CllMTER 3: ALTERNATIVICS 



agencies and tribal authorities may also participate. The wolf management program will be subsequently 

 reviewed at least every five years. A more frequent review is provided for within the adaptive 

 management model. By definition, the model incorporates monitoring and evaluation as an ongoing 

 effort within the management program. Management is thus refined and improved through time as 

 information and experience accumulate. 



Managing wildlife populations that range across jurisdictional boundaries is always challenging, but 

 especially when different management goals are identified on either side of the boundary. These differing 

 goals and objectives may, in fact, be contradictory. Furthermore, adjoining management authorities are 

 often bound by different sets of laws and policies. Under this alternative, FWP would coordinate with 

 other agencies and responsible parties to resolve any concerns about how cross boundary packs would be 

 managed or how conflicts would be resolved to make sure that park, provincial, tribal, as well as 

 individual state, and tri-state goals are met. Overall conservation and management of boundary packs 

 would proceed concurrently under each authority's plan or policies. Interagency and tribal coordination 

 already takes place for other wildlife species through annual interagency meetings, working agreements, 

 and informal contacts at the field level. 



As part of the tri-state coordination effort, Montana may seek an agreement or MOU with Idaho and 

 Wyoming to clarify which state counts which wolf packs within the context of their state's management 

 program so that all wolf packs count toward the tri-state recovery requirement and individual packs are 

 not missed or counted twice. Furthermore, this alternative clarifies Montana's intent that boundary packs 

 should always count toward the 30-breeding pair tri slate total for recovery and delisting purposes and 

 that management authority and responsibility are actually shared between Montana and its neighbor, 

 whether state, federal, provincial, or tribal. For the purposes of the Montana's adaptive management 

 program and contribution to the tri-state total, FWP will tally breeding pairs that den within Montana's 

 state boundaries toward the number of breeding pairs which ultimately determines whether liberal or 

 conservative management tools are to be selected. If the actual den site is unknown, Montana and the 

 adjacent state could seek an agreement on how the pack would be counted, using professional judgment 

 or the assignment given by USFWS at the time of delisting. 



Under this alternative, FWP would seek state legislation to make the unlawful taking of a gray wolf a 

 misdemeanor under MCA 87-1-102. This statute makes it a misdemeanor to purposely, knowingly, or 

 negligently violate state laws pertaining to taking, killing, possessing, or transporting certain species of 

 wildlife. Including the gray wolf under this statute would be consistent with the inclusion of other legally 

 classified wildlife species, such as deer, elk, moose, mountain lion, or black bear. Specific penalties (e.g. 

 fines) under MCA 87-1-102 (2) would be determined at that time. FWP would also seek legislation to 

 include the gray wolf under the restitution sections of MCA 87- 1 - 1 1 1 that require a person convicted of 

 illegally taking, killing, pos.sessing certain wildlife .species to reimburse the state for each animal or fish. 

 Adoption of penalties and fines under Montana law in addition to FWP Commission rules is consistent 

 with the council's recommendation that law enforcement be a high priority, that illegal activity be 

 discouraged, and that penalties be similar to black bears and mountain lions. The Montana Legislature 

 would address these in a future session. 



FWP may reexamine the current 72-hour reporting requirement (MCA 87-.3-1.30) when a wolf is killed or 

 injured in defense of life or propeily. With modern communications, it may be reasonable to reduce thai 

 lime in order to better facilitate examination and preservation of evidence and expedite resolution. The 

 72-hour reporting requircmenl outlined in MCA 87-3-1.^0 applies to any legally protected wildlife species 

 (e.g. deer, black bear, mountain lion) when a wild animal is killed in defense of life or prt)perty. 



Social Factors. This alternative, initially based on the comments and recommendations of the Montana 

 Wolf Management Advisory Council, and its Interagency Technical Committee, was updated to retlect 



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