Glacier High in line to get wolf mount

A young male wolf that was killed in a "control action" near Browns Meadow last year will soon be on display at Glacier High School, home of the Wolfpack.

A taxidermist will prepare a mount of the wolf as part of a cooperative effort similar to one that gave the Kalispell Middle School a mountain lion that is displayed near the school's main entrance.

"It's a classic gray wolf," said John Fraley, regional information officer for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. "The school wanted that to fit their motif."

The school and Fish, Wildlife and Parks are sharing costs for the mount, with Bigfork taxidermist Les Steinspring doing the work at a discounted rate.

Steinspring said the hide is being tanned and he hopes to have the mount finished and on display at the high school before the end of the current school year.

The wolf was killed on Oct. 23, 2007, by a federal trapper after it was confirmed that the Hog Heaven Pack had killed two domestic calves near Browns Meadow, about 15 miles southwest of Kalispell.

The action was intended "to reduce the likelihood of further depredations" by the pack, a press release said at the time.

The mountain lion on display at the middle school was hit and killed by a vehicle in 2006 near Eureka. Steinspring also did the taxidermy work on the cat.

Fraley said the displays are intended to be educational in a manner similar to the collection of wildlife mounts in the lobby of Fish, Wildlife and Parks regional headquarters on Meridian Road in Kalispell.

"Lots of people will see them, and we think this is an educational effort on our part," Fraley said.