Hearings to be held on wolf stamp proposal

Montana wildlife officials will hold public hearings Thursday on a proposal to create a wolf conservation stamp that would allow nonhunters to contribute $20 apiece to help in the management of the predators.

Fish, Wildlife and Parks scheduled the eight hearings after receiving more than 14,500 comments on the proposal. They will be held Thursday in Kalispell, Helena, Missoula, Bozeman, Great Falls, Billings, Glagow, Billings and Miles City.

The Kalispell hearing will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Fish, Wildlife and Parks regional office at 490 N. Meridian Road.

Money received from the $20 stamps would first go to the administration of the program, then to livestock loss reduction program grants, wolf monitoring, habitat protection, research, public education and to hire wardens.

Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials say the stamps would be considered donations that give others besides hunters and anglers a way to contribute to wildlife management.

Fish, Wildlife and Parks Director Jeff Hagener will make the final decision on the proposal.