Bounty on predators proposed

 

By Michael Howell

A loosely organized group of livestock owners is currently gathering signatures on a petition that would place a bounty on predators in Ravalli County. The petition is based upon a 1921 law allowing livestock owners to petition the county commissioners to impose a fee on all livestock in the county for the purpose of paying a bounty on predatory animals killed in the county.

There is no question that the petition effort is primarily fueled in response to the growing wolf population in the area. But a “predatory animal” is defined in this section of the statute as including “coyote, red fox, and any other individual animal causing depredations upon livestock.” This would apply, it seems, to wolves, mountain lions and bears as well.

But Darby outfitter Scott Boulanger, who is spearheading the petition effort, is the first to admit that the law can be very confusing. He notes that a1981 law in relation to predation of livestock, the animals are referred to as “predators,” but a 1987 law relating to FWP management practices refers to them as “big game.”

“Is the older more relevant, or does the newer law apply? Until we get that figured out there is going to be some confusion,” said Boulanger.

According to Deputy County Attorney Howard Recht, the law raises a lot of questions that will have to be answered. Even the definition of livestock raises questions. According to statute, “Livestock means cattle, buffalo, sheep, swine, goats, rabbits, horses, mules or other equines, and alternative livestock…” The law states that the commissioners “shall impose the fee on all livestock in the county.” Would that include rabbits?

The law requires the signatures on the petition, to be effective, to include the owners of “not less than 51% of the livestock in the county.” But it does not say how those numbers would be determined. Would simply using the tax rolls be sufficient?

The law sets an upper limit on the bounty that may be awarded for some of the predators. The bounty for wolves and mountain lions cannot exceed $100. The bounty for wolf pups and lion kittens cannot exceed $20. The bounty for a coyote cannot exceed $5. For coyote pups it cannot exceed $2.50. No mention is made, however, of a limit on the bounty for bears or foxes.

Despite all the unanswered questions, according to Boulanger, petition advocates are plunging ahead with the signature gathering effort. The law requires the petition to be submitted to the commissioners by August 1.

“We have an approved petition. Whether it goes anywhere in the end, we can’t say,” said Boulanger. “We’re hoping to use it as a tool to bring FWP and the County Commissioners to the table and realize that we have a problem that needs to be addressed. The mismanagement of the wolf population in the Bitterroot by FWP has awakened a sleeping giant.”

Both Deputy County Attorney Recht and FWP spokesperson Mark Asheim say that any implementation of a bounty on predators in the county could only apply to legally taken animals, that is, the killing of any predator would have to conform to current state game regulations.

Marc Cooke, Co-President of the National Wolfwatcher Coalition, believes that the whole petition effort is being driven by “wolf hysteria.” He notes that the latest records show that only three cattle, one horse and one sheep have been killed by wolves in the valley in the last year.

“Now they want to tax anyone who owns livestock to pay for a bounty when the livestock owners are already being compensated for their losses?” said Cooke. “It doesn’t make sense. It’s very unfortunate.”

Cooke said the effort is really being driven by special interests, but it is all livestock owners who will pay.

“It’s just another unnecessary tax,” he said.