Georgia of Polebridge offers a heartfelt defense of wolves, but her recent commentary leaves out essential information Montanans need to make informed decisions about wildlife management. Good conservation requires full data, not selective storytelling.
First, her reliance on “confirmed” wolf depredation numbers ignores the broader, well-documented impacts predators have on livestock. Verified kills represent only carcasses investigators can locate. They do not include calves that disappear, stress-related pregnancy losses, reduced conception rates, or lower weaning weights — all supported by peer-reviewed research. These indirect losses often exceed the value of confirmed kills, and rising grizzly depredation across western Montana compounds the problem.
Second, Georgia cites statewide elk totals as evidence that predators have little impact. But wildlife trends in Montana are regional, not uniform. Central and eastern districts now hold elk populations above objective due to abundant habitat and lower predator pressure. In contrast, the Bitterroot, Madison, Big Hole, and parts of northwest Montana have experienced long-term declines in calf recruitment under sustained wolf and grizzly presence. One statewide number cannot represent such diverse conditions.
Third, claims that wolves broadly “restore ecosystems” oversimplify complex ecological processes. Even the early Yellowstone trophic-cascade theories have been significantly revised. Working landscapes — where livestock, wildlife, and people interact daily — do not behave like national parks.
At the core of this debate is a fundamental truth: Mother Nature does not practice conservation. People do.
Conservation means the wise use of natural resources — responsible, science-based stewardship rather than decisions shaped by preference, bias, or partial narratives.
When wildlife policy is guided by storytelling instead of comprehensive science, we undermine effective management. Montana can support healthy predator populations and strong rural communities, but only if we base decisions on the whole picture.
With respect, Georgia’s column argues from fragments. Montanans deserve better.
Tom Opre is the founder of Shepherds of Wildlife. He lives in Columbia Falls.