Montana residents, we need your help TODAY to pass four bills that would separately: prohibit wildlife killing contests, outlaw intentionally running over wild animals with vehicles, ban hunting and trapping of wolves near Yellowstone National Park, and call for a study on the economic benefits that wolves and grizzly bears bring to the state. These bills, which will be heard in the Senate Fish and Game Committee this week and next, are necessary to halt cruel, ecologically indefensible acts against wildlife in Montana.
The following bills were introduced by Montana State Senator Mike Phillips and will be heard in the coming weeks:
- SB 185 would ban the trophy hunting and trapping of wolves along the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park in Montana. This bill would prevent incidents like that involving Spitfire, a beloved wolf who was gunned down by a trophy hunter outside of Yellowstone in December.
- SB 186 would ban wildlife killing contests–barbaric competitions in which participants compete to kill the greatest number or the largest coyotes and other species for fun and prizes.
- SB 187 would outlaw the deliberate use of a vehicle, including snowmobiles, to injure or kill coyotes, foxes, and other wild animals.
- SJ 7 calls for a study on the economic value of wolves and grizzly bears in Montana.
Three of the bills will be heard in the Senate Fish and Game Committee within the next seven days–SB 185 will be heard today, Thursday, February 14th, and SB 186 and 187 will be heard next Tuesday, February 19th. There is no hearing yet scheduled for SJ7; we will apprise you of the details of that hearing once it is scheduled.
Please act today by writing or calling State Senators on the Committee asking them to vote YES on SB 185, SB 186, SB 187, and SJ 7. We also urge you to attend the hearings. Details and talking points below.
Contact Key Committee Members:
Please send an email to the following members of the Senate Fish and Game Committee and urge them to vote YES on SB 185, SB 186, SB 187, and SJ 7—and let them know you’re a Montana resident:
Chair Jennifer Fielder: Jennifer.Fielder@mtleg.gov
Sen. Jill Cohenour: Jill.Cohenour@mtleg.gov
Sen. Steve Hinebauch: Steve.Hinebauch@mtleg.gov
Sen. Jason Ellsworth: Jason.Ellsworth@mtleg.gov
Sen. Pat Flowers: Pat.Flowers@mtleg.gov
Sen. David Howard: David.Howard@mtleg.gov
Sen. Tom Jacobson: Tom.Jacobson@mtleg.gov
Sen. Mike Lang: Mike.Lang@mtleg.gov
Sen. Edith McClafferty: Edie.McClafferty@mtleg.gov
Sen. Cary Smith: Cary.Smith@mtleg.gov
Follow-up with a Phone Call:
Make a quick call to Committee Members to urge them to vote YES on SB 185, SB 186, SB 187, and SJ 7—and let them know you’re a Montana resident:
Chair Jennifer Fielder: [no phone number]
Sen. Jill Cohenour: (406) 227-1144
Sen. Steve Hinebauch: (406) 365-7967
Sen. Jason Ellsworth: (406) 360-0009
Sen. Pat Flowers: (406) 580-0035
Sen. David Howard: (406) 633-2762
Sen. Tom Jacobson: (406) 868-9814
Sen. Mike Lang: (406) 654-1117
Sen. Edith McClafferty: [no phone number]
Sen. Cary Smith: (406) 698-9307
Contact Your Own State Senator:
It’s also important to contact the State Senator who represents your district to urge him or her to vote YES on SB 185, SB 186, SB 187, and SJ 7. Make sure to let them know you’re his or her constituent.
We also hope you will attend the Committee Hearings!
Your presence speaks volumes—please attend to show your support for SB 185, SB 186, and SB 187. You may have the opportunity to testify—if you do, it’s important to keep your testimony brief and to be polite.
Hearing on SB 185 (hunting of wolves near Yellowstone) TODAY:
What: Hearing on SB 185 by Senate Fish and Game Committee
Where: Room 317, Montana State Capitol, Helena, MT
Date: Thursday, February 14
Time: 3:00 PM (please arrive early)
Hearing on SB 186 (killing contests) and SB 187 (vehicular injury):
What: Hearing on SB 186 and SB 187 by Senate Fish and Game Committee
Where: Room 422, Montana State Capitol, Helena, MT
Date: Tuesday, February 19
Time: 3:00 PM (please arrive early)
Thank you for acting TODAY to speak up for the voiceless animals who need your help!
For Wild Nature,
Camilla Fox
Founder & Executive Director
Additional Talking Points (please be respectful and personalize your message):
- Running over coyotes, foxes and other animals with vehicles is ethically indefensible and pointless violence.
- Wildlife killing contests are conducted for profit, entertainment, prizes, and simply for the “fun” of killing. They are a bloodsport similar to dogfighting and cockfighting. No evidence exists showing that indiscriminate killing contests serve any effective wildlife management function. Coyote populations that are not killed form stable family groups that naturally limit populations. Indiscriminate killing of coyotes disrupts this social stability, resulting in increased reproduction and pup survival. Read more here.
- Coyotes, foxes, grizzly bears and wolves play important ecological roles, helping to maintain healthy ecosystems and species diversity through a phenomenon called trophic cascade. Many plants and animals depend on these species in the food web.
- Grizzly bears, wolves, and other native carnivores are an important source of ecotourism dollars in Montana.
- Killing coyotes, foxes, grizzly bears and wolves disregards their intrinsic and ecological value, is cruel and wasteful, and damages the reputation of responsible hunters.
PLEASE SEE PROJECT COYOTE’S WILDLIFE KILLING CONTEST FACT SHEET AND WEBPAGES ON WOLVES, FOXES AND BEARS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
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