Emotions were strong as hundreds of hunters and trappers from Northwest Montana made their feelings known about wolves in the region at a gathering Wednesday at the Red Lion in Kalispell.

The meeting, one of a handful that have been held in Region 1 this winter, was organized by the Montana Sportsmen for Fish and Game, and Idaho-based Foundation for Wildlife Management.

Thompson Falls resident Glenn Schenavar opened the meeting, explaining the goals of the groups, primarily to reduce wolf numbers in Northwest Montana to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stated objective of 150.

That figure is the minimum threshold to keep wolves off the federal endangered species list, which allows states to manage wolves.

“We are deeply concerned about the reduction of elk in our…