Stop SB314 “The Wolf Extermination” bill

It’s here.
SB314 “The Wolf Extermination” bill will he heard and voted on Tuesday afternoon, 4/13, in the Montana House of Representatives. It will then have a final hearing and vote most likely the following day before dying or going to Governor Gianforte.

SB314 by Rep. Bob Brown mandates the Montana Fish & Wildlife Commission reduce wolves in our state down to the bare minimum, but no less than 15 breeding pairs in order to avoid re-listing. It enables them to do so by the “most liberal” and unethical methods such as hunting over bait, killing latter stage pregnant wolves, night hunting, night vision scopes, multiple wolves on one tag, and of course indiscriminate cruel traps and snares. One can easily anticipate killing contests inclusive of wolves.

Passage of SB314 will mean ~85-90% of wolves in Montana will have a legal and unjust target on their backs. Yet, they are having no difficulty killing wolves in Montana. Every year they break a new record. This 2020 wolf season was no exception. Hitting a new high, over 325 wolves were reported killed by trapping and hunting. This does not account for poaching, SB200 landowner wolf kills, highway mortality, etc. in which an estimated 500 wolves are killed every year in Montana.  Depending on who is talking, Montana’s estimated wolf population is between 800-1200 wolves, or was.

SB314 takes the other trap and kill wolves bills, HB224 Wolf Snaring, HB225 Extended Wolf Season, SB267 Wolf Bounties, passing into law now in our state with Governor Gianforte’s signature and ties them all up in a bow requiring the Wildlife Commission implement these means, methods, and more, to exterminate wolves in Montana….but avoid the Feds.

CONTACT Montana Representatives and respectfully Urge a NO on SB314. Be sure to use your own words.
Look them up and their contact info.

Let us know if you want to email them all.

In response to an email with the data, science, and our objections to SB314 we sent to all Montana Representatives, today, we already heard back from one.
Rep. Gunderson, HD1, Libby, Montana.
Gunderson Steven <steve.gunderson@mtleg.gov>
Tue 4/13/2021 
To: Trap Free Montana Public Lands TFMPL
Thanks for reminding me of the many reasons to vote for Senator Brown’s bill!!

Steve

We have not received a reply in requesting his reasons.

Call the front desk and leave a message for up to 5 Representatives urging a NO on SB314.
1-406-444-4800

Send a message via the legislative web to Montana Representative/s to vote AGAINST SB314.

Note as of 4/1/21, there were 33 message For SB314 and 344 Against SB314.

It certainly doesn’t hurt to Do ALL of the above!

SB314 already passed in Montana Senate 29:20.

This is our last chance to try to stop SB314.Please take effective action!

To listen to the House floor hearing and 4/13 vote on SB314:
They meet at 1:00.

Also today, Tuesday, the 13th, HB367, by Rep Paul Fielder, Senate Fish & Game hearing is this afternoon and we will be testifying against it. They meet at 3pm. HB367 is to amend our Montana constitution making hunting, fishing and trapping a right and the preferred methods to manage wildlife in our state. In 2004, Montana voters overwhelming supported amending the constitution to preserve the opportunity to hunt and fish, not to trap. If this reaches the Senate floor and passes with 34 out of 50 Montana Senators it will go before Montana voters in November 2022.

Do not let up on contacting and urging our Montana Senators to Vote NO on HB367 a significant far reaching Constitutional amendment disastrous to wildlife and that will cost us a small fortune to defeat if it winds up going to the voters.

To see and learn more about 2021 Montana trapping & related bills visit our TFMPl website. 

To Contact Governor Gianforte.  1-406-444-3111

Non-Residents continue to Contact Montana Department of Tourism

To see how legislators voted re trapping and related bills in 2019

Please keep those letters to the editor going! They are educational, powerful, and amplify what is befalling our wildlife in Montana. 

Donate to help with our fight. Thank you to all who have! A monthly donation, no matter how small, helps us!

Take action, now, and help us kill this disturbing unethical extreme kill wolves bill and more!

KC York 
President/Founder
on behalf of the board of directors

Thank you friends of Trap Free Montana Public Lands and to all who have been doing what they can to help!