II. WILDLIFE DAMAGE ACTIVITIES IN MONTANA 



Recent Legislative Efforts 



The record of the 1982 Joint Subconunittee on Fish and 



Game, an interim study committee, indicates that the 



Eastern Slope Landowner's Association approached the 



Subcommittee with proposals for compensating landowners 



for the pasturing of big game. The group suggested 



that compensation might be linked to a reduction in 



property or income taxes. The Subcommittee agree that 



game damage was a significant problem but made no 



p 

 further recommendations. 



During the 1985 session, three pieces of legislation 

 were introduced to address the problem of game damage: 



House Bill 314 (Cobb) would have provided the 

 Department with the option of herding damage- 

 causing animals off the property involved, with 

 the permission of adjacent landowners. The bill 

 was killed in the House on an adverse committee 

 report. 



House Bill 388 (Cobb) would have made it a 

 definite responsibility of the Department to 

 mitigate substantial damage by wildlife. The bill 

 died in committee. 



House Bill 191 (Asay) would have required reim- 

 bursement to a landowner who experienced wildlife 

 damage if the Department failed to respond in some 

 manner to a damage complaint within 48 hours of 

 notice. The legislation provided for a damage 

 claim appraisal process and a method for appealing 



