Outdoor Life recently reported that the Trump administration has put wolf management back on the federal agenda, giving the Interior Department 90 days to determine whether gray wolves and Mexican wolves have recovered enough to lose some or all of their Endangered Species Act protections. The directive is part of a broader executive order aimed at helping cattle ranchers, particularly those dealing with livestock losses from predators. It could loosen restrictions around removing problem wolves and hand more management authority to individual states. But Outdoor Life notes that the effects would vary considerably: Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming already manage gray wolves at the state level, while states such as California, Washington, and Oregon, along with parts of the Southwest, could see more significant changes because wolves there remain federally protected.
The article also delves into a less obvious part of the wolf-and-ranching debate: the costs don’t necessarily stop with livestock that are actually killed. It cites research suggesting cattle exposed to wolves can experience increased stress and lower weight gain, potentially creating additional financial losses for producers.
Meanwhile, states already operate programs that compensate ranchers for livestock lost to predators. Mexican wolves make the picture even more complicated, though, as their population has grown and wildlife agencies are already evaluating whether the subspecies could qualify for downlisting.
So, in short, this isn’t an overnight rewrite of wolf policy. It’s the beginning of a federal review that could eventually change who has the final say when wolves, livestock, and wildlife management all meet at the same place.
For details, you can check out the full article at Outdoor Life here.
Montana's outdoor week, in your inbox at 7am Friday.