MISSOULA – Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks reports a spike in people purchasing licenses to hunt wolves in the state after a judge declined to stop the hunt.
Agency spokeswoman Vivaca Crowser said about 150 wolf tags were purchased Wednesday, the same day U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy denied a request by environmentalists and animal welfare groups to stop the hunts in Idaho and Montana.
She says sales have been steady since then, keeping game offices busy.
The wolf hunting season in Montana starts next Tuesday in four specific backcountry areas, and then throughout three larger management areas on Oct. 25.
Idaho’s season is already under way.
Idaho and Montana plan to kill more than 20 percent of the estimated 1,350 wolves in the two states.
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