Montana FWP: State has overestimated wolf population by hundreds

Montana FWP is caving to politics, wasting money and calling it conservation

Open the article to view the coverage from The Billings Gazette

Montana FWP is caving to politics and calling it conservation

People in the Gallatin Valley know exactly what happens when working lands disappear.

Montana FWP: State has overestimated wolf population by hundreds

A gray wolf in snow. (Eric Cole/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) There are several hundred fewer wolves in Montana than previously estimated by Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks.  That’s according to the department’s latest report showing the wolf population in Montana has likely been overestimated for years, leading to a recommendation that the upcoming hunting and trapping quota be cut in half.  Wildlife managers in Montana estimate the number of…

Montana's wolf population is shrinking. Now, FWP wants to limit the wolf hunt

After half a decade of expanding opportunities to hunt and trap wolves, Montana officials are proposing a lower harvest this fall. The proposal comes after a new population model suggested state wolf numbers are significantly smaller than previously believed. The new figures released Friday are part of the state's annual wolf report and estimated Montana's wolf population to be about...

Montana FWP Lowers Wolf Population Estimate, Proposes New Hunting and Trapping Rules

New Model Cuts Montana’s Wolf Population Estimate Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks released its 2025 Annual Wolf Report on Friday alongside proposed regulations for the 2026-27 wolf hunting and trapping season. The report introduces a new population and distribution prediction model that estimates the state’s wolf population is significantly smaller than the agency previously believed. The report draws on two systems. The older model, which FWP ha…