BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Gray wolf numbers in Montana declined 12 percent last year and livestock attacks by the predators took an even sharper drop after four years of regulated hunting and trapping.
Sixteen grizzlies have been captured so far this year by teams gathering information that will be used this fall to decide whether to propose lifting federal protections of the bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
A proposed initiative to ban trapping on all U.S. public lands is unconstitutional, according to Gary Marbut, president of the Montana Shooting Sports Association.
The popular Bass Creek recreation area will be reopened to the public on Friday, November 1, by the Stevensville Ranger District. The area has been closed since May for tree thinning operations.
Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks is beginning to prepare for wolf trapping season and anyone that wants to trap this year will need to get some prerequisites out of the way first.
Montana will allow wolf trapping for the first time in recent years this winter, but in order to participate trappers will need to have special certification.