Fish, Wildlife & Parks
There are roughly 900 wolves in Montana according to the 2017 Montana Gray Wolf Program Annual Report, the 13th consecutive year that Montana has exceeded wolf recovery goals.
FWP now estimates wolf numbers using a method called Patch Occupancy Modeling. The old way of trying to count wolves from an airplane became a less accurate picture of wolf numbers as the wolf population grew beyond the agency’s ability to count them. Additionally, the old method was expensive and took a lot of staff time.
Moving forward, all wolf reports will be put out in late summer so that current POM estimates can be included.
Montana’s wolf population has remained relatively stable with an annual wolf harvest that averages about 225 animals a year. During the 2017-2018 wolf season, 255 wolves were harvested: 65 percent hunting, 35 percent trapping. Approximately, $380,000 was generated for wolf conservation and management by wolf license sales.
Livestock depredation by wolves during 2017 was approximately 25 percent of what it was in 2009, when it was at a peak. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services confirmed 80 livestock losses to wolves in 2017, which included 49 cattle, 12 sheep, and 19 goats. One dog was also killed by wolves. This total was up compared to 53 livestock losses during 2016. During 2017 the Montana Livestock Loss Board paid $64,133 for livestock that Wildlife Services had confirmed as probable or certain wolf kills.
To learn more about Montana’s wolf population, visit FWP online at fwp.mt.gov. Click on Montana Wolves. This 2017 Montana Gray Wolf Program Annual Report is available at: http://fwp.mt.gov/fishAndWildlife/management/wolf/.