Senate Bill No. [insert bill number] aims to revise trapping laws in Montana by establishing specific setbacks for trapping activities on public lands. The bill mandates that traps for furbearers, predators, and nongame wildlife must be set back 50 feet from designated roads and hiking trails, 1,000 feet from designated campgrounds or recreation sites accessible by highway vehicles, and 300 feet from marked trailheads, with lethal traps requiring a 1,000-foot setback. For wolves, the setbacks are similar, with a 150-foot distance from roads and trails, and a 1,000-foot setback from trailheads and campgrounds. The bill also allows the commission to expand these distances in high-use areas and establishes that setbacks do not apply to roads closed year-round to motor vehicles.

Additionally, the bill amends existing laws regarding trapping and snaring offenses, requiring traps to comply with the new setback requirements. It specifies that traps must be tagged and set in a manner that does not endanger livestock, and it outlines penalties for violations, including fines and potential forfeiture of hunting, fishing, or trapping licenses. The bill includes provisions for the commission's rulemaking authority to manage these regulations effectively. Overall, the legislation seeks to enhance safety and conservation efforts related to trapping on public lands in Montana.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 87-1-301, 87-6-601
SB0427_1(1): 87-1-301, 87-6-601
SB0427_1(2): 87-1-301, 87-6-601
SB0427_1(3): 87-1-301, 87-6-601
SB0427_1(4): 87-1-301, 87-6-601
SB0427_1(5): 87-1-301, 87-6-601
SB0427_1(6): 87-1-301, 87-6-601
SB0427_1: 87-1-301, 87-6-601
SB0427_2(1): 87-1-301, 87-6-601
SB0427_2(10): 87-1-301, 87-6-601
SB0427_2(11): 87-1-301, 87-6-601
SB0427_2(2): 87-1-301, 87-6-601
SB0427_2(3): 87-1-301, 87-6-601
SB0427_2(4): 87-1-301, 87-6-601
SB0427_2(5): 87-1-301, 87-6-601
SB0427_2(6): 87-1-301, 87-6-601
SB0427_2(7): 87-1-301, 87-6-601
SB0427_2(8): 87-1-301, 87-6-601
SB0427_2(9): 87-1-301, 87-6-601
SB0427_2: 87-1-301, 87-6-601