This is in response to Keith Kubista’s LTE on Sept 6, 2016. I realize the intent but his anti I-177 rant belongs in the entertainment section under ‘Fiction’.
First, Kubista claims that I-177 is supported by groups “whose real agenda is to ban hunting, trapping and animal use altogether.” Huh? The authors of this initiative have no intention to threaten Montana’s hunting/fishing culture. Many supporters of I-177 are hunters/fishermen but believe in well regulated, fair chase harvesting. What is “animal use altogether”? This is a scare tactic used by trappers to insinuate that the framers of this initiative will go after domesticated livestock next. Really?
Second, Kubista states “I-177 prohibits the only method of harvest that reduced the abundance of wolves across Montana.” Well, in 2014-15, hunters harvested 130 wolves while trappers harvested 77. Now, unless Kubista knows something about unreported trapped wolves, this proves false.
Third, Kubista says “FWP has concluded they will need to hire many more people and incur significant expenses at an additional cost of at least $422,000 every year due to I-177.” False! That claim is based on unsupported assumptions and duplicated costs. One assumption is based on the theory that public lands trappers will stop trapping rather than move to private lands. Data from the 2014-15 wolf harvest report contradicts this. 36% of wolf trapping occurred on federal lands while 44% was on private lands. Again, Kubista, your math doesn’t compute.
I-177 is only intended to ban commercial and recreational trapping on Montana public lands (one third of the state). Trapping on private lands (two thirds of the state) will not be affected. Please, don’t be influenced by the falsehoods and propaganda spewed forth by Kubista and the MTA. Vote yes on I-177.
Bill Stroud
Victor