A slew of wildlife bills making their way through the Montana Legislature are sparking pushback from environmentalists, former public officials, tribes and sportsmen who are concerned the legislation could decimate some species' populations and complicate the restoration of others. Opponents say the bills mark a paradigm shift in the science-based approach to wildlife management that Montana is known for. "The scale of attacks is really unprecedented," said Bonnie Rice, senior representative of the Sierra Club's Greater Yellowstone/Northern Rockies campaign. H.B. 224, passed Friday by the Legislature, will allow wolf snares for the first time in Montana. H.B. 468, which is scheduled for a Senate committee hearing today, would allow hound hunting of black bears-a practice that hasn't existed in the state for a century.
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