House Bill No. [insert bill number] seeks to revise the legal framework governing gray wolves and furbearers in Montana by defining gray wolves as furbearers and establishing new regulations for their hunting and trapping. The bill introduces Class E-1 and Class E-2 licenses for resident and nonresident hunters, respectively, along with specific fees and conditions for obtaining these licenses. It amends existing sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to reflect these changes, particularly in the management of gray wolves following their delisting from the endangered species list. Additionally, the bill prohibits hunting furbearers within cities or towns, from public highways, or with motion-tracking cameras, and it forbids the waste of gray wolf heads or pelts in the field.

The legislation also allows landowners to take wolves that threaten safety or livestock without a license and establishes penalties for violations of the new regulations. Significant deletions include the removal of references to wolves in the context of hunting on private property without permission and the repeal of specific sections related to resident and nonresident wolf licenses. The bill aims to enhance wildlife protection and regulate hunting practices more effectively while ensuring compliance with updated definitions and standards, including broader definitions of "hunt" and "furbearer," as well as updated definitions for "wildlife sanctuary" and "zoo."

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 87-1-901, 87-2-101, 87-2-127, 87-2-601, 87-2-602, 87-2-603, 87-4-1001, 87-5-131, 87-6-101, 87-6-401, 87-6-402, 87-6-403, 87-6-405, 87-6-415, 87-6-603
HB0101_1(1): 87-1-901, 87-2-101, 87-2-602, 87-2-603, 87-4-1001, 87-5-131, 87-6-101, 87-6-401, 87-6-402, 87-6-403, 87-6-405, 87-6-415, 87-6-603
HB0101_1(2): 87-1-901, 87-2-101, 87-2-602, 87-2-603, 87-4-1001, 87-5-131, 87-6-101, 87-6-401, 87-6-402, 87-6-403, 87-6-405, 87-6-415, 87-6-603
HB0101_1(3): 87-1-901, 87-2-101, 87-2-602, 87-2-603, 87-4-1001, 87-5-131, 87-6-101, 87-6-401, 87-6-402, 87-6-403, 87-6-405, 87-6-415, 87-6-603
HB0101_1(4): 87-1-901, 87-2-101, 87-2-602, 87-2-603, 87-4-1001, 87-5-131, 87-6-101, 87-6-401, 87-6-402, 87-6-403, 87-6-405, 87-6-415, 87-6-603
HB0101_1(5): 87-1-901, 87-2-101, 87-2-602, 87-2-603, 87-4-1001, 87-5-131, 87-6-101, 87-6-401, 87-6-402, 87-6-403, 87-6-405, 87-6-415, 87-6-603
HB0101_1(6): 87-1-901, 87-2-101, 87-2-602, 87-2-603, 87-4-1001, 87-5-131, 87-6-101, 87-6-401, 87-6-402, 87-6-403, 87-6-405, 87-6-415, 87-6-603
HB0101_1(7): 87-1-901, 87-2-101, 87-2-602, 87-2-603, 87-4-1001, 87-5-131, 87-6-101, 87-6-401, 87-6-402, 87-6-403, 87-6-405, 87-6-415, 87-6-603
HB0101_1: 87-1-901, 87-2-101, 87-2-602, 87-2-603, 87-4-1001, 87-5-131, 87-6-101, 87-6-401, 87-6-402, 87-6-403, 87-6-405, 87-6-415, 87-6-603