Where Did Montana's Wildlife Go? The Data Behind the Empty Wilderness

Montana’s “empty wilderness” isn’t just a hunter’s impression. A new video from Rebuilding Earth argues that the state’s modern wildlife numbers are still recovering from major historical shocks, especially commercial hunting of large mammals. The article points to bison being effectively erased from Montana within roughly two decades in the late 1800s, after hide hunting drove the species down to extinction in the state by the 1880s. It also describes elk wintering herds in valleys like the Bitterroot, Blackfoot, and Clark Fork being heavily depleted by market hunters before early regulations slowed the losses. Today, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks manages elk across more than 150 districts, often still below biological carrying capacity, with recovery taking generations.