There are a surprising number of commercial activities that involve native or nonnative wildlife that are, in most cases, born and raised in captivity for many generations. Many people do not realize that a permit is necessary for these activities.
"Commercial activities can cover anything from raising and selling upland game birds to the operation of a zoo or a roadside menagerie," said Tim Feldner, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ commercial wildlife permitting manager. Feldner said permits are required to possess, exhibit, buy or sell wildlife.
"Montana also has rules preventing wildlife, native or non-native, from being released into the wild in Montana without prior authorization of the FWP Commission," Felder said.
Regulating the release of animals into the wild is necessary to protect the state’s wildlife from disease and competition.
Feldner said commercial wildlife licenses include licenses for commercial fish ponds, falconry, fur dealers, fur farms, game bird farms, raptor propagation, roadside menageries, shooting preserves, and more. A permit is also required for stocking fish in private ponds.
Commercial wildlife permits are necessary to have captive-reared birds, use captive-reared birds in dog training, and to release ring-necked pheasants on your own land. Bears, coyotes, mountain lions, tigers and wolves held in captivity for any purpose must also be registered with FWP and tattooed for identification.
Before importing an exotic species that has not already been classified by the state, a petition for the classification of that species must be completed and that the species must be classified as either non-controlled, controlled, or prohibited for private ownership.
For more on commercial wildlife permitting in Montana, visit the FWP web site at fwp.mt.gov under Inside FWP click on Our Department, select the Enforcement Division and then wildlife permitting.
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