Yellowstone wolves survived the Wyoming hunting season by returning over the invisible park border just in time - but sadly not the Montana hunting season. 

Animal lovers, advocates, and wildlife photographers are heartbroken and outraged over the death of Yellowstone's collared black wolf 1273M, often referred to as "Tripod" or "Trouble".

Women for Wolves shared his story on Facebook stating he was born in 2019 in Yellowstone to the Junction Butte Pack. The curious wolf got his nicknames from an incident early on in his life where he stole a photographer's tripod. 

Deby Dixon, wildlife photographer and author, recalled the day he earned those names. She wrote on Facebook, "The day he earned the nicknames Trouble and Tripod, I arrived in Little America to chaos. Rangers, people, cars parked in the road. A photographer was walking toward me with a tripod over his shoulder, and behind him was a black wolf.

The nonprofit organization shared, "After wildlife biologists used aversive conditioning to successfully teach him to avoid humans, he matured into a wild behavior pattern and helped establish the Rescue Creek Pack." 

He remained out of sight and as far away from humans as possible, living as a wild wolf. 

His life ended far too soon when he ventured outside the invisible protection of the park and into Montana. On September 25, he was shot and killed during hunting season in Montana in subunit 313, located just outside Yellowstone. 

Many believe that all wolves should be protected, but especially collared ones. According to National Park Service, "Within Yellowstone National Park, no hunting of wolves is allowed. Outside the park, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming regulate and manage hunting. Because wolves do not recognize political boundaries and often move between different jurisdictions, some wolves that live within the park for most of the year, but at times move outside the park, are taken in the hunts." 

The Montana hunting season opened in early September and runs through March 15, 2027, with an approved harvest quota of 300 wolves. One wolf is too many, but 300 is catastrophic. 

Help protect gray wolves in Montana here.