Trap Free Montana

06/03/2026

Though it may not appear obvious, besides the fact this will be damaging to wildlife, a clear thread connects this horrible move to more trapping on our public lands.

Friday night, the President signed an executive order that could fundamentally change public lands as we know them.

Decades of underlying policy allowing agencies to govern motorized vehicle use on federal land? Gone. Agencies have been directed to rescind or rewrite policy that has regulated ORV use on public lands for the past 50 years.

We, the BHA community, already know the implications: Unchecked motorized travel on public lands can harm access for everyone in the long run. It changes wildlife behavior, fragments habitat & trades the quiet for the noise.

Access matters & we fight for it every day. But access & motorization are NOT the same thing.
Not every acre of public land should be managed for maximum motorized access. The ability to reach public lands should not come at the expense of the wild qualities that make those places worth visiting in the first place.

We're dissecting every detail of this order and continuing to advocate for the backcountry in the halls of Congress. More to come.

06/02/2026

Montanans, have you voted?
It matters!
VOTE FOR WILDLIFE and OUR PUBLIC LANDS!
There is still time. Polls and voting centers close at 8pm.
Here's more: https://bit.ly/4u9F76o
Apologies for the late reminder and Trap Free Montana's intermittent posts. We've been busier than a one-eyed cat watching two mouse holes

Nearly 200,000 Montanans have already cast their ballot, but voters can still head to the polls on Tuesday or drop off completed ballots.

05/29/2026

Same story, different state, opposing trapping dominates, but the minuscule number of trappers, reign. This time, it's Indiana Hoosiers trying to protect bobcats, again, from an initial kill quota of 250 in 2025 to now, 400.

After nearly wiping them out decades ago, last year was the first year to allow trapping and trophy hunting of bobcats. "During the 2025 season, recreational trappers — who make up only about 0.06% of Hoosiers — proudly posed on social media over dead or trapped and terrified bobcats." 253 bobcats were reported killed.

"The agency’s (DNR) predictive model shows that with an annual quota of 400 bobcats killed, their population could decline 100% in just 10 years."

"Hoosiers don’t support this kind of bloodbath. Science doesn’t support it, either. So why would the agency betray the public trust in this way, and risk wiping out a treasured native species, after decades of work invested in their recovery?"

"This proposal is not about science or conservation. It’s about politics." Now when have you heard that before?

Wherever you live, be sure you know what is going on in your state and get involved to protect wildlife and end trapping!

Read more: https://bit.ly/49uIeP4

05/27/2026

Instead of kill, kill, repeat, non-lethal methods continue to show their effectiveness and create a win:win for wildlife and livestock producers.

"So the change over the past few years has been staggering, and illustrates how non-lethal approaches in the Great Lakes area can end long-standing conflicts, and in turn, benefit ranchers, their livestock, and wolves."

Those in Montana seriously committed to utilizing non-lethal methods to mitigate conflicts with wildlife, reach out to Trap Free Montana.
Email: [email protected]

05/25/2026

Say their name. As the flags are placed, their name is said. Remember them.

"In honoring those who have fallen, we are also called to live with intention - to build a world rooted in dignity, compassion, and unity. Because remembrance is not passive. It is something we carry forward." ~ Maya Angelo

05/21/2026

Great Bear Campout 2026. Great group of advocates for protecting grizzlies where we learn, share, and support the ongoing work and one another for the great bear.
Next year, we need to take the photo at the start rather than the end to catch all the participants.

Thank you, Brett, Adam, and Chris for organizing another great and informative gathering!

05/19/2026

Montana trapping pet victim, number 5, for 2026, who we know about and who Trap Free Montana helped pay her Veterinary bills.

“Pepper” was caught in a leghold trap set either for wolves or bobcats on public land in Mineral county at the end of this year’s wolf and bobcat trapping season.

The trapper released her from the trap, but left her to fend on her own and find her way home. All legal. His only requirement was to report her to FWP within 24-hours, which apparently he did and can go on his merry way.

Trappers in Montana hold no responsibility in assisting the dog to a shelter, contacting animal control, the owner, or helping with medical care.

Thankfully, Pepper was saved by the nonprofit, Rescuing Cujo, in Superior, Montana. Trap Free Montana has coordinated with them for other trapping victims’ medical expenses.

Pepper was in really rough shape. She also lost a toe from the trap which had become infected, but unlike some others, thankfully kept her leg.

Pepper is ~ 3-years old, now in great shape, and is available for adoption. She is thought to be a Heeler mix, has been spayed, and is current on vaccinations.

For more information on adopting Pepper contact:
Www.rescuingcujo.com

Be advised:
Trap Free Montana helps pay the medical and rehab bills for the trapped. 406-218-1170.
Injuries are not always evident to the naked eye.
Trapping is legal year-round in Montana and no signage or warnings are required.

Please notify us of any trappings in Montana and for the records, always report your trapped pet to FWP.

A big thank you to our Trap Free Montana donors for making our medical assistance project possible.

05/15/2026

May 15, 2026 is Endangered Species Day.
For good reason, beaver have earned the distinction, central to all life. Beavers are integrally woven into our water resources, pollution, soil composition and retention, water temperature, wildlife habitat, fisheries, big game browse, ranching, farming, tourism, firefighting and climate change.

Yet In Montana, for a $28 resident license, a trapper can trap and kill as many beaver as they want, almost year-round and not even report it! From just ~ 1/3 of trappers, who return the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks voluntary trapper survey, almost 6,000 beaver are reported trapped annually in Montana

It is long overdue for beaver to be recognized and valued for the crucial role they play in maintaining healthy ecosystems, rather than being needlessly and cruelly eliminated to satisfy the preferences of 1/3 of 1% of Montana's population who trap. Nonlethal methods are shown effective at mitigating real and perceived conflicts. By supporting and protecting these remarkable animals, we help threatened and endangered species, preserve biodiversity, and facilitate the health of our environment.

Email Montana Fish & Wildlife Commissioners to protect beaver:
[email protected] or give them a call: https://fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/commission/members

As attempts continue to weaken or dismantle the ESA, contact your Representatives and insist the Endangered Species Act remains protected for present and future wild life species.
Here's where to find yours and their contact info: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members

Learn more about beaver: https://trapfreemt.org/beavers/