Red Alert: Montana Governor proposes open season for trappers on wolves, otters etc.

[MontanaMama]

Last edited Tue Jun 22, 2021, 07:14 PM - Edit history (1)

Thursday June 24th marks the first time we will hear from Gov. Gianforte’s hand-picked Fish and Wildlife Commissioners. They will decide how to implement new laws that allow baiting, snaring and night shooting of wolves, a four-week longer wolf trapping and snaring season, bounties up to $1,000 on wolves killed, and unlimited kills on one license. This is genocide.

You might not live in Montana, but wildlife and wild places belong to all of us. The link below describes the horrific proposed changes. Email addresses and phone numbers are in the article. If you have a moment, please email, call or reach out to these commissioners. Threaten to not come to Montana...or patronize Montana businesses. I'm a small business owner and I might be slitting my own throat but these changes cannot stand. Wolves and river otters belong in our mountains and rivers.

Trappers have too much power and influence. I can't even take my dog out for a hike without the worry and risk that she will get caught in a trap.

Targeting these animals puts other species at significant risk. I'm sick about this. I don't know what else to do.

The link below is from Footloose Montana, an anti-trapping organization so please know that it is biased but they're not wrong about what is being proposed.

https://mailchi.mp/51e42489888a/mr-potato-head-6783254?e=cca76a12e6

ETA: If you can afford to donate to Footloose Montana, here’s the link to their site: https://www.footloosemontana.org/
Footloose fighting hard to end trapping on public lands in Montana. They are well coordinated with similar organizations in other states.

[Wingus Dingus]

1. People who trap are sick psychopathic fucks.

[MontanaMama]

4. I seriously cannot take my dog hiking

without the worry of traps. Some asshole put traps near the public walking trail here in town a couple years ago and a young couple lost their dog to it. It was a horror story. They got compensation through the courts but nothing can replace a beloved dog.

[Wingus Dingus]

9. That is horrible. I used to work with a guy who giggled

about the cats caught in his traps. My husband currently works with a woman who sets them with her husband/kids, brags about the money she makes. She told him that her daughter was upset about it and felt bad for the animals, and that she was trying to toughen her up. I haven't encountered any (nor have my dogs/cats), but the possibility of ANY animal undergoing injury and suffering like that makes me ill.

[Initech]

18. +1000000000000000000

That's not even hunting, that's just fucking cruel. In all seriousness, I hope these trappers get mauled by wolves.

[Wingus Dingus]

19. No sport, all suffering.

[pazzyanne]

28. + 1 nt

[Karadeniz]

2. This makes me sick. Gov. needs to read A Wolf Called Romeo and face up to which person in

Romeo's story he aligns with. Come to think of it, everyone would enjoy the book!

[MontanaMama]

3. The governor is a wolf killer himself.

I doubt he reads anything enlightening.

[Karadeniz]

6. I'm sure you're right... Misplaced optimism!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. That was a fantastic book that broke my heart! Still, I enjoyed it a lot. ♥

[Karadeniz]

7. That American soulless clod still makes me mad, as well as the lack of legal penalties the bum

got away w!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. Right there with you, my dear Karadeniz! ♥

[StarryNite]

11. It's a wonderful book.

Everyone who cares about wolves and wildlife would enjoy it.

[yonder]

10. Trying to keep up with Idaho's new wolf eradication laws?

These MF's are sick, sick, sick. Im sure Montana's new law mimics Idaho's which is probably a boilerplate from ALEC or Koch, etc.

It's about time to hand control back to the feds if this is the best states can do after being given control over wolf management.

[Mysterian]

12. Goddamned evil assholes

Montana has elected some real scumbags, including Gianforte and carpetbagging Matt Rosendale. Please, Montana, show these guys the door next election. I'd like to move back there someday.

Thank goodness Tester is still in there.

[MontanaMama]

16. You're 100% right.

I hope we can hang on to Jon Tester. It’s all feeling quite hopeless at the moment.

[WarGamer]

13. I cringe at the thought of an unlucky pup getting nailed in a trap...

They were all over rural Illinois where I grew up...

Big ones, small ones... nasty things.

We'd poke them with sticks and run away.

[Phoenix61]

14. Be a real shame if he had a hunting accident.

I mean what could go wrong shooting at night?

[2naSalit]

25. Hopefully...

That could reduce the population of imbeciles with gunz.

[Mysterian]

15. We must worship and protect the cattle and sheep!

Most of Montana has become a fenced-off wasteland for cattle. Other species are not allowed to survive. Sickening.

[MontanaMama]

17. Most of Montana isn't a fenced off wasteland.

Not yet anyway. We are being overrun by folks relocating to “paradise” now that they know they can work remotely. The influx has been really hard to take...and yet I don’t blame people for wanting to find a better life for themselves. That said, these thugs need to be stopped.

[Mysterian]

21. East of the divide seems that way

and that's most of Montana.

[GusBob]

20. National Forests, National Parks, BLM land, Block Mgt. Land, national and state wildlife refuges

state parks, Indian reservations and the American Prairie Preserve

Most of Montana is most def not a fenced off wasteland

[Lancero]

22. To the wolves it will be.

[MontanaMama]

23. Hey there, friend.

Thanks for weighing in. I’m worried about this new FWP Commission. They seem dead set on taking ignoring science and the experience of our biologists.

[2naSalit]

24. Thanks for posting!

The good news, that the killerkkklass seem to overlook is that the wolves of the Northern Rockies DPS will be put back under ESA protections because what is proposed is illegal and against the agreement with USFWS in the states' management plans. So they may kill a bunch of them but once they are re-listed under the ESA, it will become a federal crime to kill them.

I knew the folks who started footloose years ago, they put out solid info when it counts. I think I'll start a letter writing campaign to our new Sec of Interior about this.

[MontanaMama]

29. Let me know how I can help.

I drafted a letter to this new FWP Commission and sent it this afternoon. Thug Gianforte fired a friend of mine (former editor of Outdoor Life) from the commission when he took office. At that moment, I knew there would be a wholesale war on our wildlife.

The increased trapping of river otters is sickening. I’ve lived in Montana since 1977 and I’ve only ever seen two otters. Hounds chasing bears in the spring is equally unethical.

I pointed out to the Commission that the optics of these proposals are terrible for the state. Even if they choose to ignore facts and science, they should at least consider that.

Thanks for weighing in, 2na. I always appreciate your viewpoint and experience on these issues.

[2naSalit]

32. What I have learned from years of dealing with...

FWP commissioners is that there might be one or two good guys but the rest bulldoze any good they might do, best to just go over their heads.

So writing to:

Dept. of Interior
1849 C St., NW
Washington, DC 20240

Email: [e-mail]

Phone Number: 1-202-208-3100


I encourage everyone to weigh in on this issue. Keep it polite and urge the DOI to reinstate the grey wolf (Canis lupus) to Endangered Species Act protections since the states cannot in good faith ensure their continued existence in their natural habitat. You could mention that a dynamic keystone species is essential to the continued health of the ecosystems of our continent as the ESA demands.

That will help a lot.




.

[MontanaMama]

35. This!

I’m on it. Please...if any of you can send an email or make a call...

Thanks 2na. I’m sending an email now.

[2naSalit]

36. Thanks for the post!

[kimbutgar]

26. Are they that stupid to not realize that by destroying the ecosystem in the state things will go

For,the worst in the state. Killing animals will bring more predatory animals. Like in Tasmania where they introduced different tape kites which killed and made instinct the Tasmanian to get and the Dodo bird.

I am sickened how stupid these red states have become.

[2naSalit]

33. They really think...

That they are hastening their rapture.

[marie999]

27. Let's make it interesting. Let's have an open season on trappers.

[MontanaMama]

31. Boy howdy. I've had it with these guys.

They are something like 1% of sportspeople and they have exponentially more power than the rest of us. I can’t even take my dog out on hikes in areas where there are creeks and river bottoms for fear of traps. We used to take our family photo every year on our Christmas tree hunt...can’t take the dog on that trip anymore either. Assholes.

[North Shore Chicago]

30. Why do so many men

enjoy slaughtering animals?

Wolves are sentient beings who feel. This makes me ill.

[2naSalit]

34. Teenie weenies. ...nt