Are Higher Wolf Harvest Quotas Coming To Montana?

Montana wildlife officials are eyeing some big changes when it comes to managing wolves for the 2025-26 season. The goal? Reduce wolf numbers to what they call a “sustainable level.”

Right now, there are an estimated 1,091 wolves roaming the state, with about half of them living in Region 1 (Flathead, Lake, Lincoln, and Sanders counties). Which is only 12 fewer then the previous year and still considered well over recovery thresholds. For some lawmakers, that’s still considered a red flag.

You can check out the full proposal sheet from FWP HERE.

One lawmaker, Rep. Lukas Schubert of Kalispell, says the population is “far too high” and pushed for changes this year. Only one new law passed, allowing hunters to use thermal scopes and requiring region-specific management techniques.

Under the new proposal, statewide harvest would go from 334 wolves to 500. Hunters and trappers could each take 15 wolves per season—up from the current 10—as long as five of those are in Region 1 or 2. And now, you’d only need one license instead of buying a new one for each wolf.

But not everyone’s on board with tightening wolf harvest regulations. A 2023 survey by the University of Montana and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks found that most Montanans are generally tolerant of wolves and that support for hunting and trapping is starting to decline. But here’s the thing—how many of those respondents are actually living with the consequences? For ranchers, especially those in wolf-heavy regions, it’s a different story.

"USDA Wildlife Services confirmed the loss of 35 cattle, 16 sheep, three foals and eight livestock guard dogs. This total was lower than the average number of livestock conflicts since delisting in 2011, except for the loss of guard dogs, which increased in 2024." - RMEF

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FWP says public comment is open through August 4, and a final vote from the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission is set for August 21. One thing’s for sure... this debate isn’t going anywhere.