Hunters at meeting want FWP to do more about wolves

Some Northwest Montana hunters say Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks should be doing more about predators in the woods. One even suggested at a recent meeting on proposed game regulations that the state conduct aerial hunting and poison wolves.

About 50 hunters showed up at the Jan. 4 meeting in Kalispell to comment on proposed changes to deer and elk regulations for the next two years.

In Region 1, the biggest change is a proposal that would allow more B tags for white-tailed deer in several hunting districts, but only on private land, excluding F.H. Stoltze Land & Lumber Co. and Plum Creek lands.

There would also be more B tags available districtwide on all lands in hunting districts 121, 122 and 124 — which cover the Clark Fork Valley.

“On private land, we’re starting to see some (game) damage,” Region 1 wildlife manager Jim Williams said.

“I’m 100 percent in favor of that,” said Mel Carr of Kalispell. “We’ve been overrun with does and fawns.”

But hunters were leery of allowing more tags on public lands, where they claim deer populations are down.

They also objected to the current system that allows hunters in some districts to take two bull elk if they draw a B tag. Hunters said that wasn’t fair.

While the intent of the meeting was to take comment on proposed regulations, the conversation generally focused on wolves and other predators.

Ian Wargo, a hunter from Kalispell, suggested the state consider helicopter hunting or even the use of poison to, as he put it, “reset the clock” for wolves in Montana.

While hunters at the meeting complained about the lack of game, the take of white-tailed bucks at check stations this year was actually above average. Williams also noted that predators are being managed as game animals.

Statewide, hunters have taken 115 wolves and trappers have caught 32 as of Jan. 6. Each year in Region 1, hunters take about 500 black bears, and last year they took 157 mountain lions. This year, hunters have taken about 50 lions to date.

“They’re being managed,” Williams noted. “Just not to the degree that some individuals have suggested.”

Other hunters were worried about mule deer populations, noting that populations seem to be tumbling west of Kalispell and in the South Fork of the Flathead.

FWP’s mule deer numbers tend to bear this out. Over the past couple of decades, the take of mule deer bucks has been down. FWP is considering a new rule that would make mule deer hunting bucks-only across most districts in Montana.

Other proposed changes locally include a new quota system for mountain lions with a subquota for males. Once the male quota is met, hunters would only be able to shoot a female. The idea is to conserve some of the large males, which do a good job of driving off younger lions from an area and, in some cases, even kill them.

Hunters can still comment on the proposed regulations. For more information, visit online at www.fwp.mt.gov, click on “2013-2014 Hunting Proposals.”

Comments also can be submitted at local meetings or mailed to FWP Wildlife Bureau, Attn: Public Comment, P.O. Box 200701, Helena MT 59620-0701.

The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission will adopt final regulations during its Feb. 13 meeting in Helena.