Montana's backcountry wolf hunt criticized after surprisingly quick kills

*Updated to clarify details regarding hunting zone WMU 3

The environmental group Natural Resources Defense Council was quick to criticize the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks agency after its wolf program coordinator acknowledged that an early backcountry hunt wasn't going as planned because a surprising number of wolves had been killed in a very short span.

The hunt is in progress in Montana's remote Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness along the northern border of Yellowstone National Park. It began Sept. 15 in a small parcel within what is known as Wildlife Management Unit 3. WMU 3 has a quota of 12 but nine wolves already have been killed and it's conceivable the quota will be reached before the statewide general hunt in WMU 3 begins Oct. 25.

Carolyne Sime, the wolf program coordinator, said in a Billings Gazette story that she "didn't think the wolves would be so vulnerable to firearms harvest."

One of the goals of the overall hunt is to encourage wolves to remain in the backcountry away from potential conflicts with livestock. "So what we're learning," Sime said, "is that maybe we need to rethink these backcountry hunts and see if we can fine-tune that."

The front-country wolves, those more likely to come into conflict with livestock, will be targeted during the general season.

Matt Skoglund, blogging for Natural Resources Defense Council, wrote: "How could FWP have expected anything else when they opened the backcountry wilderness areas to wolf-hunting?" Skoglund stated that wolves sought by hunters in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness are "those famous Yellowstone wolves you've seen in the park or on PBS and the Discovery Channel." The blogger wondered whether the "poorly planned hunt" will affect tourism in Yellowstone.

The answer, most likely, is that it will not affect tourism. The quota in this district is only 12 wolves. Montana's wolf population at the end of 2008 was believed to number 500. The overall state quota is 75, which is deemed conservative by the agency, which regards hunting as a necessary wildlife management tool.

But as long as Montana's inaugural wolf hunt continues -- legal  challenges remain -- it will be open to this kind of attack by animal rights groups.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Gray wolves wander through the snow in Montana. Courtesy of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

Comments

[Marc Cooke]

I respectfully disagree with your analysis on why the Montana hunt proceeded so quickly. When a creature has been allowed to not see man for what they are they learn to live in a none threatening state. However, now that they realize how aggressive and unpredictable man is they will adapt and change their behavior as did the ungulates. Its well known the MT FW&P allows for a 1/3 to 1/4 increase in wolf population because of difficulty counting these creatures. This is common knowledge. I happen to live in Montana and I am not to convinced that they will not be hunted till extinction again. However, I believe your comment about beef goes to the very heart of the wolf issue. Cattle grazing on public lands. We would have dramatic decrease in depredation if ranchers were not allowed to graze on public lands. I don't care for beef anyways.

[Montana]

The reason the hunts went so fast is because there are more wolves than they estimated. There is always more than they estimate. When they said there were zero, there were actually still wolves in Montana. When they said the Hog Heaven Pack (who's territory included the outskirts of Kalispell) had numbers in the teens, there were actually 27 in total that were put down, and there are still wolves in the area. If they are from that pack or not I don't know. Just roamers I guess. But the point is that there are more wolves than they say there are-always. The wolves aren't going to be hunted to near extinction again, so let us take care of our state. And we'll send you some beef tenderloin, or maybe some prime rib. If you don't like how we take care of our state then you take the wolves. Deal?

[Marc Cooke]

Jerry hit the nail on the head. Simes often shows poor judgement and is weak from special interest and political pressure. Cant get that net promotion unless you go along.
TLM stick to the facts and dont try and scare people with the wolf is at your door. I live here too!

[jerry]

This is what happens when you have "special interests" dictating wildlife management. In this case the livestock associations and the outfitters.
Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks and their "wolf manager", Ms Sime lack the courage to stand up to these people.

[TLM]

I agree that the back country wolves should not be hunted, and I think they should have more agressive hunts on the "front range" - we don't need wolves running around in our towns!

[Matt Skoglund]

Montana just suspended the wolf hunt outside Yellowstone National Park:

http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/mskoglund/montana_suspends_wolf_hunt_out.html