Wolf management-2.

WORKING DRAFT
2009
STATE OF
WYOMING
09LSO-0256

HOUSE BILL
NO.
HB0143

Wolf management-2.

Sponsored by:
Representative(s) Davison, Jaggi, McKim and Thompson and Senator(s) Bebout, Cooper and Esquibel, F.

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to
game and fish; expanding area where wolves are designated as trophy game animals; providing for management of
at least
fifteen breeding pairs of wolves in the state
as specified
; providing for a memorandum of understanding with the national park service;
and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of
Wyoming
:

Section 1.
W.S. 11
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6
‑
302(a)(x)(B)(I), 23
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1
‑
101(a)(xii)(B)(I), 23
‑
1
‑
302(a)
(xxviii)
by creating a new paragraph (xxx)
and
23
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1
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304(a) and (n) are amended to read:

11
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6
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302.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in this article:

(x)

"Trophy game animal" means:

(B)

From and after the date gray wolves are removed from the list of experimental nonessential population, endangered species or threatened species in Wyoming as provided by W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
108:

(I)

"Trophy game animal" shall include any gray wolf within those tracts of land within the following described area, subject to modification as authorized in this subdivision:
northwest Wyoming beginning at the
east boundary of the Shoshone National Forest and the Wyoming-Montana state line; southerly along said forest boundary to the common boundary between the Shoshone National Forest and the Wind River Indian Reservation; westerly and then southeasterly along the Shoshone National Forest boundary to the Union Pass Road (USFS Road 263); southerly along said road until it intersects the north boundary of the Upper Green River Cattle Association's grazing allotment on forest service lands; following the eastern boundary of said allotment southerly and westerly to the point it intersects the Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary; westerly along said forest boundary to U.S. Highway 189-191; northwesterly along said highway to U.S. Highway 26-89-191 at Hoback Junction; northerly along said highway to Wyoming Highway 22; westerly along said highway to the Wyoming-Idaho state line; north along said state line to the Wyoming-Montana state line; north and then east along said state line to the east boundary of the Shoshone National Forest

junction of Wyoming Highway 120 and the Wyoming-Montana state line; southerly along Wyoming Highway 120 to the Greybull River; southwesterly up said river to the Wood River; southwesterly up said river to the Shoshone National Forest boundary; southerly along said boundary to the Wind River Indian Reservation boundary; westerly, then southerly along said boundary to the Continental Divide; southeasterly along said divide to the Middle Fork of Boulder Creek; westerly down said creek to Boulder Creek; westerly down said creek to the Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary; northwesterly along said boundary to its intersection with U.S. Highway 189-191; northwesterly along said highway to the intersection with U.S. Highway 26
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89
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191; northerly along said highway to Wyoming Highway 22 in the town of Jackson; westerly along said highway to the Wyoming-Idaho state line; north along said state line to the Wyoming-Montana state line; north, then east along said state line to Wyoming Highway 120
. This described area may be diminished by rule of the game and fish commission if the game and fish commission determines the diminution does not impede the delisting of gray wolves and will facilitate Wyoming's management of wolves; and

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101.

Definitions of wildlife.

(a)

As used in this act:

(xii)

"Trophy game animal" means:

(B)

From and after the date gray wolves are removed from the list of experimental nonessential population, endangered species or threatened species in Wyoming as provided by W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
108:

(I)

"Trophy game animal" shall include any gray wolf within those tracts of land within the following described area, subject to modification as authorized in this subdivision: northwest Wyoming beginning at the
east boundary of the Shoshone National Forest and the Wyoming-Montana state line; southerly along said forest boundary to the common boundary between the Shoshone National Forest and the Wind River Indian Reservation; westerly and then southeasterly along the Shoshone National Forest boundary to the Union Pass Road (USFS Road 263); southerly along said road until it intersects the north boundary of the Upper Green River Cattle Association's grazing allotment on forest service lands; following the eastern boundary of said allotment southerly and westerly to the point it intersects the Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary; westerly along said forest boundary to U.S. Highway 189-191; northwesterly along said highway to U.S. Highway 26-89-191 at Hoback Junction; northerly along said highway to Wyoming Highway 22; westerly along said highway to the Wyoming-Idaho state line; north along said state line to the Wyoming-Montana state line; north and then east along said state line to the east boundary of the Shoshone National Forest

junction of Wyoming Highway 120 and the Wyoming-Montana state line; southerly along Wyoming Highway 120 to the Greybull River; southwesterly up said river to the Wood River; southwesterly up said river to the Shoshone National Forest boundary; southerly along said boundary to the Wind River Indian Reservation boundary; westerly, then southerly along said boundary to the Continental Divide; southeasterly along said divide to the Middle Fork of Boulder Creek; westerly down said creek to Boulder Creek; westerly down said creek to the Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary; northwesterly along said boundary to its intersection with U.S. Highway 189-191; northwesterly along said highway to the intersection with U.S. Highway 26
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89
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191; northerly along said highway to Wyoming Highway 22 in the town of Jackson; westerly along said highway to the Wyoming-Idaho state line; north along said state line to the Wyoming-Montana state line; north, then east along said state line to Wyoming Highway 120
. This described area may be diminished by rule of the commission if the commission determines the diminution does not impede the delisting of gray wolves and will facilitate Wyoming's management of wolves; and

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302.

Powers and duties.

(a)

The commission is directed and empowered:

(xxviii)

To reject or to accept and expend for purposes authorized under this section any and all gifts of cash, stocks, bonds or any other form of monies. Gifts shall be deposited and expended as provided in W.S. 23
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1
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501;
and

(xxx)

To
pursue entering
into memoranda of agreement with the states of Idaho and Montana to cooperate in the capture, transport, exchange and release of gray wolves into and out of those areas of the state where the gray wolf is not listed as a predator as the commission deems necessary to assure genetic interchange among the populations of gray wolves within the three
(3)
states.

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304.

Classification of gray wolves.

(a)

The commission shall
by rule and regulation establish areas within the state where gray wolves are classified as trophy game animals and set seasons and bag limits within those areas. The areas designated, seasons and bag limits shall be set annually in a manner the commission determines, through rule and regulation,
only as necessary
to reasonably ensure
:

(i)

A
t least seven (7) breeding pairs of gray wolves are located in this state and primarily outside of
Yellowstone

National Park
,
Grand Teton

National Park
and
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway
at the end of the current calendar year
;
.

and

(ii)

If the national park service has entered into a memorandum of understanding
with the commission
regarding the management of gray wolves within Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, at least fifteen (15) breeding pairs
of gray wolves are located within the state
.

(n)

The commission shall promulgate rules and regulations providing for issuance of annual permits to landowners or livestock owners for removing wolves which are harassing, injuring, maiming or killing livestock or other domesticated animals and for wolves occupying geographic areas where chronic wolf predation occurs. The permits shall be issued as long as
there are seven (7) breeding pairs within the state and outside of
Yellowstone

National Park
,
Grand Teton

National Park
and
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway

the management objectives described in subsection (a) of this section are met
. The rules shall provide for suspending or cancelling permits if further lethal control could cause relisting of wolves under the endangered species act.

Section 2.

W.S. 11
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6
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302(b),
23
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1
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101(b)
and 2007 Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 168, Section 1
are repealed.

Section 3.

The legislature declares that the contingencies provided in 2007 Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 168 and W.S. 23
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1
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109 have occurred and that legislation is effective as amended by this act.

Section
4
.

This act is effective immediately upon co
m
pletion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constit
u
tion.

(END)

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HB0143