Montana Wolf Harvest Lags Far Behind Quota

Hunters have taken 39 of the 300 wolves allowed under the statewide quota so far this season.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Hunting

Gouache-painted editorial illustration of a pine-covered mountain ridge under a pale winter sky, with wolf tracks in snow in the foreground. — Montana hunters have taken 39 of the 300 wolves allowed under the statewide quota so far this season, leaving most of the harvest unclaimed. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Montana hunters have harvested 39 wolves so far this season, well short of the statewide quota of 300 set by the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission. The general wolf season runs September 15 through March 15, 2027, with trapping opening November 30.

Why it matters

Harvest totals far below quota leave most of the state's allowed wolf take unclaimed, and the pace of the season will depend heavily on snow conditions. Trappers and late-season hunters have historically accounted for a large share of Montana's annual wolf harvest.

Harvest tallies from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks show 39 wolves taken against a statewide quota of 300, with 261 still unclaimed. Region 4 has harvested one wolf against a quota of 28, and Regions 6 and 7 have recorded no harvest despite quotas of four each.

The players

Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission

The state body that sets wolf hunting and trapping quotas for Montana, establishing the statewide quota of 300 for this season.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

The state agency that manages wildlife in Montana and tracks harvest figures through its public harvest dashboard.

The details

The single-wolf quota in WMU 313 was filled on the first day of the season, and that unit is now closed. WMU 316 still has one wolf available, and no non-target captures of grizzly bear, wolverine, or lynx have been recorded so far.

General wolf season opens September 15, 2026.
Trapping season opens November 30, 2026.
Trapping begins in the federal court order area January 1, 2027, and ends February 15, 2027.
General wolf season closes March 15, 2027.

Season Trajectory

Montana's wolf harvest is being tracked against quotas set by the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission, which is why the current totals stand out against the 300-wolf statewide allowance. Late-season trapping, which has historically accounted for a large share of the annual take, will determine how much of the unclaimed quota is ultimately filled.

Hunters planning to pursue wolves in Montana have more opportunity this season, with 261 unclaimed quota spaces statewide and open units such as WMU 316. Those hunting or trapping should track the season dates, since the general season closes March 15, 2027 and the federal court order area has its own trapping window.

The takeaway

With most of the statewide wolf quota still unfilled, late-season hunters and trappers will shape how the final harvest totals turn out. Checking the season dates and unit-specific quotas before heading out can help hunters plan around closures.

What happens next

Trapping season opens November 30, 2026, and trapping in the federal court order area begins January 1, 2027, with the general season closing March 15, 2027.