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Research 



Wildlife research in Montana is conducted by MFWP and through its cooperative partnerships with universities, 

 non-profit organizations, tribes, and federal agencies. Permits to conduct research, particularly if live capture is 

 required, are issued by MFWP to ensure that the work is scientifically justified and conducted in an ethical, 

 responsible manner. 



Research by MFWP and its partners will be an important component of the wolf program. Previous work on wolves 

 in Minnesota, Alaska, or Wisconsin took place in settings and environments that are different from Montana. 

 Although previous research findings will be applicable to some degree, wolves in the northern Rockies likely 

 interact with their environments and their prey populations differently. This information will be important for sound 

 policy formation and decision-making. 



The Council identified a need for improved understanding of predator-prey relationships in Montana. Montana is 

 home to a full spectrum of large carnivores that prey on ungulates. These same ungulate populations are also 

 managed to sustain regulated public hunting and wildlife viewing. The dynamics of predator-prey systems are 

 highly fluid and vary by the type of carnivores and ungulates present. Other environmental factors also influence 

 the dynamics. 



MFWP has been involved in cooperative research efforts with the University of Montana, Montana State University, 

 USFWS, USPS, National Park Service, private landowners, and others. Ongoing investigations into the dynamics of 

 wolf - elk interactions in the GYA are comprehensive. The broad scale approach will allow comparison of wolf 

 predation and elk distribution for elk herds subjected to wolf predation only, elk herds subjected to human hunting 

 only, and elk herds subjected to both wolf predation and human hunting. Research into other aspects of wolf 

 ecology in YNP and central Idaho is ongoing. Investigations of the interactions between wolves, mountain lions, 

 and grizzly bears are also underway. These efforts will result in an increased ecological understanding of wolf- 

 ungulate interactions. 



MFWP is also interested in evaluating specific management actions as to their efficacy and projected outcomes. 

 This will be accomplished through a combination of the monitoring program within the adaptive management model 

 and research efforts to evaluate management strategies or specific actions across all numbers of wolf packs and 

 management settings. 



Because the attention people pay to wolves is not balanced with the relatively minor impact wolves have on the lives 

 of most people, wolf management will probably remain complicated, expensive, political, and controversial (Bangs 

 etal.1998). Nonetheless, human attitudes are an important indicator of public support for wolves. Ultimately, 

 positive human attitudes must be maintained in order to sustain a viable wolf population. Finally, human 

 dimensions research could yield information about the attitudes and opinions of Montanans about wolves. This 

 insight will help MFWP identify problems or areas of public concern so that we can target our work more 

 effectively. There may be supplemental or alternative approaches to the coexistence of wolves and humans that do 

 not require the direct manipulation or removal of wolves, as was identified for cougars (Riley and Decker 2000). 

 New research needs may develop in the future. 



Habitat Management 



General 



Ungulate distribution and human settlement patterns largely define wolf habitat. MFWP ungulate programs link 

 habitat and population management through hunting to achieve ungulate population objectives. One keystone of 

 MFWP's habitat program is Habitat Montana, which focuses on land conservation initiatives to benefit wildlife and 

 maintain other natural resource values of private lands. The Forest Legacy Program is another habitat program for 

 private forested lands. MFWP owns and manages a network of WMAs across the state to benefit wildlife (wintering 

 ungulates in particular) and public recreation. By incorporating habitat elements within its ungulate program, 

 MFWP is already taking the habitat needs of wolves into consideration. Our work, along with the amount of land 

 held in public ownership, provides long-term habitat availability for wolves. Federal land management agencies are 



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