In a bold escalation of Montana's long-standing wolf wars, two state lawmakers and a pro-hunting advocacy group have filed a lawsuit accusing the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission and the Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks of failing to aggressively reduce the state's gray wolf population. The suit, lodged on September 30th, in Sanders County District Court, argues that current management practices violate 2021 laws aimed at curbing wolf numbers through expanded hunting and trapping.
Gray wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho in the mid-1990s under the federal Endangered Species Act, sparking decades of controversy. Once extirpated from the region, wolves rebounded rapidly, leading to their delisting from federal protections in Montana in 2011. Since then, the state has managed the species through regulated hunting and trapping seasons, aiming to maintain a viable population while addressing conflicts with livestock and big game herds.
In 2021, Montana's Republican-led legislature passed several bills mandating the use of "all available lawful methods" to reduce wolf numbers from an estimated 1,177 in 2020 to a sustainable level—defined as at least 450 wolves to support 15 breeding pairs. These laws expanded tools like snaring, baiting, night hunting on private lands, and unlimited bag limits (up to 10 wolves per license). However, implementation has been hampered by federal injunctions limiting trapping in grizzly bear habitat and ongoing debates over quotas.
FWP uses an Integrated Patch Occupancy Model (iPOM) to estimate populations annually, informing quota decisions by the politically appointed Fish and Wildlife Commission. Despite liberalized regulations, wolf numbers have hovered around 1,100 statewide in recent years, well above the minimum threshold but frustrating stakeholders who claim wolves are decimating elk populations and livestock.
The plaintiffs—Republican lawmakers Rep. Paul Fielder and Rep. Shannon Maness, along with the Outdoor Heritage Coalition—contend that FWP and the Commission have set quotas too low and failed to fully utilize tools like extended trapping seasons and liberal harvest limits. They point to the 2024 iPOM estimate of 1,091 wolves as evidence that populations remain excessively high, violating the legislative intent to shrink numbers.
The suit demands a court order compelling the state to ramp up wolf killings, particularly in regions with dense populations like northwest Montana. Critics of the lawsuit, including conservation groups, argue it ignores scientific management and could risk relisting wolves under federal protections.
USFWS | Montana FWP
To understand the plaintiffs' grievances, let's examine the numbers. FWP's annual wolf reports reveal a stable but slightly declining population, with harvests falling short of quotas in recent seasons—potentially due to weather, injunctions, and hunter effort.
Over the past few years, Montana's wolf management data shows a consistent pattern of harvests falling short of set quotas, fueling the recent lawsuit's claims of inadequate population control. In the 2022-2023 season, with no statewide quota but regional thresholds, hunters and trappers took 248 wolves, while the population was estimated at 1,106. The 2023-2024 season set a statewide quota of 313, with 286 wolves harvested and total mortalities reaching 300, against a population of 1,103. For 2024-2025, the quota rose to 334, with 297 wolves harvested and total mortalities at 348, while the population held at 1,091.
The current 2025-2026 season has a higher quota of 452, reflecting pressure to reduce numbers further, with specific limits like three wolves per unit in certain areas, though harvest data is still pending.
These figures show harvests consistently below quotas, with a 5-year average public harvest of around 282 wolves. While populations have dipped 13% since 2011, they've stabilized at levels the plaintiffs deem unsustainable for ranching and hunting.
Proponents of the lawsuit, like the Outdoor Heritage Coalition, argue that low quotas ignore the 2021 mandate, allowing wolves to proliferate and harm elk herds, which is key to Montana's $1 billion hunting economy. They cite livestock losses (though verified depredations average ~100/year) and are demanding full use of snares and extended seasons.
Opponents, including wolf advocates, warn that aggressive culling could disrupt ecosystems, reduce genetic diversity, and invite federal intervention. FWP defends its approach as science-based, noting populations are already declining slowly (growth rate <1 in recent years) and continue to point to non-lethal tools like range riders and fencing to mitigate conflicts.
If successful, the suit could force higher quotas and more liberal rules, potentially dropping populations closer to the 450-wolf floor. As the case (and others) unfold, Montana's wolf management remains a flashpoint in the broader debate over predator recovery in the American West.
