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In 2009, gray wolves in Montana killed more than twice as many livestock than in 2008.

Last year, 365 sheep, cattle, horses and dogs were killed by wolves, according to the Livestock Loss Mitigation program. Most of the damage was done in August when wolves killed 148 sheep near Dillon.

The animals' owners have been paid $139,000 dollars for their losses, leaving only about $25,000 in the state's compensation fund.

Legislation sponsored by Senator Jon Tester could soon boost the fund with federal money.

State and federal officials estimate that only one in eight wolf kills are actually confirmed; for many of the rest, proof needed to justify compensation is never found.

WEB EXTRA: You can learn more about the Montana Livestock Loss Reduction and Mitigation Program at this website; here's a brief overview:

The Montana Livestock Loss Reduction and Mitigation Program was established by the legislature in 2007 to address economic losses due to wolf predation and to create incentives for producers to take proactive, preventative steps to decrease the risk of loss.

The purpose of the Montana Livestock Loss Reduction and Mitigation Program is to acknowledge the importance of economic viability and sustainability of individual livestock operators in Montana who are negatively affected by wolf recovery. Specifically, the purpose of the loss reduction and mitigation programs are:

• To provide financial reimbursements to producers for losses caused by wolves based on program criteria.
• To proactively apply prevention tools and incentives to decrease the risk of wolf-caused losses.