Take Action by submitting your comment to USFWS about re-listing grey wolves in the western states.

The US Fish & Wildlife Service finds that the petitions present substantial, credible information indicating that a listing action may be warranted and will initiate a comprehensive status review of the gray wolf in the western U.S..

Further…The Service finds the petitioners present substantial information that potential increases in human-caused mortality may pose a threat to the gray wolf in the western U.S. The Service also finds that new regulatory mechanisms in Idaho and Montana may be inadequate to address this threat. Therefore, the Service finds that gray wolves in the western U.S. may warrant listing.

It is a 12 month review and Montana hunters are killing gray wolves right now! It’s urgent that the USFWS list wolves now with an emergency order while they are reviewing the evidence.

But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view.”

Aldo Leopold, Thinking Like a Mountain, A Sand County Almanac.

Take Action 

Click the following link to submit your comment to USFWS. Before you click the link, first read agency guidelines and tips for submitting your comment.

Here’s the link to submit your comment: https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/FWS-HQ-ES-2021-0106-0001

Agency Guidelines for submitting your comment about the review of gray wolves

PLEASE COPY DOWN YOUR TRACKING NUMBER. Your comment will be labeled “Anonymous” if you do not enter a first and last name.

YOUR COMMENT WILL BE REVIEWED AND POSTED TO THIS SITE IN 24 – 48 HOURS OR MORE, DEPENDING ON VOLUME OF COMMENTS RECEIVED. Use the tracking number to locate your comment once it is posted.

If you submit a comment, your entire comment–including any personal identifying information–may be available to the public. If you submit a comment that includes personal identifying information, you may request that we withhold the information from public review, but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Tips for Submitting Effective Comments, Overview

A comment can express simple support or dissent for a regulatory action. However, a constructive, information-rich comment that clearly communicates and supports its claims is more likely to have an impact on regulatory decision making.

These tips are meant to help the public submit comments that have an impact and help agency policy makers improve federal regulations.

Summary tips

1. Read and understand the regulatory document you are commenting on
2. Feel free to reach out to the agency with questions
3. Be concise but support your claims
4. Base your justification on sound reasoning, scientific evidence, and/ or how you will be impacted
5. Address trade-offs and opposing views in your comment
6. There is no minimum or maximum length for an effective comment
7. The comment process is not a vote – one well supported comment is often more influential than a thousand form letters

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Montana estimates 1,150.00 gray wolves reside in the state 2019

The following are news articles & information to help in composing your comment

Montana Adopts ‘Aggressive’ Wolf Hunting Regulations from Montana Public Radio 

Listen here: https://www.mtpr.org/montana-news/2021-08-24/montana-adopts-aggressive-wolf-hunting-regulations

Montana officials adopt new wolf hunting, trapping regulations, Thu., Aug. 26, 2021

A split Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted several highly contested new wolf hunting and trapping regulations Friday, the culmination of months of debate that has drawn national and even international attention.

The commission voted 3-2 to adopt a motion made by Commissioner Pat Tabor to expand methods of wolf trapping and hunting in the state to meet a legislative mandate to reduce Montana’s wolf population. Tabor was joined by Commissioner Brian Cebull and Chair Lesley Robinson in support, all appointees of Gov. Greg Gianforte. Gianforte appointee Commissioner K.C. Walsh and Steve Bullock appointee Patrick Byorth voted against the measure.

The vote followed a passionate hearing in which commissioners and public commenters sparred over fair-chase ethics, science-based wildlife management and legislative mandates.

Supporters of reducing the state’s wolf population say the animals have exceeded population goals and had significant impacts on other big game populations, particularly in western Montana where the majority of the state’s wolves are located. More tools are needed for hunters and trappers and trapper education will play a key role as snares were legalized to trap wolves in the recent Legislature. Click here to read full article 

The following is from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

MONTANA FISH, WILDLIFE, AND PARKS Click here to view full report regarding Montana wolf population numbers.
HUNTING SEASON-QUOTA CHANGE SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Species: Wolf Region: Statewide Hunting District: All Year: 2021
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is scheduled to propose this 2021 wolf season to the Fish and Wildlife (FW) commission at their June 24 meeting. The proposal includes a range of options (Table 1). These options, to varying degrees, incorporate legislation from the 2021 legislature. The commission adoptions from June 24 will move to public review and comment, with final commission action taking place at the commission’s August meeting.
In addition to other legislative inputs, SB 314 directs the commission to reduce the wolf population, but not less than the number of wolves necessary to support at least 15 breeding pairs. FWP does not interpret this statutory language to require the population be reduced to the minimum number of wolves necessary to support only 15 breeding pairs. Indeed, at population numbers near to 15 breeding pairs the flexibility to address conflicts and provide harvest opportunities would become severely restricted. The additional legislative options for wolf management (creating new or emphasizing existing commission authority) are listed below.
• allow the take of the bag limit with a single wolf license (SB314, at commission’s discretion),
• increase the individual bag limit on wolves (SB314, at commission’s discretion),
• allow for the snaring of wolves during the trapping season (HB224, shall be part of trapping),
• extend the wolf trapping season dates (HB 225, at commission’s discretion)
• hunting wolves over bait (SB 314, at commissions’ discretion), and
• hunting wolves at night (at commission’s discretion).
While the current wolf season kept the population mostly static through 2019, the higher harvest in 2020 (328 vs. the 2012–2019 average of 242) is predicted to result in a decline to approximately 900 – 950 wolves. The iPOM (Patch Occupancy Model) estimate for 2020 is scheduled to be available for the August commission meeting. While not confirmed, the current season structure may meet the intent of SB 314 relative to population reduction. In this context, FWP has assembled a range of options incorporating legislative products (less to more aggressive) into the 2021 wolf season definition.