Under No One Could Have Predicted This… Montana Eyes Aggressive Wolf Management Plan to Restore Balance
Montana wildlife officials are considering a bold move to bring wolf numbers back down and give deer, elk, and ranchers some relief. The state’s Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) is proposing to increase the wolf harvest quota to 500 animals for the 2025-2026 season—nearly half of the estimated statewide population of 1,091 wolves.
Under the plan, hunters and trappers could take up to 15 wolves each. Supporters say the move is long overdue. “Northwest Montana is densely populated with wolves and is also in a part of the state where people are clearly frustrated by (lower) deer and elk populations,” said Ryan Bronson of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) in Cowboy State Daily. He noted that FWP “has a proven track record of managing Montana’s wolves” and should have flexibility to adjust quotas as needed【source: Cowboy State Daily】.
The proposal comes after several legislative pushes in recent years to reduce wolf numbers to what lawmakers call a “sustainable level.” The 2021 law requires FWP to decrease wolf populations to help rebuild struggling big game herds and minimize livestock losses. During the last season, hunters and trappers took 297 wolves—a number some believe isn’t enough to bring populations under control【source: Daily Montanan】.
FWP Chief of Conservation Policy Quentin Kujala explained the plan’s intent: “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”.
Not everyone agrees. Critics, like Lizzy Pennock of WildEarth Guardians, call the proposal “outrageous” and warn it could harm genetic diversity and impede the species’ natural expansion into other areas.
She argued, “If you look at the wolves in Yellowstone, they manage themselves. The No. 1 killer of wolves is other wolves”.
Lawmakers backing the plan, however, believe it’s about time the state gave hunters and trappers the tools to do the job. “Our deer, elk, and moose cannot continue to take this pressure and survive,” said Rep. Shannon Maness during debate on a related bill earlier this year.”
FWP’s proposal doesn’t include year-round seasons or unlimited quotas—ideas floated during legislative hearings—but instead aims for targeted management in areas with the densest wolf populations.
Opponents argue that livestock depredation by wolves is already low, with confirmed wolf kills of livestock down significantly from historic highs. In 2024, wolves were blamed for 62 livestock deaths statewide, compared to over 2.5 million cattle in Montana overall (Daily Montanan). But ranchers point out that even a handful of losses can devastate small operations, and many welcome stronger predator control.
The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission will take up the proposal at its Aug. 21st, 2025, meeting. For hunters and trappers eager to see elk herds rebound and predator numbers brought in check, that meeting could mark a turning point in Montana’s predator management.
As Bronson summed it up: “We’re thinking of balanced management, and that means balancing our forest management and managing out predator populations”.
Read MoreAmmoLand Shooting Sports News