Montana wolf hunting regulation updates

In August 2026, the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission addressed wolf management regulations through proposed amendments and subsequent policy decisions.

Initially, a proposal was introduced to adjust trapping and hunting seasons and quotas for the Fall 2026–Winter 2027 period. This included a suggestion to reduce the bag limit to five wolves per licensed hunter in Region 3, with even stricter limits of one wolf per hunter in specific Wolf Management Units.

Following deliberations, the Commission adopted a new 300-wolf quota for the upcoming season. This figure represents a compromise between a department recommendation of 250 wolves and the previous year’s quota of 452. The decision was informed by the integrated Patch Occupancy Model (iPOM 2.0), which estimated the statewide wolf population at approximately 725—a notable decrease from previous estimates of roughly 1,094. Officials indicated that the new model suggests populations may have been historically overestimated.

Some stakeholders expressed concerns regarding the absence of independent peer review for the iPOM 2.0 model and noted environmental factors, such as canine distemper in the Yellowstone National Park area, that could impact pup survival.