1. Peter Barnhard
A Student’s Guide to the Reintroduction and Delisting of Gray Wolves in the
Northern Rocky Mountain Area
Introduction:
The reintroduction of gray wolves into Yellowstone National Park has had a
number of beneficial impacts for the environment as well as native species. Many
local businesses near the park have flourished due to the thousands of visitors that
come every year to see the wolves, (Greater Yellowstone Coalition, 2008). Since
their reintroduction, the number of gray wolves has increased to the point that the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service deemed them no longer endangered, and in 2011,
removed the gray wolf from the Endangered Species List.
However, some gray wolf populations have migrated outside the Yellowstone
National Park territory, (National Park Service, 2014). Consequently, a number of
incidents have risen where cattle ranchers and farmers find wolves preying on their
livestock. A farmer’s livestock is their livelihood, and losing even one animal is a loss
of thousands of dollars, (Welch, C., 2014). The question is: how should wolves be
managed? Should wolves be hunted? Since the delisting of gray wolves, the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service has allowed limited hunting of wolves in states surrounding
Yellowstone National Park. This has stirred a volatile debate throughout the nation
between different stakeholder groups, many of who are important financial
contributors to wildlife agencies. With valid arguments coming from both sides of
the debate, there are no clear solutions for wildlife managers. However, this case

2. study highlights a number of key lessons students majoring in wildlife can learn
from.
Gray Wolves in the Yellowstone States:
Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872, (Doug Smith, 2014).
Following its establishment, people conducted mass hunting of gray wolves with the
goal to eradicate them, and did so by the year 1926, (Doug Smith, 2014). Both fear
and misinformation guided the eradication of wolves, without any knowledge on
gray wolves’ actual impact and ecological importance.
In 1973, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Northern Rocky
Mountain Wolf as an endangered species, under protection of the Endangered
Species Act, (National Park Service, 2014). Between 1995 and 1997, the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service released 41 gray wolves from northwest Montana and Canada
into Yellowstone National Park, (National Park Service, 2014). Within a couple of
years after the reintroduction, gray wolf populations were steadily increasing, and a
number of drastic changes took place in the Yellowstone ecosystem, (National Park
Service, 2014).
Scientists termed this type of change “trophic cascade,” where the effects of
predators ripple down the trophic levels to primary producers, (Greater
Yellowstone Coalition, 2014). Overpopulated species such as deer, elk, and moose
were preyed upon by the wolves, resulting in more balanced ungulate populations,
as well as changes in ungulate behavior, (Greater Yellowstone Coalition, 2014).
Wolves preying on deer and elk populations actually keep those ungulate
populations strong and healthy, because wolves prefer to prey on sick, old, and

3. vulnerable ungulates, (Western Wolf Coalition, 2009). With gray wolves back, many
deer and elk species began avoiding certain areas of the park such as river valleys
and gorges, (Greater Yellowstone Coalition, 2014). The absence of deer and elk in
certain areas allowed canopy vegetation such as Cottonwood, Aspen, and Willow to
re-grow in those areas where they were decimated by overgrazing, (Greater
Yellowstone Coalition, 2014). The re-growth of Aspen, Willow, and Cottonwood
forests made niches available for migratory birds and beavers, and created an influx
of those species back into Yellowstone, (Greater Yellowstone Coalition, 2014). With
more beavers in Yellowstone, more dams were constructed, which created habitat
for otters, muskrats, and fish such as trout, (Greater Yellowstone Coalition, 2014).
Besides hunting ungulates, gray wolves also killed competitors such as coyotes,
which allowed populations of small mammals such as mice and rabbits to grow,
(Greater Yellowstone Coalition, 2014). The increase in small mammals meant more
food for species such as eagles, hawks, and foxes, and consequently caused an
increase in those predators, (Greater Yellowstone Coalition, 2014).
Wolves hunting deer, elk, and moose consequently meant more ungulate
carcasses. These carcasses provided food for scavengerssuch as bears, vultures,
hawks, foxes, and caused their populations to rise, (Greater Yellowstone Coalition,
2014). Ultimately, the reintroduction of gray wolves into Yellowstone created more
niches in the environment, which increased the number and diversity of species
within the park. Even the river systems were indirectly changed by the presence of
wolves, due to the increase in vegetation along riverbanks that was previously
overgrazed by ungulates, (Greater Yellowstone Coalition, 2014). More vegetation

4. along riverbanks meant more stabilized soil, and therefore less erosion, (Greater
Yellowstone Coalition, 2014). The stabilization of riverbanks caused river channels
in Yellowstone to narrow and increase in flow rate, which provided better habitat
for many aquatic species such as trout, (Greater Yellowstone Coalition, 2014).
Gray wolves also have an economically beneficial impact for the Yellowstone
States. Every year, the state of Wyoming receives a huge amount of tourism, with
people visiting primarily for wildlife watching, (Greater Yellowstone Coalition,
2008). Of those tourists visiting for wildlife watching, almost 50% come specifically
to see gray wolves, (Greater Yellowstone Coalition, 2008). In 2008, tourists spent
$2.7 billion throughout Wyoming’s communities, (Greater Yellowstone Coalition,
2008). Throughout the three-state area surrounding Yellowstone National Park,
tourists who specifically wanted to see gray wolves spent approximately $35.5
million in 2008, (Greater Yellowstone Coalition, 2008). The tourist attraction to gray
wolves is a huge revenue source for communities surrounding Yellowstone National
Park, with many businesses depending on tourist revenue.
Since the reintroduction of gray wolves into Yellowstone, the gray wolf
population has grown to the point that many packs are migrating out of Yellowstone
and into the surrounding Northern Rocky mountain environment, (National Park
Service, 2014). In 2011, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimated there to be
around 1,650 wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountain area, with 244 packs
throughout Yellowstone National Park and the states surrounding the park,
(National Park Service, 2014). However, with the migration of wolves out of
Yellowstone, there have been numerous human-wildlife conflicts. According to the

5. Western Wolf Coalition, an organization dedicated to the sound management of
wolves in the western United States, hundreds of sheep and cattle are killed each
year by wolves. In 2005, wolves killed 244 sheep in Idaho, (Western Wolf Coalition,
2009). In 2006, 237 sheep were killed by wolves, and in 2007, 185 sheep were
killed, (Western Wolf Coalition, 2009). Losing cattle and sheep means a major loss of
revenue for cattle ranchers. Dave Dashiell, a cattle rancher in Washington State, lost
33 sheep to wolves in 2014, costing him and his wife over $100,000, (Welch, C.,
2014).
With the major environmental value of wolves versus the wolves’ killing of
livestock, there are no clear solutions for wildlife managers. However, in 2011, the
U.S Fish and Wildlife Service deemed the gray wolf populations out west healthy and
numerous enough to be de-listed from the Endangered Species Act, leaving the
management of gray wolves to state wildlife agencies, (National Park Service, 2014).
Management of Gray Wolves:
State wildlife agencies in the Northern Rocky Mountain states including
Wyoming, Washington, Idaho, and Montana have the responsibility of managing
gray wolves, (National Park Service, 2014). Once agencies submit a conservation
plan that is approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, state wildlife agencies are
authorized to carry them out, (Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, 2014). Many of
these conservation and management plans include the seasonal hunting of gray
wolves. For example, the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks agency’s goal is to not
only keep the gray wolf off the Federal Endangered Species list, but to also decrease
the number of wolves in Montana through hunting in order to manage wolf impacts

6. on livestock, (Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, 2014). In 2013, the Montana Fish,
Wildlife and Parks agency documented 230 wolves killed by hunters and trappers.
In addition, a new state law allows landowners to kill up to 100 wolves per year if
they deem nearby wolves a threat to their livestock, (Montana Fish, Wildlife and
Parks, 2014). Besides allowing wolf hunting and selling wolf hunting licenses, the
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks agency also carries out monitoring reports to help
conserve gray wolves. The “Wolf Team,” of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks agency
conducts flight-monitoring reports on radio-collared wolves every 4-6 weeks to
obtain wolf population estimates. Besides flight monitoring, the Wolf Team also
monitors wolf numbers using trail cameras, howling surveys, and public wolf
reports, all with the intention to maintain at least 15 breeding wolf pairs and 150
wolves in Montana, (Alderman, J., 2009). Finally, any person caught killing a wolf out
of hunting season or without a hunting license is subject to civil and criminal
penalties, (Alderman, J., 2009).
However, despite state and federal agencies’ efforts to conserve wolves and
protect livestock through monitoring and controlled hunts, the de-listing and
hunting of gray wolves has become a volatile national controversy, stimulating
heated debates between different stakeholder groups.
Stakeholder Arguments:
When it comes to managing wildlife, both federal agencies and state agencies
must work with the public, whether it is through having open public commentary on
proposed bills, allowing hunting and fishing, public outreach and education,
working with non-governmental organizations to achieve a common goal, or

7. receiving funding from supportive stakeholder groups. The de-listing and hunting of
gray wolves has largely polarized public stakeholder groups across the country.
Many of these stakeholder groups, such as the Greater Yellowstone Coalition and the
Boone and Crockett Club, are taking different sides on this issue, yet are well
educated when it comes to wildlife management. Since many stakeholder groups on
both sides of the issue have valid arguments, there are no clear solutions for wildlife
managers when it comes to working with the public to reach a common goal,
especially when that common goal differs between stakeholder groups.
One of the arguments against the hunting of wolves comes from Doug Smith,
the Wolf Project Leader at Yellowstone National Park. Smith’s argument comes from
an ethical standpoint, and questions whether we as humans have the right to wipe
out a species or limit it to certain areas. Smith does not believe so. Many
conservationists share this preservationist view, which is that wildlife has an
intrinsic or inherent self-value regardless of its use to humans.
Outdoors organizations that provide Yellowstone National Park tours depend
on the existence of gray wolves in the park to make a living, (Greater Yellowstone
Coalition, 2008). As a result, many of these outdoor businesses support the
protection of gray wolves, (Greater Yellowstone Coalition, 2008).
Other groups such as lawyers from Boston College argue that the de-listing of
gray wolves was unlawful. According to Jesse Alderman of the Boston College Law
Review Journal, the initial 2008 de-listing of the gray wolf by the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service violated section 4 of the Endangered Species Act, and the U.S.
Supreme Court doctrine from the 1983 case “Vehicle Manufacturers Association vs.

8. State Farm Mutual Insurance.” Under section 4(a)(1)(D) of the Endangered Species
Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must guarantee adequacy of state wildlife
regulatory mechanisms before delisting a wildlife species, (Alderman, J., 2009).
Unlike Idaho’s and Montana’s state agency conservation plans, Wyoming’s wolf
conservation plan was not approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service leading up
to 2007, (Alderman, J., 2009). However, after Wyoming made minor modifications to
its plan, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service quickly approved Wyoming’s wolf
conservation plan in 2007, (Alderman, J., 2009). Compared to Idaho’s and Montana’s
plans, however, Wyoming’s plan was no where near as adequate for conserving
wolves.
In addition, the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service’s 1994 Environmental Impact
Statement required that before it de-listed a species, the agency must be able to
prove there is adequate genetic exchange and connectivity between subpopulations
to ensure genetic diversity, (Alderman, J., 2009). However, upon the initial delisting
in 2008, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had no proof of genetic connectivity
between gray wolf subpopulations of the Yellowstone states, (Alderman, J., 2009).
Consequently, by not providing proof, the agency changed its own recovery
standards and rules without a reasonable explanation, violating the U.S. Supreme
Court doctrine from the 1983 case “Vehicle Manufacturers Association vs. State
Farm Mutual Insurance.” This 1983 doctrine makes it unlawful for a federal agency
to reverse its own guiding policies without a reasoned analysis, (Alderman, J., 2009).
The only reason the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided was a future tense

9. statement that genetic exchange was very likely in the future given the distribution
of wolves, with no present proof to support that statement, (Alderman, J., 2009).
There are also valid arguments that support the hunting of gray wolves. The
Boone and Crockett Club (B&C Club) is one of the oldest wildlife conservation
organizations in the United States, founded in 1887 by Theodore Roosevelt, (B&C
Club, 2014). Its mission is to, “promote the conservation and management of
wildlife, especially big game, and its habitat, to preserve and encourage hunting and
to maintain the highest ethical standards of fair chase and sportsmanship in North
America.” The Boone and Crockett club strongly supports the delisting and hunting
of gray wolves as big game species, in order to conserve the gray wolf species, as
well as regulate its population numbers to meet the biological and cultural carrying
capacity of its environment, (B&C Club, 2014). In addition, the Boone and Crockett
club believes wolves should be regulated and hunted to respect private property,
such as cattle ranchers’ livestock, and to protect human wellbeing.
Other stakeholder groups, such as cattle ranchers and farmers, support the
hunting of wolves in order to protect their livestock. As seen with Dave Dashiell, a
cattle rancher in Washington State, after losing 33 sheep to wolves, him and his wife
lost over $100,000, which has put them in economic jeopardy, (Welch, C., 2014).
Key Lessons for Wildlife Majors:
The national controversy surrounding the reintroduction, delisting, and
hunting of gray wolves provides undergraduates majoring in wildlife a number of
key lessons to learn from. First, wildlife management in large part requires the
management of humans. The Endangered Species Act, for example, is a law that

10. protects endangered or threatened wildlife by enforcing limitations on human
activity that could harm those wildlife species. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks
agency is managing wolves by allowing limited hunting of wolves, enforcing that
hunters must have licenses and hunt in the appropriate season, and criminally
charging persons who violate these hunting laws. In order to conserve and manage
wildlife, wildlife agencies must manage the impact of humans on wildlife through
enforcing laws and regulations.
Second, the fact that wildlife management involves managing humans means
that students majoring in wildlife need to take conflict resolution classes. Conflict
resolution, or the ability to mediate between opposing groups to solve a problem, as
well as professionally handling arguments with the public, is a critical skill. Since
wildlife agencies must work with the public, wildlife managers need to have conflict
resolution skills as well as public speaking skills. Without these skills, important
stakeholders may pull volunteer programs or funding if they deem a wildlife
manager cannot professionally conduct himself or herself and work with the public.
Conclusion:
Gray wolves are critical ecosystem engineers in environments out west,
creating more niches in habitats for other native species to fill. However, due to
their territoriality and population growth, some gray wolf packs have migrated
outside of Yellowstone National Park. Consequently, cattle ranchers and farmers
have suffered some losses in livestock to gray wolf predation. With the delisting of
the gray wolf from the Endangered Species list, state wildlife agencies near
Yellowstone National Park have adopted management plans that include the

11. seasonal hunting of gray wolves. The reintroduction, delisting, and hunting of gray
wolves became a national controversy, with many legitimate wildlife stakeholder
groups taking stands on different sides of the issue. Wildlife agencies cannot create
wildlife management plans that please all stakeholder groups, but what they can do
is deal with stakeholder groups in a professional manner that facilitates public
cooperation and education. This skill of conflict resolution is critical, and one that
undergraduate wildlife majors must learn in order to successfully work in the field
of wildlife management and conservation.
Citations
1. Alderman, J. (2009). Crying wolf: The unlawful delisting of Northern Rocky
Mountain Gray Wolves from Endangered Species Act protections. Boston
College Law Review, 50(4), 1195-1242. http://www.heinonline.org.proxy-
um.researchport.umd.edu/HOL/Page?public=false&handle=hein.journals/bc
lr50&men_hide=false&men_tab=toc&collection=journals&page=1195#1207
The purpose of using this article from the journal “Boston College Law
Review” is to provide an example of a stakeholder group against the hunting
of gray wolves. This article highlights a number of provisions within the
Endangered Species Act that were violated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service upon delisting the gray wolf. In addition, a number of defects in the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s delisting rules were discussed, including how
the Service disregarded its own rule that there must be evidence of genetic
linkages between gray wolf populations throughout the Northern Rocky
states to ensure genetic diversity.
2. Boone and Crockett Club. (2008). Experts reaffirm Boone and Crockett Club
position on wolves. Retrieved from http://www.boone-
crockett.org/conservation/conservation_wolves.asp
The purpose of using this online article was to provide a stakeholder
argument from a legitimate wildlife organization that was for the hunting of
wolves. Boone and Crockett Club, being one of the oldest wildlife
conservation organizations, strengthens the ethos of my paper.

12. 3. Greater Yellowstone Coalition. (2014). How wolves change rivers. Retrieved
from http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=91e_1392504581
The Greater Yellowstone Coalition is a national organization dedicated to
protecting the Greater Yellowstone ecosystems. The purpose of using this
educational video is to demonstrate that gray wolves provide enormous
benefits to ecosystems, including regulating ungulate populations, which
allows other species to exist within Yellowstone Park. This gives my audience
insight to the ecological importance of gray wolves and why many groups do
not support the hunting of gray wolves.
4. Greater Yellowstone Coalition. (2014). Wolves belong in Greater Yellowstone.
Retrieved from http://greateryellowstone.org/videos/video.php?id=19
This educational video also describes the ecological importance of gray
wolves. Doug Smith, a park ranger at Yellowstone National Park, is the lead
wildlife manager of gray wolves. Smith raises a number of ethical questions
regarding wolf control, including do we as humans have the right to eradicate
a species or restrict it to certain areas? Doug Smith does not believe so. The
purpose of using this video is to establish credible authority in my paper.
Using the knowledge and opinion of Ranger Smith and the Greater
Yellowstone Coalition makes my paper more credible to my audience.
5. Greater Yellowstone Coalition. (2008). Wolves and economics. Retrieved from
http://www.greateryellowstone.org/uploads/WOLVES_AND_ECONOMICS.p
df
The purpose of using this article is to demonstrate the economic benefits of
gray wolves. Eco-tourists travelling to Wyoming to see wolves brought in
$2.7 billion in 2008 alone. This provides another strong stakeholder
argument against the hunting of gray wolves, because many local businesses
in the Yellowstone area rely on the presence of gray wolves to make a living.
6. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. (2014). Wolf program. Retrieved from
http://fwp.mt.gov/fishAndWildlife/management/wolf/
The purpose of using this article was to provide an example of a wolf
management plan to undergraduate students majoring in wildlife.
7. National Park Service. (2014). Wolf information continued. Retrieved from
http://www.nps.gov/yell/naturescience/wolfinfo.htm
The purpose of using the National Park Service website on wolves was to
provide information on the background and history of their reintroduction,
as well as threats to their survival.

13. 8. Welch, C. (2014, October 23). Learning to live with wolves. Yakima Herald.
Retrieved from
http://www.yakimaherald.com/photosandvideos/statephotos/2553167-
8/learning-to-live-with-wolves
The purpose of using this online article is to establish my authority. Yakima
Herald is a newspaper based out in Seattle, Washington, where gray wolf
populations exist. I am also using this article because it provides perspectives
from ranchers, farmers, and other groups that have been negatively impacted
by wolves. Addressing the other side of an argument is critical in maintaining
ethos.
9. Western Wolf Coalition. (2009). Western Wolves: Wolf conflict facts. Retrieved
from http://www.westernwolves.org/index.php/wolf-conflict-facts
The purpose of using this online article was to provide statistical data on the
number of sheep and cattle killed each year by gray wolves. In order to
preserve the ethos of my paper, I must also address the negative impacts
wolves have on the Northern Rocky Mountain area.