Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) is proposing changes to wolf trapping and hunting regulations aimed at bringing down the number of wolves across the state, as required by law. FWP’s proposal will go before the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission at its Aug. 21 meeting and public comments are being accepted through Aug. 4.
Wolf numbers in Montana remain relatively stable despite the increase in harvest in 2024, according to the recently released 2024 Wolf Report. Montana law requires the Commission to pass regulations that will decrease wolf numbers to a sustainable level statewide.
“We’ve tried different regulations over the past two years in an effort to increase harvest and realize a decline in wolf numbers, but those changes have only had success in certain areas of the state, most notably southwest Montana,” said Quentin Kujala, FWP chief of Conservation Policy. “The changes we’re proposing this year are targeted at trying to increase harvest in west and northwest Montana.”
FWP is proposing the following regulations:
- Hunters and trappers can harvest 15 wolves on a single hunting and trapping license (30 wolves total), provided that at least five of those wolves are harvested via hunting and at least five of those wolves are harvested via trapping in FWP regions 1 or 2.
- Trapping within the geographic area identified by a federal court will be limited to Jan. 1 to Feb. 15. The geographic area is all FWP regions 1, 2 and 3, and portions of regions 4 and 5. This area, with limited trapping dates, is the same as last year, according to the FWP proposal.
- Outside this geographic area, wolf trapping will open Dec. 1 and go through March 15, 2026.
- A statewide quota of 500.
- The statewide quota includes a quota of three wolves in Wolf Management Unit (WMU) 313 and a quota of three wolves in WMU 316.
- On private lands wolf hunting will be allowed outside of daylight hours and hunters can use artificial light, night vision, infrared and thermal imaging scopes.
- Hunting outside of daylight hours on public lands is prohibited.
Allowing multiple wolves to be harvested with a single hunting license will result in a decrease in revenue for FWP. During the past five years about 15 percent of hunters purchased more than one wolf license. The anticipated loss in revenue will be about $43,000.
The Commission will approve final 2025/2026 Furbearer and Wolf Regulations at its meeting Aug. 21. Commissioners can propose amendments prior to the meeting and those amendments will be posted online for public comment.
To see the full proposal for the 2025/2026 Furbearer and Wolf Regulations and to comment readers go to the Aug. 21 Commission meeting webpage. FWP has also posted a video on YouTube explaining the proposed changes in wolf hunting and trapping regulations.
