BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) -- Montana wildlife commissioners on Tuesday shut down wolf hunting near Yellowstone National Park after nine of the predators were killed there in recent weeks, but kept the statewide wolf harvest quota unchanged at 75 animals.
Hunting was suspended near Yellowstone last week, after an early season backcountry harvest nearly filled the 12 wolf quota for most of the southern half of the state.
Environmentalists subsequently pressed for a reduction in the statewide quota. Others pushed for a higher quota to allow more hunting elsewhere in the Yellowstone region, to help curb wolf attacks on livestock.
Striking a middle ground, the five-member Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission voted unanimously to keep the statewide quota in place but close the backcountry area for the remainder of the season.
This year's hunt is the first since wolves came off the endangered species list this spring in Montana and neighboring Idaho.
