I was sent this today, and don't know what's true about it.
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte trapped and shot a collared wolf.
The article however claims he didn't have a license to trap wolves and never took the required class. But he hasn't been fined and keep the trophy.
Could it be he wasn't alone and others in the hunting group had a license to trap?
I'm not familiar with the site, but reading it's pretty leftist language, so I'm sure the information given isn't complete and is twisted.

https://m.dailykos.com/stories...olf-without-a-permit

If you are going to take the time to make a post, please do a little research before just throwing up nonsense. The "story" at the link is factually deficient. At least I learned never to read a story from that website ever again. A quick internet search found a more accurate account of the facts at Boise State Public Radio or NY Times.

Simply put, the governor, who likely should have known better, did not complete the mandatory wolf trapper education course before trapping the wolf. The course has been offered recently as a free 3.5 hour online event. He was given a warning from the Montana FWP and agreed to take the course "after the fact". It seems odd that Montana even allows one to purchase the Wolf license without first proving you completed the Wolf course.

This "story" probably would not have made the news years ago, but it now involves: a newly elected REPUBLICAN governor, trapping on land of one of his major campaign contributors, Republican-proposed MT laws to reduce the wolf populations, a collared "Yellowstone" wolf, a black (not Black) wolf (which the media seems to portray as something special), trapping, guns, killing for fur, a state that is sadly being taken over by liberals.

I suspected the website wasn't accurate, but what I made of it isn't incorrect. He didn't have a permit, he didn't take the class, he didn't get punished for it.
What does a normal man have to make of it when high up government officials don't stick to laws they're supposed to know, and then don't have to suffer any consequences? Why make such regulations? It's only a 3,5 hour free class, you can't have an excuse for not completing it.
Yes, it wouldn't have made the news years ago, but last time I checked it wasn't years ago, it was now. This just puts another stain on hunters.

this is the govenors 3rd violation of hunting laws. so quit trying to make it political.

quote:

Originally posted by bigbill0690:
this is the govenors 3rd violation of hunting laws. so quit trying to make it political.

When were the other violations? Were the charges dropped? What were the other two violations for?

FWD

quote:

Originally posted by 4WD:

quote:

Originally posted by bigbill0690:
this is the govenors 3rd violation of hunting laws. so quit trying to make it political.

When were the other violations? Were the charges dropped? What were the other two violations for?

FWD

The NYT article states that in 2000 he illegally killed an elk and was fines $70. In 2017 he was sentenced to community service and anger management for assauling a reporter, but I don't see another hunting violation.

quote:

Originally posted by BushPeter:
The NYT article states that in 2000 he illegally killed an elk and was fines $70. In 2017 he was sentenced to community service and anger management for assauling a reporter , but I don't see another hunting violation.

Starting to like him more and more.

Ja, I remember the reporter incident and have felt that way a few times too.

I stopped reading the article after I read:

“And of course, Gianforte doesn’t limit his violence to animals”

quote:

Originally posted by BushPeter:
I suspected the website wasn't accurate, but what I made of it isn't incorrect. He didn't have a permit, he didn't take the class, he didn't get punished for it.
What does a normal man have to make of it when high up government officials don't stick to laws they're supposed to know, and then don't have to suffer any consequences? Why make such regulations? It's only a 3,5 hour free class, you can't have an excuse for not completing it.
Yes, it wouldn't have made the news years ago, but last time I checked it wasn't years ago, it was now. This just puts another stain on hunters.

He did have a permit and was "punished" by written warning. If you think he got special treatment then file a complaint with Montana FWP, but from what I read this is no different than written warnings given for minor violations to thousands of hunters across this country every year. Lastly, and again, why does Montana even allow purchasing a wolf license without proving you took the course first?

From Gear Junkie

"When Gianforte called in his Feb. 15 harvest to FWP, the written warning was given in good faith that he agreed to take the 2021 wolf trapper certification course on March 24.

“All other aspects of the wolf trapping and harvest were legal,” Lemon said. “Wardens have broad discretion to issue warnings or citations. It’s very common in a situation like this, when the person is forthright with the information and cooperative and otherwise legal, to simply issue a written warning.”

Montana FWP confirmed that Gianforte is registered and attending the 2021 course. Although normally seized in illegal situations, Gianforte was allowed to keep the skull and hide from the animal.

“Ethical hunting and trapping are the cornerstones of how we manage wildlife species in Montana. The governor, once realizing his oversight, quickly moving to rectify [this situation] only reinforces that fact,” Lemon said.

“Though the governor didn’t have the wolf trapper certification class under his belt, every indication we have is the wolf was trapped and harvested ethically.”

quote:

Originally posted by BushPeter:
The NYT article states that in 2000 he illegally killed an elk and was fines $70. In 2017 he was sentenced to community service and anger management for assauling a reporter, but I don't see another hunting violation.

Leaving details out has become very popular of late. A more complete explanation found in the Gear Junkie story linked above is "In the fall of 2000, Gianforte self-reported killing a spike bull elk after mistaking tree branches for legal brow tines while in timber. He was fined $70 for killing a spike bull elk unlawfully in Park County, Mont. Montana FWP seized the elk after Gianforte’s self-report."

Hey we got governer that’s no nonsense guy
He is alright

Yes I remember when Gianforte pushed that reporter out of his face. That locked in my vote for him.
As for the wolf trapping...The story that I heard was that Greg set the trap under the supervision of an ex government trapper which would have probably thought him more than a FWP class would have. Yes, technically he didn't take the required class. I base my opinion on that I took and aced both the Montana Bear and the Colorado Mountian Lion tests, and neither test had any influence on any of my bear or lion hunts.

quote:

Originally posted by erict:

quote:

Originally posted by BushPeter:
The NYT article states that in 2000 he illegally killed an elk and was fines $70. In 2017 he was sentenced to community service and anger management for assauling a reporter, but I don't see another hunting violation.

Leaving details out has become very popular of late. A more complete explanation found in the Gear Junkie story linked above is "In the fall of 2000, Gianforte self-reported killing a spike bull elk after mistaking tree branches for legal brow tines while in timber. He was fined $70 for killing a spike bull elk unlawfully in Park County, Mont. Montana FWP seized the elk after Gianforte’s self-report."

Absolutely...it's the new way. I've said many times the worst part of the troubles we're facing is that the truth is getting harder and harder to find.

Rules should be followed, but why do folks need a 3.5 hour online “class” to go wolf trapping.

Buy the permit, read the regs book, break laws, get punished. Better buy permit, read refs book, and do not break laws. The Gov., bought permit, trapped in season, took the right animal and not over the permit permitted. In short, not National News.

Call me when he kills one out of season, by illegal means, or over bag.

No Judge wants the nonsense of he did not log on to the class on the docket. Yes, all rules should be followed, but rules should not be stupid.

quote:

Originally posted by LHeym500:
Rules should be followed, but why do folks need a 3.5 hour online “class” to go wolf trapping.

Buy the permit, read the regs book, break laws, get punished. Better buy permit, read refs book, and do not break laws. The Gov., bought permit, trapped in season, took the right animal and not over the permit permitted. In short, not National News.

Call me when he kills one out of season, by illegal means, or over bag.

No Judge wants the nonsense of he did not log on to the class on the docket. Yes, all rules should be followed, but rules should not be stupid.

Common sense right? You can't make some of this stuff up. Can you imagine getting a ticket for not having a "Hunt Safely" sticker on your shotgun during turkey season? Welcome to MA.

Thanks for the added info. If news outlets leave out info, it becomes hard to get the complete picture.
Minor mistake, resulting in a warning, blown up by leftist media. I'll be even more vigilant from now on.

quote:

Originally posted by Bull Sprig:

quote:

Originally posted by LHeym500:
Rules should be followed, but why do folks need a 3.5 hour online “class” to go wolf trapping.

Buy the permit, read the regs book, break laws, get punished. Better buy permit, read refs book, and do not break laws. The Gov., bought permit, trapped in season, took the right animal and not over the permit permitted. In short, not National News.

Call me when he kills one out of season, by illegal means, or over bag.

No Judge wants the nonsense of he did not log on to the class on the docket. Yes, all rules should be followed, but rules should not be stupid.

Common sense right? You can't make some of this stuff up. Can you imagine getting a ticket for not having a "Hunt Safely" sticker on your shotgun during turkey season? Welcome to MA.

That sticker thing is truly stupid. Glad we ain’t gone that dumb here. Reminds me when I took some class mates from law school shooting. One had an engineering background little firearms use, but new machines. He asked, “Your pistol does not have a loaded chamber indicator.”

My response, “What, no why would it.”

“How do you know that there is a round loaded?”

I ended the conversation with, “Because it is a gun, and I’m holding it!”