Wolf shot near Boulder

A gray wolf was shot March 1 on private property north of Boulder.

According to Montana FWP Game Warden Bill Dawson, the wolf was shot by an employee of the landowner/ranch. Dawson conducted a field investigation and determined the take was lawful.

"Landowners (or a 'landowner's agent') may take a wolf on their private property if it poses a potential threat to livestock, human safety, or dogs, and it must be reported to FWP within 24 hours. In this case, it was in a calving pasture next to cattle and within about 300 feet of a residence and it was reported to FWP within minutes of occurring. Therefore, it met the requirements outlined in law," he said.

Dawson and FWP Wolf Management Specialist Nathan Lance also discussed recent wolf sightings reported in both the Elkhorn and Bull Mountains.

Lance said they have had some confirmed wolf activity in these general areas.

Dawson spoke with an individual who reported seeing eight wolves in the Bull Mountains South of Boulder.

Dawson said while he didn't independently verify the report (through tracks/photographs/video), it seemed like a credible sighting to him.

As far as reports in the Elkhorns, Dawson said he said heard a couple of second-hand report and they vary from two to five wolves observed, but at this point, he can't confirm or verify these.

Dawson added it is not FWP's normal response to investigate or respond to every reported wolf sighting, but they definitely use these reports to help them understand wolf populations, especially in local areas.

"In recent years there has been intermittent wolf activity in these areas, most commonly reports of one or two wolves or wolf tracks observed," he said.

Lance said state wolf population estimates will be out in late spring or early summer.

"We do not track wolves on the individual WMU units like we do in some deer and elk units or by a specific pack or area," he said.