Climate change a factor in trimming of wolf season
A gray wolf peers through some bear grass in this file photo.
U.S. District Court Judge Donald Molloy Nov. 21 issued a preliminary junction that significantly shortens Montana’s wolf trapping season by several weeks. Climate change played a role in his decision.
The wolf trapping season under state law was set to begin as early as Monday (Nov. 27), but two environmental groups, the Flathead-Lolo-Bitterroot Task Force and Wildearth Guardians sued the state of Montana in federal court, claiming the regulations could result in grizzly bears being caught in wolf traps.
Molloy agreed with the groups and set the trapping season dates from Jan. 1, 2024 to Feb. 15, 2024, a time period when most grizzlies would be assured to be in their dens. The ruling applies to wolf trapping regions one through five, plus Hill, Blaine, and Phillips counties.
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