Game wardens with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks are seeking information from the public about an illegally killed wolf near Gardiner in December.
According to an FWP press release, officials received a mortality signal from a wolf collar in the Jardine area late last month. They found the collar had been cut off the animal and thrown into a tree, but did not find a wolf carcass.
Montana’s wolf hunting season has been open since September, with a statewide quota of 452 wolves to be hunted and trapped through mid-March. In addition to the statewide quota, there is a three-wolf quota for each of two wolf management units just north of Yellowstone National Park.
The wolf collar was located in wolf management unit 313, which closed to hunting and trapping on Nov. 16 after hunters killed three wolves and met the localized quota.
Game wardens believe the collared wolf was killed around 10 p.m. on Christmas Day.
Anyone with possible information is encouraged to contact Gardiner game warden Kameron Rauser at 406-224-5207 or visit tipmont.mt.gov to provide details. Members of the public who bring contact the department with tips may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
