County lobbied to aid in Libby's wildlife management plan

Local officials in Libby appear to be moving toward adopting Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ proposal for handling deer in the community instead of crafting a homegrown management proposal.

State Rep. Steve Gunderson (R-Libby) told the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 30 that the city, county and state agency would need to develop an agreement if that were the case. Gunderson has worked extensively with Libby City Council over the past year in attempting to address the municipality’s urban deer problem.

Last year, Libby City Council embarked on an effort to develop a local wildlife management plan, creating a subcommittee to draft the document. While the proposal was designed to address all wildlife — including troublesome turkeys in town — city councilors serving on the subcommittee opted to tackle deer first.

The decision came as officials learned the scope of chronic wasting disease in the community: Roughly 13 in 100 deer in and around Libby suffer from the illness.

But deer in Libby don’t stay in Libby. Gunderson said the move to adopt FWP’s plan and partner with the county acknowledged the transient nature of the animals.

“[It is] due to the fact that Libby is an urban spot, but it’s got rural all around it,” Gunderson told county commissioners.

County Commissioner Jerry Bennett (D-2) backed the idea. Controlling the number of deer outside the city would affect how many were making Libby home, he said.

“Why not do trapping three to four miles outside of town where you don’t have the same issues in Libby?” Bennett asked. “You’re controlling the inner population by controlling the outer population.”

The state’s plan for Libby, which remains under review by city councilors, calls for getting a handle on the deer population in the community. They would employ sharpshooters and traps to cull the herd. They also plan to reduce attractants, like food and water, in the area.

Trapping and shooting in Libby could prove problematic, Gunderson said, hence the push to get the county onboard.

“How do you do it? You need to be outside of city area, where you’re not out in front of people,” he said.

In the end, the state plan seeks to reduce the deer population in town by 25 to 50 percent in the next five years.