On December 10th, Yellowstone wolves got a temporary reprieve. Montana wildlife commissioners closed down the gray wolf hunting season in some areas outside Yellowstone National Park after several collared wolves were shot when beyond the safety of the park’s reach. This move came just days after Yellowstone Wolf “06″ fell victim outside the park in neighboring Wyoming. The closures prohibited hunting and trapping and included areas north of the park around the town of Gardiner.

This decision was celebrated by wildlife advocates but criticized by Citizens for Balanced Use, Big Game Forever, Montana Outfitters and Guides Association, and Montana Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife and soon thereafter these anti-wolf extremist groups filed a restraining order. On January 2nd, Judge Nels Swandal issued an injunction overruling the commission’s decision, thus allowing hunting & trapping to resume.

On Jan, 14th at 3PM, a hearing will be held in Livingtson, MT to determine whether the injunction will remain in effect. Some friends from the National Wolfwatcher Coalition (NWC) will be there show their support for Montana FWP’s decision to close these zones to wolf hunting and trapping and they’re encouraging all interested ‘wolfwatchers’ in the area to attend too.

6th Judicial District Court
414 East Callender Street
Livingston MT, 59047

(For more information, contact us at info@wolfwatcher.org)

For those who will not be in the area, we encourage you to contribute to the discussion and NWC makes it easy. Please send in a quick and short comment to the MT Commissioners and representatives in support of its decision to close two subunits to wolf hunting near Yellowstone’s northern border.

Talking points and email addresses are available via the NWC’s website: http://wolfwatcher.org/news/all-news/yellowstone-support-mtfwps-decision-to-close-subunits/