By ASSOCIATED PRESS AND EMILIE RITTER SAUNDERS
Hunters and trappers in Montana killed 230 wolves during the recently concluded wolf season.
That’s only five more wolves than the prior year’s wolf harvest despite the lifting of quotas on the animals across most of the state and a higher bag limit for individual hunters.
Hunters took 144 wolves during a season that started in September and ended Saturday. Trappers took 86 wolves.
In Idaho, hunters and trappers have killed 264 wolves during the 2013-2014 season. Trappers to 87 Idaho wolves while hunters have killed 177.
The harvest totals from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks do not include 70 wolves taken by federal wildlife agents and private landowners in response to attacks on domestic livestock.
Gray wolves were removed from the federal endangered species list across most of the Northern Rockies in 2011.
There were 625 wolves counted in Montana at the end of 2012, the most recent figure available.