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The 68th Montana Legislature began January 2, 2023. Montana was known for a common-sense science-based approach to wildlife conservation and management of its sweeping scenic public lands. However, extreme anti-wildlife bills passed by the 2021 Legislature and signed into law drastically changed that view. Now in 2023, we are continuing to see bills that will negatively impact our native wildlife species.
Decades of wildlife restoration and conservation successes have been rolled back and replaced with short sighted anti-wildlife laws. Wolves can now be trapped by snares, a cruel and indiscriminate trapping method, and hunted at nighttime using night vision scopes and thermal imaging. Grizzly bear recovery received numerous new policy roadblocks. And bison laws now make it far more difficult to restore the species to lands in Montana.
Defenders of Wildlife is continuing the fight for Montana’s wildlife in the 2023 legislative session. We are coordinating with other conservation organizations and working with tribal leaders behind the scenes to tackle laws that threaten our wildlife. Defenders is also testifying before the Legislature to ensure decision-makers are aware of the consequences to our wild places for current and future generations.
For some bills, we will reach out to you directly with action items, so be sure to sign up for these alerts. We need you to be ready to contact your legislators and stand up for wildlife! Without your voice, legislators may not grasp how important these issues are to Montanans.
Issues We're Tracking
Wildlife and Wild Places
