I accidentally shot one.
Carried that **** collar around for a week before I dropped it in the river. I could have sworn it was just a big, long legged coyote. Sure hope there is a statue of limitations in Montana.
Here is something I know about collars. Actually a few.
A "friend" was out during general season in Montana, a wolf was standing in a ranchers field, he leveled a .220 Swift on it, out the truck window. Something didn't feel right, he put the gun back in the rack. When he got back to his home, he checked his caller I.d. This was habit, he is a taxidermist.
There was a Helena Prefix on his caller I.d. He listened to his messages and one of them was a ladies voice thanking him for not shooting the wolf.
We surmised that there was an active track on that wolf via satellite and the trucks plate number was able to be made. He got very lucky.
One thing else I know, is that mostly, if the animal doesn't move within 4 hrs. A tracking scenario happens via satellite till the animal is located or the search is stopped by someone with that authority.
I used to tree cats and black bear for the state, most times they collected data, collared them and let them go. Several times we had to bump them or just let them go, not to injure them after they were darted.
I'd say you got damned lucky not to get caught.