cooperative agreements with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to lead gray wolf conservation and management in the experimental areas within their States or reservations boundaries.
Gray wolves were reintroduced in the Northern Rockies as nonessential experimental populations under the Endangered Species Act in 1995 and 1996. This designation allowed federal, state and tribal agencies and private citizens more flexibility in managing these populations while allowing for rapid recovery of the wolf population.
By MICHAEL BABCOCK
Tribune Outdoor Editor
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has adopted a regulation expanding the authority of Montana and Idaho to manage gray wolves in the Northern Rockies, the agency announced Monday.
On private land, the rule will allow landowners to kill a wolf that is harassing or threatening livestock or pets; on public land, that authority will be extended to permit holders such as grazing leaseholders or outfitters.
The state of Montana will have greater cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and will be able to use funds from wolf recovery for wolf management instead.
The rule goes into effect Feb. 5 and applies only in experimental areas south of the Missouri River and south of Interstate 90, said Ed Bangs, wolf recovery coordinator for Fish and Wildlife.
"This rule is tailored to help with management of problem wolves, and only six out of 100 cause a problem," Bangs said. "Somebody who kills wolves because they don't like them will still be in violation of the ESA (Endangered Species Act), and they still will face the same punishment.
"This is not a good deal for beer-swilling rednecks. This just gives you a few more ways to protect your livestock."
The punishment for killing a wolf can be up to $100,000 in fines, 10 years in prison, loss of hunting permits and loss of personal property used in commission of the crime.
U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., applauded the announcement, which he said would provide additional tools for state and federal game and predator managers, as well as landowners and livestock producers in regions containing wolf populations.
"It's a step in the right direction," Burns said. "I would still like to see the state of Montana have more control over the population, but this new regulation moves us closer to that goal. At the very least, our producers and landowners have better rights to protect their property from attacks by these predators.
"Recovery goals for the wolf population are being exceeded, because the animals have taken like a duck to water to the rangelands of Montana. Now, instead of having to call a state or federal agency, landowners can take a predator out if it is harassing their property," said Burns, who set aside $320,000 for wolf management in the fiscal year 2005 Interior budget.
"These changes provide a logical transition between management by the federal government and management by the states and tribes," said Ralph Morgenweck, USFWS regional director.
"State and tribal management under scientifically sound wolf management plans provides effective wolf conservation and will allow the states and tribes to gain valuable management experience in anticipation of delisting."
"It is a very positive development," said Carolyn Sime, the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks gray wolf coordinator. "The rule recognizes our efforts to put together a good plan, and allows us to move forward with putting that plan in place in the experimental part of Montana with Fish, Wildlife & Parks as the lead agency.
"This recognizes that ... wolves are in need of management, and it is a way for the state to increase its role in day-to-day wolf conservation and management," Sime said.
The rule also applies to Indian tribes that have wolf recovery plans, but there are none in Montana, Bangs said.
"No tribe in Montana has prepared its own wolf management plan," Bangs said. "The Salish-Kootenai and the Blackfeet are outside the experimental areas. The tribes don't have any wolf packs that live on tribal land. While tribes have same authority, none have asked to do this."
There are about 550 wolves in Montana and Idaho. The rule applies only in those two states because they have USFWS-approved wolf management plans. Wyoming has yet to develop a wolf management plan that satisfies the federal government.
Bangs characterized the rule as "a lot more friendly with more local management of wolves than just a few feds bouncing around."
Interest over the proposed rule, known as a 10(j) rule under the Endangered Species Act, for wolf management in the Northern Rockies, prompted more than 23,000 comments after it was published in March 2004.
The final rule announced Monday is as a result of comments from the public, the states and federal agencies and tribes.
Under the final 10j rule, landowners in Montana and Idaho are able to take additional steps to protect their livestock and dogs from attacks by wolves.
States can lead wolf management, including the authority to issue written "take" authorizations to landowners or public land permittees, to control wolves that consistently pose a threat to their livestock.
On public lands, grazing permittees and guiding and outfitter permittees are allowed to take wolves attacking their livestock or domestic animals herding and guarding livestock without prior written authorization.
The changes affect only the experimental population areas established in Montana and Idaho, where wolves were reintroduced in 1995 and 1996. The new regulation does not apply to wolf populations in the Great Lakes region or in the southwestern United States.
Sime said in northwest Montana, FWP already is the lead agency in wolf management under a separate agreement announced earlier in 2004.
Among other things, the regulation provides that in Montana and Idaho:
Wolves attacking livestock, livestock herding and guarding animals, and dogs on private land can be killed by landowners without prior written authorization.
Wolves attacking livestock and livestock herding and guarding animals on public grazing allotments can be taken by grazing permittees, guides and outfitters, and on ceded lands by tribal members, without written authorization.
Wolves determined to be causing unacceptable impacts to wildlife populations, such as herds of deer and elk, can be taken by state or tribal agencies. This is allowed only after the states or tribes complete science-based documents that have undergone public and peer review and have been approved by the service.
States or tribes with approved wolf management plans can establish memorandums of agreement with the Secretary of the Interior, or cooperative agreements with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to lead gray wolf conservation and management in the experimental areas within their States or reservations boundaries.
Gray wolves were reintroduced in the Northern Rockies as nonessential experimental populations under the Endangered Species Act in 1995 and 1996. This designation allowed federal, state and tribal agencies and private citizens more flexibility in managing these populations while allowing for rapid recovery of the wolf population.
