The House Fish, Wildlife and Parks Committee this week advanced a pair of bills that aim to aggressively reduce wolf populations in Montana. As originally proposed — it was later revised by the committee — House Bill 222 would establish an open season for wolf hunting and trapping until the population reaches 600 animals.

Committee members next considered House Bill 176, which looks to put rules in place for when Montana has 450 or more wolves. Once the population is at that level, the bill would require unlimited hunting quotas and allow multiple harvests per person, night hunting on private, trapping and bait.

Montana lawmakers debated legislation that would allow unlimited wolf hunting across the state until the population was reduced to a threshold of 650 animals statewide.