Rating:

4.0 (17 votes)

MISSOULA - The overwhelming majority of respondents to an online poll by Montana's News Station back Montana Governor Schweitzer's defiance of federal law for managing wolves.

Last week, Schweitzer sent a letter to U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar saying Montana would chart its own course for managing wolves, including elimination of entire wolf packs that are preying on cattle and elk.

The news comes as lawmakers in both Idaho and Montana are making numerous moves to try and circumvent federal wolf management under the Endangered Species Act.

More than 560-people have responded to our online question asking what the best course of action should be on Montana wolf management.

Some 71.76% say they think Montana is "well within its rights in defying the federal government on wolf management" while 21.85% say the state and federal governments "need to quit arguing and work together for a long-term plan."

Just over 6% believe Schweitzer's action will "lead to more expensive lawsuits and erases progress made with wolf recovery."