WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

WOLF MANAGEMENT - 2002

BE IT RESOLVED: Montana Cattlemen’s Association requests the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks approve the following:

·         That federal monies continue to fund the management of the wolf reintroduction project

·         That wolves be treated as trophy animals on public lands

·         That wolves be treated as a predator on private lands

·         That wolves threatening livestock can be eliminated at the owner’s discretion.

GRAY WOLF - 2005

WHEREAS: the health, wealth, welfare, and safety of cattle producers in the state of Montana is the responsibility and purpose of the Montana Cattlemen's Association; and

WHEREAS: the 2003 Montana Legislature enacted Section 87-1-217MCA(Montana Code Annotated), requiring the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to manage large predators, including gray wolves, with the primary goals being to preserve citizens’ opportunities to hunt large game species, to protect humans, livestock, and pets, and to preserve and enhance the safety of the public during outdoor recreational and livelihood activities; and

WHEREAS: the 2005 Montana Legislature enacted SB 461 which requires collaring of at least one wolf in each pack; and

WHEREAS: the 2005 Montana Legislature enacted HJ 29 which urges the Montana Congressional Delegation to seek restitution for Montana citizens who have been damaged by the introduction of gray wolves into Montana; and

WHEREAS: the Montana Gray Wolf Conservation and Management Plan calls for developing a compensation program.  A working group of Montana citizens and agencies developed the Montana Livestock Loss Reduction and Mitigation Program which has developed a reimbursement program for losses caused by gray wolves.  The program does not as yet have a board or source funding; and

WHEREAS: recent adoption of the final 10(j) Rule under the Endangered Species Act allows additional steps to protect livestock and dogs from attacks by gray wolves; and

WHEREAS: the United States government has delegated the responsibility for the management of gray wolves to the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; and the Montana Department of Livestock is authorized to supervise the destruction of predatory animals; and

WHEREAS: the gray wolf population has reached the level necessary for gray wolf recovery and delisting; and

WHEREAS: neither the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks nor the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is adequately notifying all counties and livestock producers of the location of gray wolves;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: the Montana Cattlemen's Association hereby requests the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service immediately initiate a process to notify all counties and livestock producers of the location and movement of gray wolves and provide a 24-hour contact phone number.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: the Montana Cattlemen's Association requests the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks aggressively follow the direction of SB 461, an act which requires the attachment of a radio-tracking collar to at least one gray wolf in each pack.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: the Montana Cattlemen's Association do herby acknowledge gray wolves are a predator species in need of management in Montana.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: the Montana Cattlemen's Association requests that Congress and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to expedite the process to de-list, relegate management authority, and provide full funding to Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks and Montana Department of Livestock.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: the Montana Cattlemen's Association requests the Governor of Montana to appoint a Board of Livestock Loss Reduction and Gray Wolf Damage Mitigation to implement the program and be funded with Federal monies.

SAGE GROUSE - 2005

WHEREAS: Sage Grouse have been petitioned for listing under the Endangered Species Act; and

WHEREAS: All other states with Sage Grouse have appropriately and prudently acted in reducing the threat to the bird; and

WHEREAS: There exists genuine concern by Montana ranchers regarding the future of the Sage Grouse; and

WHEREAS: Ranchers have the opportunity and the desire to protect and conserve the Sage Grouse.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: Montana Cattlemen's Association urges Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks shorten the Sage Grouse season to two weeks and a daily bag limit of one bird and with a possession limit of two birds. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:  Montana Cattlemen's Association requests Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to address the incompatibility of hunting a species that is petitioned to be listed as an endangered species.

BISON - 2005

WHEREAS: The bison in Yellowstone National Park are largely infected with brucellosis; and

WHEREAS: The state of Montana has worked extensively to first eradicate brucellosis from our state’s cattle herd, and second, to keep our herds from being re-infected; and

WHEREAS: Due to the overpopulation of bison in Yellowstone National Park the bison are being pressured to range on private and federal land in Montana; and

WHEREAS: The National Park Service and National Fish and Wildlife Service will not control the spread of brucellosis in Yellowstone National Park’s bison; and

WHEREAS: The National Park Service and National Fish and Wildlife Service will not control the bison population growth in Yellowstone National Park.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: Montana Cattlemen's Association supports the establishment of a fair chase bison hunt in Montana; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: Montana Cattlemen's Association supports hunting bison on lands adjacent to Yellowstone National Park to reduce  the bison population; in order to maintain herds in Yellowstone National Park boundaries within its carrying capacity, as reviewed by accredited range specialists; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The Montana Cattlemen's Association advises the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, along with the National Park Service and National Fish and Wildlife Service to diligently work to keep infected bison out of Montana and to eradicate brucellosis from Yellowstone National Park’s bison herd.

ELK – 2005

WHEREAS: Elk are free ranging creatures that do not respect property lines.  And they are the property of the state of Montana, and its citizens, under the management of the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks; and

WHEREAS: The land owner and Federal allotment owner are adversely affected by the increasing numbers of Elk, without compensation to the landowner; and

WHEREAS: Increased pressure is put on the range by the current Elk population forcing undue pressure on the existing demand to private cattle operations; and

WHEREAS: Proper range management benefits both the ranch and the wildlife.  Appropriate action is needed to manage the range to its proper grazing capacity, ensuring that existing grazing rights are maintained.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: Montana Cattlemen's Association encourages the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to issue a sufficient amount of hunting permits to reduce the Elk numbers.

WINTER FEEDING OF ELK AND BRUCELLOSIS - 2005

WHEREAS: Our natural landscape in the Greater Yellowstone region is treasured by our residents and by many people around the world; and

WHEREAS: Healthy livestock and healthy vibrant wildlife is an essential part of our regional economy and our quality of life; and

WHEREAS: The control of disease in wildlife and livestock is beneficial to all; and

WHEREAS: The practice of winter feeding of wild elk by Wyoming, Idaho, and the Federal Government has been scientifically proven several times to increase the risk of serious disease, specifically Brucellosis; and

WHEREAS: There has been a recent alarming rise in Brucellosis seropositives of the Madison River elk herd in Montana probably caused by migrating elk from these winter feed grounds; and

WHEREAS: Any hope of eliminating brucellosis in the wild bison of Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks is dependent on eliminating Brucellosis in winter-fed elk; and

WHEREAS: Wyoming has now lost its Brucellosis free status while Idaho is under threat of losing it’s free status as a direct result of exposure of cattle to brucellosis infected feedground elk.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: Montana Cattlemen’s Association favors a commitment by the above three government entities to eventually phase out winter feeding of elk.

WILDLIFE RESOLUTION - 2005

WHEREAS: The state of Montana claims ownership of wildlife; and

WHEREAS: The recent exponential increase in ungulate wildlife is imposing significant hardship on domestic livestock producers who make their livings by harvesting the forage their land produces; and

WHEREAS: The United States Constitution requires that the government cannot take private property without just compensation.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That MCA request the governor to recommend legislation that will enable the State to compensate landowners who make their living by harvesting the forage their land produces.

GREATER YELLOWSTONE BISON RESOLUTION--2006

WHEREAS: Wild bison and elk in the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA) are known to be infected with Brucella abortus and,

WHEREAS: Transmission of brucellosis from infected bison and elk to cattle has been well documented, and,    

WHEREAS: When infected elk or bison are in close contact with cattle or share common landscapes, the potential for transmission exists.

BE IT RESOLVED: Until such time as Brucella abortus has been eliminated from the Bison and Elk populations from the GYA, the Montana Cattlemen’s Association strongly supports all efforts to reduce the commingling of wild elk or bison with cattle in the GYA whenever possible through temporal and spatial separation.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: When commingling can not be avoided, the Montana Cattlemen’s Association strongly supports quarantine of the exposed cattle herd until herd testing and epidemiological investigation indicated the herd presents on evidence of brucellosis infection.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: If these recommendations are not implemented, the western states may consider additional requirements and sanctions upon the GYA states (Idaho, Montana and Wyoming).