Montana Title 81. Livestock § 81-7-102. Department to supervise destruction of predatory animals--cooperation with other agencies--administration of money

(1) The department shall conduct the destruction and control of predatory animals capable of killing, destroying, maiming, or injuring domestic livestock or domestic poultry and the protection and safeguarding of livestock and poultry in this state against depredations from these animals. The department shall formulate the practical programs for accomplishing these objectives in this state and for carrying out the programs in an efficient and practical manner responsive to the need for control in each area of this state.

(2) The department shall adopt rules applicable to predatory animal control that are necessary and proper for the systematic destruction of the predatory animals by hunting, trapping, and poisoning operations and payments of bounties. The department shall make field, area, range, or other orders and instructions, including orders and instructions to hunter and trapper personnel and others, that are appropriate in the various areas at different seasons of the year, taking into consideration the habits, presence, migrations, or movements of the animals and their attacks on livestock and poultry, either singly or in packs or bands.

(3) The department shall cooperate with authorized representatives of the federal government, including the biological survey and the fish and wildlife service, the department of fish, wildlife, and parks, boards of county commissioners, voluntary associations of stockgrowers, sheepgrowers, ranchers, farmers, hunters, and anglers, and corporations and individuals, in the systematic destruction of predatory animals by hunting, trapping, and poisoning operations.

(4) Section 81-7-103 and this section do not interfere with or impair the power and duties of the department of fish, wildlife, and parks in the control of predatory animals by the department of fish, wildlife, and parks as authorized by law or the obligation of the department of fish, wildlife, and parks to expend its funds in cooperation with the department for predatory animal control as required by law. Funds of the department of fish, wildlife, and parks for the cooperative predatory animal control must be administered and expended by the department of fish, wildlife, and parks.