How Drones and Heavy Metal Are Keeping Wolves Away

Ranchers in Montana have been at war with wolves for decades. Since the big reintroduction push in the ’90s, it’s been a battle over cattle and elk and who gets to eat what. As an elk hunter, I’m not really enthusiastic about competing with an apex predator for freezer space. But now, ranchers have some new tricks, and they’re noisy.

Turns out technology is helping fill the gap. Ranchers are buzzing wolf packs with drones, chasing them away from herds before they get too close for comfort. No traps, no guns... Just high-tech wolf hazing from the sky. It sounds like a Red Dead Redemption DLC, and apparently, it works.

And here’s where it gets better: some ranchers have gone full rock concert. Heavy metal music with bands like AC/DC are being blasted across pastures to send wolves running in the night. Picture this: a pack of wolves sneaking in for a midnight snack, only to be hit with “Thunderstruck” at stadium volume. What would be even cooler is if the drones flew overhead with giant speakers blaring BLACK SABBATH!

For ranchers, this isn’t about convenience; it’s survival. Wolves kill livestock, and one death can wipe out a season’s worth of work. The tech is also seen as a middle ground. Instead of lethal control, drones and loud music keep wolves alive and cattle safe. Even if the debate over wolf management in Montana isn’t going away.

Either way, AC/DC is saving cows? Think about that next time you order a burger. That’s about as Montana-meets-metal as it gets.