A Texas-based animal-rights influencer, Jonas Black of Austin, has publicly offered a $10,000 reward for the identities of any Wyoming hunters who lawfully harvest gray wolves venturing outside Yellowstone National Park. Black posted the reward to Facebook last Wednesday, featuring an AI-generated graphic titled “Wildlife Outlaws” and specifically targeting information regarding the harvest of wolf 1090F, the oldest living wolf in Yellowstone, or a member of her pack, Mollie's Pack. This pack is notably the last remaining intact group from the 1995-1996 reintroduction of Yellowstone wolves.
In his post, Black stated, "Anybody harvests one of these wolves during Wyoming’s wolf season and somebody snitches? That snitch gets ten grand cash.” He added a stark warning for hunters: “And the person who pulls the trigger? We’re going to make them famous. What happened to the guy who killed Cecil the lion is going to look like child’s play next to the heat that comes with this one.” Despite these intentions, Black told Cowboy State Daily he supports fair chase and is not against hunting, arguing that hunting wild wolves from Yellowstone is akin to "shooting a dog," according to www.outdoorlife.com.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) has unequivocally condemned Black’s bounty, labeling it an “outrageous” attempt to harass lawful hunters. WGFD Director Angi Bruce stated that putting an animal before the welfare of a person is egregious, underscoring that such actions are precisely what prompted the Wyoming legislature to enact protective statutes. In 2012, Wyoming passed legislation making "information identifying any person legally taking a wolf within this state… not a public record" to prevent stalking and harassment. Similar protections exist in Idaho. While this statute prevents WGFD from public disclosure, it does not stop a private individual from publishing information obtained independently.
The legal standing of Black’s bounty as a violation of hunter harassment laws remains unclear. Wyoming law prohibits interference with the lawful taking of wildlife with intent to hinder, but harassment of a hunter *after* a legal harvest generally does not qualify. Black’s reward was posted well in advance of the wolf season, which opens in September.
WGFD wolf biologist Ken Mills clarified that from a scientific management perspective, there is "nothing scientifically special" about Mollie's pack, with management plans based on broader population assessments. For the upcoming 2026 wolf season, WGFD approved only four wolf tags in Unit 1, where Mollie's pack has been sighted, a reduction by half due to lower wolf populations in that area. Wyoming’s statewide hunter success rates for wolves are exceptionally low, ranging from 2.5 to 3 percent, with each harvested wolf representing nearly 500 days spent hunting.
The incident highlights growing concerns among the hunting community about privacy and safety. Conservationist and media personality Randy Newberg emphasized the severe threats and intimidation private citizens could face if their personal information were exposed.
