Montana’s wolf population remains mostly on the western side of the state where there is plenty of cover, large game and livestock. Since the reintroduction of wolves over twenty years ago when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released 66 wolves from Canada into Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, 31 wolves into Yellowstone National Park and 35 into central Idaho, ranchers have seen the aftermath of wolves preying on cattle and sheep. This year, Washington, Idaho and Montana’s confirmed livestock deaths due to wolves from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are on the rise.

For western Montana rancher Mykal Kirkpatrick, wolves have been hurting her and her husband’s bottom line since shortly after the reintroduction and compensation from the Montana Game, Fish and Parks doesn’t always work.

“Within the first five years, we came off the forest one year and we were 18 calves short,” Kirkpatrick says…