For over 50 years and counting, Gary Wolfe has been an effective conservation champion. A trained wildlife biologist and advocate for ethical sportsmanship, Gary brought a creative, entrepreneurial mindset to his work in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

Born in Texas and raised in New Mexico, Gary credits his passion for the outdoors and conservation to his father. During an overnight hunting trip in his early teens, his father mentioned he was glad to expose his son to the experience—because by the time he was grown, such opportunities probably wouldn’t exist. That comment inspired Gary to pledge he would do what he could to protect wildlife and wild places. His conservation career began as a seasonal backcountry and climbing ranger at Mount Rainier National Park for four summers during his college undergraduate years. He then earned master’s and doctorate degrees in Wildlife Biology at Colorado State University.

For over a decade, and as part of his PhD research on elk population dynamics, Gary was the fishery and wildlife biologist, and ultimately general manager, for the 500,000-acre Vermejo Park Ranch in northern New Mexico. His ethics and leadership helped build Vermejo into a respected conservation property, establishing strong partnerships with the New Mexico Game & Fish Department, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado State University, and the New Mexico Wildlife Federation.

In 1986, his knowledge of elk management and conservation fundraising led him to accept a prototype field director position with the fledging Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Based in Fort Collins, Colorado, he was responsible for establishing RMEF chapters and partnerships in the southwestern US. When RMEF headquarters relocated from Troy to Missoula in 1988, Gary and his wife Rita also moved to Missoula. He held numerous leadership positions with RMEF, and became CEO in 1996. During his 15 years with RMEF, the organization grew into a nationally respected conservation organization, protecting tens of thousands of acres of vital wildlife habitat.

Upon retiring from RMEF, Gary pivoted to independent consulting work and helped found and lead the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance, assisting multiple organizations with communicating sound scientific information about CWD.

He became Executive Director of the Vital Ground Foundation in 2004, and led it from a relatively unknown nonprofit to a well-respected Montana-based land trust dedicated to the protection of crucial grizzly bear habitat and landscape linkages. To cap off his professional career, Gary served as Executive Director of the Cinnabar Foundation for six years until his retirement in 2021.

In June, 2013, Governor Bullock appointed Gary to the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission, where he served until 2017. During his time on the Commission, Gary was an outspoken advocate for sound, scientific management of Montana’s fish and wildlife resources—especially large carnivores like wolves, lions and grizzly bears.

After retirement, his commitment to wildlife and wild places continued as he served on the volunteer boards of several Montana conservation organizations.

For his lifetime of service on behalf of wildlife conservation in Montana and throughout the West, Gary received the Arnold Bolle Award in 2016.

By Kalle Fox