UKAFJ KISAPPKNIHX I 



decreasingly safe distances. If ihis pattern is allowed to continue through time, the wolf may become a safety 

 concern. This will become especially evident if the animal docs not respond to hazing or harassment. 



Management 



MFWP intends to reduce the potential for wolf-human conflicts and minimize the risks of human injury due to wolf 

 presence in the state. MFWP's approach to wolf-human interactions will model the policies for addressing 

 mountain lion-human or bear-human conflicts. First and foremost is to discourage habituation and then respond to 

 conflicts where and when they develop. MFWP, through its educational efforts and enforcement of existing statutes, 

 discourages the public from artificially feeding wildlife or allowing wild animals access to human foods, garbage, 

 pet food, livestock feed, or birdseed. Any artificial concentration of wild animals caused by supplemental feeding 

 (e.g. deer or turkeys) may constitute a threat to public safety if carnivores are attracted to the supplemental food 

 itself or the animals using the supplemental food. In addition, MFWP reminds people to keep a safe distance and 

 that wild animals should be kept wild. While MFWP emphasizes the educational approach in working with the 

 public to prevent wildlife habituation and maintain human safety, Montana statutes prohibit citizens from 

 "purposely" providing supplemental feed in a manner that results in an artificial concentration of game animals that 

 may potentially contribute to the transmission of disease or that constitutes a threat to public safety (MCA 87-3- 

 130). 



MFWP developed specific guidelines for addressing situations in which mountain lions or black or grizzly bears are 

 a nuisance or threaten public safety. Management actions are carried out by various MFWP personnel, including 

 biologists, game wardens, and conflict management specialists. Similar guidelines will be developed for wolves. If 

 a wolf loiters near ranch buildings or rural residences, the potential threat to human safety will be evaluated, taking 

 into account the setting, behavior of the animal, and the sequence of events. MFWP will require some degree of 

 flexibility to be most responsive to public safety concerns. A wolf will be permitted to move through these areas, 

 but length of stay and behavior will be important criteria for determining the appropriate management response. 

 Less deference will be granted to a single loitering wolf found to have ongoing exposure to and association near 

 people. Across the spectrum of wolf distribution and numbers, MFWP will take an incremental approach so that the 

 management response matches the infraction. Potential actions include: increase local public outreach and 

 education, closely monitoring the situation, marking the animal with a radio collar to track its movements, aversive 

 or disruptive conditioning, harassment, relocation, or lethal removal. If relocation is selected, remote public lands 

 would be preferred release sites. MFWP will also cooperate with other agencies and landowners in researching new 

 techniques to resolve wolf-human conflicts. Suspicious, large-sized canids in these situations could be released 

 captive wolves or wolf-dog hybrids. Large canids that appear woff-Uke and demonstrate habituated behavior 

 potentially threatening human safety will be lethally removed. 



Montana citizens have the right to protect or defend themselves if threatened by wildlife. Mountain lions, black 

 bears, and grizzly bears have all been legally killed for this reason. In the unlikely need for defense of human life 

 during a wolf encounter, citizens may use any means, including lethal force, to address an imminent threat, 

 regardless of wolf population status or whether the incident takes place on public or private land. Guarding and 

 domestic dogs can also be defended using lethal means. Any wolves killed under these circumstances must be 

 reported to MFWP as soon as possible, but within 72 hours. Citizens must also turn in the entire carcass. In the 

 absence of a direct threat to life or property, citizens are encouraged to rely on non-lethal harassment to discourage 

 wolf presence near their homes or person when recreating outdoors. 



As wolf numbers and distribution increase in Montana, the public's concern about human safety could increase. 

 Humans and wolves may encounter one another at close range in a variety of settings. MFWP will provide 

 information to the general public about appropriate responses during wolf encounters (do's and don'ts) and how to 

 minimize the potential for problems near homes and rural schools. This material will also include infomiation about 

 wolf behavior, body posture, tail position, vocalizations, etc. to help the public evaluate the situation, correctly 

 interpret wolf behavior, and communicate the details accurately to agency personnel. An educational effort will also 

 help the public understand the differences between wolves, mountain lions, and bears in terms of animal behaviors, 

 appropriate human responses when threatened, and how to live and recreate outdoors in the presence of these large 

 carnivores. See Appendix 8. Draft Public Information Plan for additional information on the public outreach efforts. 



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