A Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission member has put forward three amendments to the state’s 2026–27 furbearer and wolf hunting and trapping seasons, with the commission set to take them up at an early-morning meeting in Helena on Wednesday.
Region 1 Commissioner Ian Wargo drafted the proposals, which touch on bobcat quotas, regional wolf harvest limits, and the creation of a new wolf management unit. The full commission will consider the amendments beginning at 8 a.m. on August 19 at the Montana Heritage Center in Helena. The meeting is also available via Zoom, and members of the public may comment during the session.
What the Amendments Would Change
The first amendment would hold the Region 1 bobcat quota steady at 200 for another year, preserving the current cap rather than adjusting it for the new season. It would also strip out proposed wolf subquotas that had been set to apply between September 5 and December 31, removing that intermediate management layer from Region 1.
The second amendment restructures how wolf harvest limits are distributed across the state. Under Wargo’s proposal, Region 1 would carry a quota of 135 wolves, Region 2 would be capped at 95, and Region 3 at 33. Wildlife management units 313 and 316 would each receive a separate quota of three wolves under the same amendment.
The third amendment creates an entirely new wolf management unit built around deer and elk hunting districts 140, 141, and 150. A general wolf hunting season in that new unit would run from September 15, 2026 through June 15, 2027 — a nine-month window that extends well past the typical end of winter trapping seasons.
Context for the Commission
Montana’s Fish and Wildlife Commission holds authority over season-setting, quotas, and harvest structures for furbearers and large predators. Wolf management in the state has remained a recurring flash point, with debates over population levels, livestock depredation, and tribal interests intersecting with harvest decisions each season.
Wargo’s regional approach to wolf quotas reflects ongoing efforts to tailor management to local population dynamics rather than applying a single statewide figure. Region 1, covering the northwest corner of the state, historically supports higher wolf densities given its proximity to established pack territories in and around Glacier National Park and the Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem.
The proposed nine-month season in the newly defined management unit is among the more notable elements of the package. Stretching from mid-September into mid-June, it would cover both fall hunting and spring trapping windows, giving hunters and trappers considerably more opportunity in those specific districts than a standard season would allow.
The federal Roadless Rule debate has added a layer of complexity to Montana’s wildlife management landscape this year, as proposed changes to National Forest access could affect how hunters and trappers reach remote backcountry districts — including areas where wolf and furbearer seasons operate.
What Comes Next
The commission will hear public comment on all three amendments at Wednesday’s meeting before deliberating. It is not yet clear whether the commission will vote on the proposals at that session or take additional time for review.
If adopted, the amendments would shape the regulatory framework for the 2026–27 wolf and bobcat seasons before hunters and trappers take to the field this fall. The September 15 start date for the new management unit gives the commission little margin to delay a decision if it intends to finalize rules before seasons open.
Wildlife policy in Montana carries weight in a state where hunting and trapping are deeply embedded in the rural economy and cultural identity. Commission decisions on predator management frequently draw close attention from livestock producers, outfitters, conservation groups, and tribal nations — many of whom are expected to weigh in during Wednesday’s public comment period.
