A poaching investigation has been started for the killing of a possibly famous female Yellowstone wolf. The killing is believed to have occurred at night on December 25th, just north of Yellowstone National Park. Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks started investigating after a mortality signal from the wolf’s collar was received in Jardine, Montana. When officials reached the area, they saw the collar had been cut off and thrown into a tree, and they did not find a wolf carcass. While it is not inherently illegal to take a collared wolf in Montana according to the regulations when done in season and in the proper management units, it is to be noted that collared wolves provide important information for population monitoring and managing livestock depredations. In this case, though, the killing was done out of season, as the Montana Wolf Management Unit 313 had closed to wolf hunting over a month prior, on November 16.
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While Montana officials have not stated which wolf had been killed, wildlife advocacy groups and the greater wolf community are confidently saying that the killed wolf is 1478F. A part of Yellowstone National Park’s most prominent and visible wolf pack, the Junction Butte pack, 1478F was born in April of 2022 and was one of the most beloved members of the pack for wolf trackers and visitors alike due to her demeanor and hunting skills. While Yellowstone wolves generally spend most of their time inside the national park, where they are protected. They do occasionally venture outside the park, where state regulations determine their protection status.
Writer for AllOutdoor.com and OutdoorHub.com Lifelong angler that will fish for anything that swim, firearms enthusiast, and hunter. Instagram – mrfish49
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