House Bill No. [insert bill number] proposes the establishment of a year-round open wolf hunting season in Montana, with the provision that the season may be closed if the wolf population falls to or below a specified threshold. The bill amends Section 87-1-304 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to allow the commission to authorize a wolf hunting season with an unlimited quota, which will remain in effect until the wolf population is at or below 650 wolves. Additionally, the commission may close the hunting season only during May and June to account for denning and whelping periods.

The bill also includes several amendments to existing regulations regarding hunting seasons and bag limits. It clarifies that the commission can declare closed seasons for species threatened with depletion and allows for the adjustment of hunting regulations based on regional recommendations. Furthermore, it establishes a special muzzleloader heritage hunting season and includes a severability clause to ensure that if any part of the act is deemed invalid, the remaining provisions will still be enforceable.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 87-1-304
HB0222_1(1): 87-1-304
HB0222_1(2): 87-1-304
HB0222_1(3): 87-1-304
HB0222_1(4): 87-1-304
HB0222_1(5): 87-1-304
HB0222_1(6): 87-1-304
HB0222_1(7): 87-1-304
HB0222_1: 87-1-304
HB0222_2(1): 87-1-304
HB0222_2(2): 87-1-304
HB0222_2(3): 87-1-304
HB0222_2(4): 87-1-304
HB0222_2(5): 87-1-304
HB0222_2(6): 87-1-304
HB0222_2(7): 87-1-304
HB0222_2(8): 87-1-304
HB0222_2: 87-1-304