Update: Montana’s Backcountry Wolf Hunters Surprisingly Successful
Montana's inaugural wolf hunting season has been very successfull in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness.
From The Billings Gazette:
_Montana’s inaugural wolf hunting season has been almost too successful in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness.
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_Nine wolves have been killed by hunters in the area along the northern border of Yellowstone National Park. . . .
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_”We didn’t think wolves would be that vulnerable to firearms harvest,” said Carolyn Sime, wolf program coordinator for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. “The uncertainty is why we went with a low quota [of 12] to begin with . . . .
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_”When we started out on the whole hunting season, we would’ve been the first to say we don’t know how this is going to work,” Sime said.
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_She said wildlife managers want to encourage wolves to remain in the backcountry, away from potential conflicts with livestock.
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“So what we’re learning is that maybe we need to rethink these backcountry hunts and see if we can fine-tune that.”