As of Monday morning, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department has sold more than 800 wolf tags.
Wolves were delisted in Wyoming last month, and this is the first time hunters have been able to buy licenses to hunt them in the state.
Before a hunter can shoot a wolf in one of the 12 legal hunting areas, he or she has to call an 800-number to confirm the wolf harvest quota hasn’t been reached. After a wolf is killed, the hunter has to call an 800-number again to notify Game and Fish of the kill.
Game and Fish spokesman Eric Keszler says the hunter then has five days to bring the skull and hide to a department office or game warden, so a wildlife biologist can take a sample.
“Part of our management responsibility … is to track the population, track genetic interchange among wolves in Wyoming as well as the other states, just to keep tabs on how wolf populations are doing.”
Keszler says there are an unlimited number of wolf hunting licenses available, but the state mortality quota is 52 wolves. Wolf season opens October first.