Number of elk in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming

March 21, 2005

How many elk are there anyway in the three Northern Rocky Mountains states where wolves have been restored?

I have been asked that question many times, and now I have the figures.

Idaho and Montana both have about 130,000 elk and Wyoming has 92,000. Wyoming was easy because they publish an annual report.

Hunter success rate is interesting: 19.2% in Idaho. 19.6% in Montana and 39.8% in Wyoming, the state where there is the most bitching about how wolves have killed all the elk. Of course, objective conditions and satisfaction or complaint about them are well known not to be closely related.