Wyoming wildlife officials report that the majority of the famed Mollie’s Pack has retreated to its traditional home inside Yellowstone National Park. The pack, named for former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Mollie Beattie, spent the summer in the Absaroka Range northwest of Cody, sparking heated threats from hunters and even a brief $10,000 bounty offer to identify anyone who legally killed a pack member.
Pack Back in Core Territory
“They’ve mostly been back in the park, and that includes the pups,” said Yellowstone Wolf Project Leader Dan Stahler. “The last couple months, they’re back in their home core territory.” The pack’s return improves the odds that its wolves will avoid the state‑run hunting season that opens Tuesday.
Oldest Known Wolf Faces Scrutiny
One of the pack’s remaining members, a 12‑year‑old female identified as Wolf 1090F, is among the oldest wolves ever recorded in Wyoming. “She is dangerously close to being the oldest wolf ever recorded in Wyoming,” noted Wyoming Game and Fish Department Deputy Director Jeff Davis.
State Officials Hold Firm on Hunt Regulations
Despite public pressure, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission declined to modify the hunting regulations for Hunt Area 1, where the pack previously denned. Interim Director Eric Wiltanger explained, “We manage our populations not based around one animal.” He added that the agency received roughly 1,100 emails in a five‑minute span last week, underscoring the intensity of the public response.
Historical Context and Recent Precedent
Wyoming has previously adjusted hunting rules to protect high‑profile wildlife. In 2018, a proposed grizzly bear hunt was halted after a judge blocked the season and the state created a buffer zone around Grand Teton National Park’s bears. However, officials chose not to extend special protections to Mollie’s Pack, even though the wolves were featured in an IMAX documentary.
Voices From the Hunting Community
Renowned hunter and MeatEater founder Steve Rinella told his podcast that the pack’s natural return to Yellowstone might be “the best thing,” but warned against yielding to activist pressure. “The national forest and the state cannot capitulate to the mob and say we’ll extend park jurisdiction,” he said, adding, “I don’t hate you” to hunters who may target the wolves.
Social Media Sparks Controversy
Online, some hunters have issued graphic threats, while others, like Texas influencer Jonas Black, briefly offered a $10,000 bounty to expose hunters who kill a pack member. Black later withdrew the offer, noting Wyoming law protects the identity of legal wolf hunters.
Looking Ahead to the Hunting Season
Wyoming’s wolf season runs from early Tuesday through December, treating wolves as trophy game throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Game and Fish officials declined to disclose the pack’s exact location, cautioning that wolves may move outside park boundaries despite recent trends.
Large Carnivore Supervisor Dan Thompson summed up the situation: “These are unprecedented moves, so it’s hard to predict what may or may not happen.” As the season approaches, both wildlife managers and hunters remain on high alert, aware that the fate of Mollie’s Pack could set a precedent for future wildlife management in the state.
Original reporting: Oil City News (Casper WY) — read the source article.
