Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R 2 0 2 0 82 W O LV E S 3 M O N TA N A i n yea rs THE YEAR IS 2050. WHAT DOES THE MONTANA WOLF POPULATION LOOK LIKE? First, it is important to consider where we are currently with wolves and how we got here. Thirty years ago, gray wolves were naturally recolonizing northwestern Montana, through dispersal from Canada and reproduction among several packs already established in the state. By the time the federal wolf reintroduction effort was under- way, Montana already had a minimum of 66 wolves. Coincidentally, between 1995 and 1996, a total of 66 wolves captured in Canada were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park and wilderness areas in Central Idaho by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Since then, wolves have continued to reproduce and disperse into unoccupied areas. For the past decade, the number of wolves known to be living in Montana has hovered around 500-600. That is the minimum that we knew about; i.e. the number that were physically counted. Population model estimates of Montana's actual number ranged between ~800- 1,000 since 2009; those numbers may be slightly higher. The most recent minimum count (2015) of wolves living in the entire Northern Rocky Mountain Recovery Area—which includes Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and eastern Oregon and Washington states—was over 1,900 in a minimum of 316 packs. We have successfully maintained a healthy wolf population in Montana, and throughout the Northern Rocky Mountains, for more than fifteen decades. Over the past decade, wolves have filled in and occupied most of the suitable forested habitat in western Montana and will likely maintain their current distribution barring a concerted effort to re- duce numbers and range. The large herds of bison that once roamed the prairie have been replaced by livestock and agriculture, making it unlikely that wolves will inhabit eastern Montana in significant numbers. Considering their ability to travel long distances, dispers- ing wolves are likely to show up just about anywhere in Montana. However, it is unlikely that they will establish packs and persist in high-risk areas without abundant natural prey and shelter. I expect that the wolf population in Montana will continue to be managed sustainably over the next 30 years, whether the population consists of several hundred or 1,000 wolves. HOW DOES WOLF HUNTING LOOK DIFFERENT IN 2050? Hunting and trapping are integral parts of our heritage and harken us back to our hunter/gatherer roots. For many, these pastimes are as much about getting out in the wild as about using one's skills, cunning, and instincts to stalk or catch prey. For some, hunting or trapping a large predator represents the ultimate test of these skills, pursuing an animal that could also be hunting you. For others, pursuing predators, particu- larly wolves, is more about protecting deer and elk populations. Montana manages wolves in much the same way that it manages black bears and mountain lions, through regulated seasons and harvest. Montana wrapped up its tenth season of legal wolf harvest this March. Since 2012, when trapping was allowed as well as hunt- ing, an average of 245 wolves have been legally harvested here each year. Over 2,000 wolves have been legally harvested by hunters and trappers in Montana since delisting. The primary source of mortality for wolves across Montana is human-caused mortality, primarily hunting and trapping. Before legal harvest seasons, their primary mortality source was removal following livestock depredations. With hunting and trapping on the scene, these removals have decreased. Where wolves and livestock coexist, there will be conflict. Once wolves start killing cattle, it can be almost impossible to discour- age them from doing it again. Lethal removal is the most effective and efficient way to stop chronic livestock depredations. As wolf packs get larger, there are more mouths to feed and the likelihood of getting in trouble with livestock increases. As wildlife managers, we would rather see hunters and trappers harvest some of the individual wolves from these packs than see entire packs removed after they have started killing livestock. "I EXPECT THAT THE WOLF POPULATION IN MONTANA WILL CONTINUE TO BE MANAGED SUSTAINABLY OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS."

• Cover