Wolf shooting confirmed as self-defense

The Daily Inter Lake

A black bear hunter who shot and killed a wolf north of Olney on Tuesday acted in self-defense, according to state game wardens.

According to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Kalispell resident Zachary Harms was hunting about 27 miles north of Olney. Harms was walking along a forest road, carrying his rifle, when he saw movement.

"Two wolves then ran out from the side of the road," a press release from Warden Captain Lee Anderson states. "The larger wolf ran across the road and up the hillside. The smaller wolf ran directly toward Harms. The wolf closed to about 10 feet and Harms fired his rifle, hitting the wolf in the front of the head. The hunter contacted the sheriff's office later that day and reported that he had killed a wolf."

Anderson and Warden Chris Crane returned to the scene with the hunter to investigate, and found that the evidence was consistent with Harms' account of the incident.

"Harms said that the wolf was not growling as it ran towards him, but he still felt that the wolf was a threat to his life," the release states.

"Based on the evidence, this was a justifiable self-defense shooting as allowed for in state law," Anderson said.

Wolves were recently removed from protection under the Endangered Species Act, but they are still protected under Montana law as a big game species.