FWP Approves New Wolf Rules: 452 Statewide Quota, Increased Harvest Limits, Live Collaring Program

HELENA — The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission approved new wolf hunting and trapping regulations Thursday, establishing a 452-wolf statewide quota and allowing hunters and trappers to each harvest up to 30 wolves during the 2025/2026 season.

The Commission finalized the 2025/2026 Furbearer and Wolf Hunting and Trapping Regulations during a lengthy meeting where commissioners heard “passionate comments from people around the country,” according to a Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks news release.

Under the new rules, a person may harvest 15 wolves via trapping and 15 wolves via hunting, provided that five wolves from each method are harvested in FWP Region 1 or Region 2. Hunters must purchase a wolf license for each wolf they harvest via hunting, but may purchase up to 15 licenses before going afield.

The statewide quota includes a sub-quota of 60 wolves in Region 3, and separate quotas of three wolves each in Wolf Management Units 313 and 316.

New Live Collaring Program

The Commission approved a unique regulation allowing trappers to gain prior authorization from FWP to temporarily leave live wolves in traps for radio collaring purposes. Under this arrangement, the wolf would not be harvested, but the trapper would immediately notify FWP per the prior authorization agreement, and an FWP official would radio collar the wolf and release it from the trap.

Enhanced Inspection Requirements

New regulations require all harvested wolves to be presented to FWP for inspection within 10 days of harvest for pelt tagging, tissue sampling, and tooth extraction. Trappers must present both the hide and skull for tagging and sampling within 10 days of harvest.

“It is now illegal to leave a wolf hide and skull in the field after harvest, even if the hunter or trapper doesn’t want to keep the animal,” according to the release.

Federal Court Restrictions Continue

Despite the new state regulations, wolf trapping remains constrained by federal court orders in much of western Montana. Trapping within the court-designated geographic area—all of FWP regions 1, 2 and 3, plus portions of regions 4 and 5—will be limited to January 1 through February 15, the same restriction as last season.

Outside this geographic area, wolf trapping closes March 15, 2026, or when quotas are met.

Regulatory Changes

The Commission removed trapping setbacks on roads closed to motor vehicles and OHV traffic (except snowmobiles and unless in designated no-trapping areas) in Mineral County and on the Spotted Bear Ranger District in northwest Montana.

Archery wolf season opens September 6, while the general trapping season begins December 1, except within the federal court-designated area.

FWP staff will finalize the regulations and release them online in the coming days, with printed versions available later this summer.