Killed by the Governor

Yellowstone's wolf tourism significantly boosts Montana's economy, supporting local businesses in the surrounding communities. Wolves like 1155M bring immense value to residents, visitors, and scientific research. However, despite this, 1155M became another victim of trophy hunting—not killed for sustenance, but to serve as a personal trophy.

Crystal Creek pack origins

The Mollie’s pack is the oldest wolf pack in Yellowstone National Park, with roots tracing back to the original Crystal Creek pack from the 1995 wolf reintroduction.

A new territory

In May 1996, a territorial confrontation with the newly released Druid Peak pack forced the Crystal Creek alpha female, 5F, and a subordinate male, 6M, to leave Lamar Valley. The pair ventured approximately 25 miles south to Pelican Valley, seeking a new territory and the beginning of a new chapter.

Adapting to harsh winters

During the summer, Pelican Valley is abundant with elk, providing ample hunting opportunities for wolves. However, as winter sets in, the elk migrate from the high-altitude to lower elevations. To supplement their winter diet, the Crystal Creek pack was the first wolf pack in Yellowstone to hunt bison, a far more formidable prey than elk—showcasing their adaptability and resilience in the face of challenging conditions.

Honoring a legacy

In 2000, the Crystal Creek pack was renamed Mollie’s pack in honor of Mollie Beattie, the courageous U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Director whose instrumental efforts made the wolf reintroduction to Yellowstone possible. The pack, known for its lineage of strong, robust males, continues to excel in hunting bison to this day.

Birth of 1155M

1155M was born into the Mollie's pack in 2014, the offspring of alpha pair 779F and 980M. At the age of two, 1155M, along with his brothers 1014M and 1015M, were eager to set out on their own and dispersed from the pack.

Joining the Wapiti Lake pack

The three brothers ventured into the territory of the neighboring Wapiti Lake pack, where they encountered the White Alpha Female and her yearling daughter. The powerful trio displaced the aging Wapiti alpha male, 755M, who was once the mate of the famous 06, setting the stage for a new era in the pack's history.

Panzer Gnauck

Joining the 8-Mile pack

In late November 2018, the Wapiti Lake pack left their home territory in search of better elk hunting opportunities. Their journey led them northward, where they crossed into the eastern portion of the rival 8-Mile pack’s territory. A fierce confrontation ensued, resulting in the defeat of the 8-Mile pack's alpha male and other male members. Following the battle, 1155M remained in the 8-Mile pack’s territory alongside his brother, 1015M, who assumed the role of the new alpha male.

Wild Love Images — Julie Argyle Wildlife Photography

A tragic end for 1155M

During the 2021 breeding season, 1155M ventured beyond Yellowstone Park's boundaries in search of a mate, unaware of the dangers awaiting him. Montana's wolf trophy hunting season was in full swing, making the wilderness a perilous place for a wandering wolf.

Approximately 20 miles north of the park, on a private ranch, a trapper had concealed a steel-jawed leghold trap beneath the dirt, hoping to ensnare an unsuspecting animal. Tragically, 1155M became its victim.The trap's spring-loaded jaws snapped shut on his foreleg, causing immense pain and suffering as it held him captive. Despite his desperate attempts to escape, the trap's jaws only cut deeper into his limb.

Traps like these are barbaric and inhumane, subjecting animals to prolonged agony, often leading to death by injury, starvation, or the eventual arrival of the trapper who will kill the animal. More than 100 countries have banned or heavily restricted the use of these traps, yet only a few states in the U.S. have taken similar action.

Immobilized and vulnerable, 1155M was left to suffer. On Feb. 15, 2021, Montana’s newly elected governor, Greg Gianforte, was the trapper who approached the desperate wolf. Despite the large radio collar around 1155M’s neck, which clearly identified him as part of the important scientific research in Yellowstone, Gianforte chose to kill him rather than release the trap and set him free.

Gianforte later remarked, “I put a lot of time in over many, many years and not every sportsman is fortunate to ultimately harvest a wolf,” later stating he intended to mount the wolf as a trophy on his wall. The use of the term “harvest” attempts to soften the reality of the act—crops are harvested, but wolves are killed._‍