DRAIT KIS APPKNDIX I 



environmental factors. MFWP would consider reducing wolf pack size. Wolf management actions would be paired 

 with other corrective management actions to reduce ungulate mortality or enhance recruitment. Concurrent 

 management efforts for wolves and ungulates would continue until the prey population rebounded, recognizing that 

 by the time prey populations begin to respond they may be influenced by a new set of environmental factors. 



MFWP regularly surveys ungulate populations across a spectrum of their habitats. Information gathered from live 

 populations is also supplemented by harvest information gathered at hunter check stations or through the telephone 

 harvest survey. Ungulate monitoring efforts will be enhanced where wolf packs are established. 



MFWP will share responsibility with Montana Department of Livcstock(MDOL) in managing wolf-livestock 

 conflicts because Montana statutes assign responsibility to both agencies to manage wildlife causing damage to 

 livestock. Wolves can create problems for some livestock producers. Financial losses may result directly from wolf 

 depredation. Indirect costs may accumulate because of increased management activities, changes in husbandry 

 practices, or uncompensated losses. These financial hardships accrue to individual farmers and ranchers and may be 

 significant to them. Addressing wolf-livestock conflicts will entail two separate, but parallel elements. One element 

 is the wolf management activities carried out by Wildlife Services (WS) and MFWP to minimize the potential for 

 wolf-livestock conflicts and to resolve the conflicts where and when they develop. Examples are providing 

 technical assistance, investigating complaints, and taking actions that reduce the probability that the offending wolf 

 or wolves will be involved in another depredation incident. The management programs will be funded, 

 administered, and implemented by the cooperating agencies. The second element addresses the economic losses 

 through a compensation program when livestock are killed or injured by wolves. 



The two elements, management and compensation, are funded, administered, and implemented separately and 

 independently of one another — but parallel one another, united in the goal of maintaining a viable wolf population 

 and addressing wolf-livestock conflicts. MFWP and MDOL will work together, along with WS, to address and 

 resolve wolf-livestock conflicts through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). MFWP, in cooperation with 

 MDOL, will contract WS to respond to landowner or livestock producer wolf depredation complaints, to conduct 

 field investigations, and to carry out management actions. MFWP has the ultimate responsibihty for determining 

 the disposition of wolves. 



Livestock producers should report any suspected wolf depredations (injuries or death) or the disruption of livestock 

 or guarding animals to WS directly. If the investigating WS agent confirms that a wolf or wolves were responsible, 

 subsequent management actions will be guided by the specific recommendations of the investigator, the provisions 

 of this plan and by the multi-agency MOU. WS will be directed to take an incremental approach to address wolf 

 depredations, guided by wolf numbers, depredation history, and the location of the incident. When wolf numbers 

 are low and incidents take place on remote public lands, WS would use more conservative management tools. WS 

 could apply progressively more liberal methods as wolf numbers increase and for incidents on private lands. 

 Conflict history of the pack, attributes of the pack (e.g. size or reproductive status), or the physical setting will all be 

 considered before a management response is selected. Management actions will be directed at individual problem 

 wolves. Non-selective methods such as poison would not be used. 



MFWP may also approve lethal removal of the offending animal by livestock owners or their agents. A special kill 

 permit (issued by MFWP) is required for lethal control of any legally classified wildlife in Montana, outside the 

 defense of life/property provision or MFWP Commission approved regulations. MFWP will not issue special kill 

 f)ermits to livestock producers to remove wolves on public lands when wolf numbers are low. If the number of wolf 

 packs was at 15 or greater, MFWP may issue a special kill permit to livestock producers that would be valid for 

 public and private lands. MFWP will be more liberal in the number of special kill permits granted as wolf numbers 

 increase and for depredations in mixed land ownership patterns. 



In a proactive manner, WS and MFWP will also work cooperatively with livestock producers and non-governmental 

 organizations to help minimize the potential of wolf-livestock conflicts developing in the first place. Beyond 

 technical assistance fro WS or MFWP and other collaborative efforts, livestock producers (or their agents) may non- 

 lelhally harass wolves when they are close to livestock on public or private lands. Private citizens may also non- 

 lethally harass wolves that come close to homes, domestic pets, or people. Upon delisting, private citizens could kill 

 a wolf if it is threatening human life or domestic dogs. Livestock producers or their agents could also kill a wolf if it 



111 



