State wildlife officials say wolf numbers holding fairly steady

The wolf population in Montana remains healthy, according to the 2023 Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Wolf Report.

Increased harvest during the 2023 wolf season has not yet resulted in an estimated decline to the statewide total. But state biologists expect to see a moderate decline in wolf numbers next year resulting from the increased harvest in early 2024.

“We are committed to following the law to reduce wolf numbers to a sustainable level, which means ensuring Montana has a healthy state managed population,” said Quentin Kujala, the wildlife agency's chief of conservation policy. “The statewide wolf population estimate for calendar year 2023 is approximately 1,100 wolves, similar to 2022. However, we are seeing declines in the estimated number of wolves and wolf packs in Regions 3 and 4, which suggests the combination of hunting, trapping and conflict management removals can effectively reduce wolf numbers.” 

An example of this moderate decline is in Region 3, where wolf population estimates have gradually declined from 214 in 2020 to 178 in 2023. Statewide, wolf harvest from Jan. 1 through March 15 saw 176 wolves taken in 2024, compared to 144 over the same period in 2023. Both trends indicate a moderate decline in wolf numbers that biologists expect to see in the 2024 wolf report. That document is expected to come out in summer 2025.

The estimated statewide wolf population for 2023 was 1,096, just one less than the 2022 estimated population and slightly below the 10-year average of 1,140 wolves but well above recovery thresholds, state officials said.

The number of wolf packs was 181, spread over 66,000 square miles. Total wolf harvest for the 2023-2024 wolf season was 286 wolves, which was an increase from 258 taken during the 2022-23 season.

Livestock conflicts, confirmed livestock losses and wolf removals were all down considerably in 2023, according to the report. Wildlife Services confirmed the loss of 32 livestock to wolves, including 23 cattle and eight sheep. One livestock guard dog was also killed by wolves. This total was lower than numbers from 2012 to 2022.

“Moving forward with proposed wolf regulations, we will continue to provide the Fish and Wildlife Commission with our best science and lessons learned from Montana wolf management to date,” Kujala said.

At the Aug. 16 Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting, state officials proposed wolf and furbearer regulations for the 2024/2025 seasons. The proposed total wolf harvest quota is 334 wolves, up from 313 for the 2023 season.  

The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission reviewed and decided upon proposed furbearer and wolf trapping and hunting seasons at its Aug. 16 meeting, except wolf trapping dates and where they will apply. Trapping dates will be decided by the commission at its October meeting.

A federal judge last fall ruled that Montana’s wolf trapping regulations ran afoul of the Endangered Species Act, as the state wildlife agency was opening the wolf season when grizzly bears were still awake and could, potentially, get caught in a trap or a snare.

Montana District Court Judge Donald Molloy last year set the trapping season dates from Jan. 1, 2024 to Feb. 15, 2024, a time period when most grizzlies would be assured to be in their dens. 

The ruling was temporary, however, and came after environmental groups challenged the state’s original trapping season, which was set to open Nov. 27 and run through March 15.