CIJAFl KR 3: Al/r ERNAnVI S 



predator such as the coyote, while still meeting the definition of "species in need of management" which 

 provides a legal protection not extended to the coyote. Adaptive principles would not apply. 

 Management tools would be aggressive and liberal most of the time in contrast to the incremental 

 approach of Alternative 2 (Updated Council) and Alternative 3 (Additional Wolf). 



Wolf numbers would be capped at 10 breeding pair (federal recoveiy definition), which is Montana's 

 expected minimum contribution towards the tri-state total of 30 pairs. More than 10 social groups will be 

 required to achieve 10 breeding pairs as defined by the recovei^ definition because not every group 

 successfully reproduces. FWP would tabulate the number of breeding pairs according to the federal 

 recovery definition ~ a male and a female with at least two pups on December 31. Total numbers will be 

 fine-tuned to maintain only as many breeding pairs and social groups as necessary. Wolf distribution 

 would be artificially zoned so that wolves would be strongly discouraged in eastern Montana and may in 

 fact be routinely trapped and relocated to western Montana or removed from the population if suitable 

 release sites could not be found. Wolves would be permitted in FWP administrative Regions 1 , 2, and 3, 

 and portions of Regions 4 and 5. The eastern boundary line would correspond to boundaries for FWP 

 Regions 6 and 7. Wolf presence in portions of Regions 4 and 5 would be tolerated, depending on whether 

 wolves occuned in large blocks of public land or in mixed ownerships where conflicts were likely. Wolf 

 use of private lands would be at the discretion of the landowner, one step shy of prohibiting wolves on 

 private lands since some landowners may tolerate wolf use. Capping wolf numbers and administratively 

 defining (or zoning) wolf distribution requires aggressive management tools and a liberal interpretation of 

 management flexibility for both agencies and landowners. Other aspects of how wolves would be 

 managed under this alternative are listed in Table 27. 



Social Factors. This alternative represents the most liberal, exploitive management approach of the five 

 alternatives. The social factors underlying it originate in public comments expressing dissatisfaction with 

 why or how wolves got to Montana and opinions that wolf presence can't be accommodated in these 

 modem times for a variety of reasons, including unacceptable impacts to livestock producers and big 

 game populations. Rather than "getting" to manage wolves, FWP "has to" and it is a "cost." This 

 alternative most closely addresses public comments calling for the removal of all wolves from Montana. 



Administration, Delisting. Same as Alternative 2 (Updated Council). However, individual landowners 

 would carry relatively more responsibility for management activities on private lands in lieu of agency 

 response compared to Alternatives 2 (Updated Council) and 3 (Additional Wolf). FWP will provide as 

 many special kill permits as possible to interested landowners for wolf control actions on their private 

 property. WS will still respond to wolf-livestock complaints, provide technical assistance to landowners, 

 and aid in restricting wolf distribution to western Montana. 



Prey Populations. Under this alternative, wolf predation on big game populations would be minimized 

 out of the concern that wolf predation may compete with human hunter harvest at a 1:1 ratio and is an 

 additive form of mortality for prey populations under most circumstances. This would be accomplished 

 by the overall aggressive management activities of this alternative, such as capping total numbers, the 

 liberal provisions for landowners to kill wolves on private lands, limiting overall distribution, and 

 restricting wolf use of FWP WMAs. Prey populations would be monitored less intensively than 

 Alternatives 2 (Updated Council) and 3 (Additional Wolf) because fewer wolves would be present. 



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