Advisory council proposal tabs 130 wolves for hunting

By EVE BYRON - Independent Record - 12/11/07

Up to 130 wolves in Montana could be shot next year as part of a first-time wolf-hunting season proposal put forth by Montana’s Wolf Management Advisory Council Monday.

The 10-person group of ranchers, hunters, scientists and others didn’t tie its recommendation to that number as a quota. But 130 wolves could be killed in Montana — half of which probably would be shot for preying on livestock — without reducing the overall number of wolves in the state. That’s the amount of anticipated population increase next year due to births and immigration, according to Carolyn Sime, wolf coordinator for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Keeping the population stable at present levels would aid scientists as they try to figure out how many wolves the landscape and inhabitants of Montana can tolerate and sustain, Sime noted after the meeting.

“We took a look at last year’s information and created a variety of scenarios and the potential outcome of different levels of harvest,†Sime said. “We looked at what was too much and could jeopardize Montana’s population; what would maintain what we have got; and if we took less than that, how fast the population would grow.

“So we took the conservative approach, using an educated guess. That could vary from year to year.â€

The initial recommendation will be sent to the FWP commission, which will set tentative 2008-09 quotas and hunting seasons for a range of wildlife at its Dec. 20 meeting in Helena, then put it out for public comment.


A final decision is expected in February.

Using the present population as a “status quo†clearly bothered some council members, who said the number of breeding pairs and packs in Montana already is well above what was recommended in its plan seven years ago.

“We need to honor our management plan,†said Jim Cross, a retired FWP wildlife manager and hunter. “We have at least twice as many packs as we recommended in the management plan. ... I understand taking the conservative approach, but this is one time where we have to move beyond conservative.â€

Wolves were put on the Endangered Species List in 1973 after being hunted to near extinction in the lower 48 states.

But reintroduction and recovery work started in 1995 have burgeoned their population, with more than 1,200 gray wolves populating the Northern Rockies.

Montana’s management plan, recommended by the advisory council and adopted by the federal government as part of the endangered species delisting process, called for a minium population of 100 wolves. Initially, the state found 10 breeding pairs to be a sustainable population goal, but the advisory council revised that to 15 pairs to ensure the success of the species.

With an anticipated population of 400 wolves in Montana by the end of the year — including 40 breeding pairs — some council members wondered whether they were betraying a public that had mixed feelings about the reintroduction of the wolves.

But Robin Hompesch, a high-school biology teacher and hunter from Bozeman, noted that the management plan also didn’t put a cap on the number of wolves for Montana. She believes the human tolerance will expose itself over time.

“But there was never an assumption that you just let the population explode,†Cross countered. “Then you’re not managing the wolves. I have just one question — at what threshold are wolves represented on the landscape? 100? 200? 600?â€

Terry Beaver, a retired school teacher in Helena, added that if this conversation took place only a year ago, the status quo would have been 290 wolves.

If it took place in another year, that number would be closer to 550.

Other recommendations to be sent to the FWP commission include splitting the state into three wolf-management units, with hunters being allowed to shoot wolves in any of the units until harvest goals are reached.

Those goals could vary from year to year based on a number of factors, Sime said.

The fall hunting season tentatively will run from Sept. 15 to the last Sunday in November, with resident licenses set by the legislature at $19 for residents and $325 for non-residents.

The council decided to maintain the opportunity for the FWP to set a trapping season for wolves, but noted that might not be palatable to the public initially.

“But the council affirmed today there is some value in moving forward now,†Sime said. “It’s worthwhile and very clear that we have to begin conservatively so we don’t jeopardize the wolf population here.â€

Estimates of 1,200 wolves after introduction 12 years ago. That is an amazing growth rate.

Im trying to recall how many were planted in '95. Seems like it was just two small packs??

150 permits seems VERY conservative as fast as they are multiplying. If they can produce that many from two small packs in that short of time then how much more will they expand from a base of an estimated 1,200?

The 1,200 population estimate is for the "NORTHERN ROCKIES." The hunt plan in the above is just for MT; it does not include any plan for ID or WY. The devil is in the details! -TONY

just the legal right to shoot at them.thats all i ask.hope my aim improves as i wouldn't want to wound the first 30 or 40.i think the 1200 number is about 400 short for the whole recovered population as of this spring.and if the memory works it was 65 released in 95