# Wolf Shootings



## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

Wolf shootings on the rise, rewards offered in open cases

Two more Gogebic County wolves recently were found dead
from gunshot wounds, and rewards are now posted for information in the
investigation of two Iron County wolf killings.
Officers responded Nov. 16 to a mortality signal from a tracking
collar and found the dead wolf in the Black River, north of Powder Horn
Mountain. This is the sixth known wolf killing so far this year, and the
second wolf found in the same area of Gogebic County in last several
days. The other wolf was found Nov. 6, eight miles north of Ironwood.
A $1,500 reward is offered in each of two Iron County cases
where wolves were found dead last month. Both animals died as the result
of gunshot wounds. Officials discovered the first of two dead females
Sept. 22, about seven miles north of US-2, on the east side of Forest
Highway 16. The other was located Oct. 2 near the Deerfoot Lodge Road,
near the Fence River in northeastern Iron County.
Other incidents so far this year include:
" Sept. 17, DNR officials recovered a dead wolf in Mackinac County
Northeast of Engadine in Mackinac County. The adult female was collared
in central Minnesota with a GPS satellite collar. Before coming to
Michigan she had moved from central Minnesota north into Ontario near
Thunder Bay. She came back through Minnesota, across Wisconsin, and was
first located in the Engadine area in early July. Experts suspect she
was shot in early September, and necropsy reports concluded that she
died of gunshot wounds.
" July 3, DNR staff responded to a wolf collar mortality signal
just east of Pickford in Chippewa County, and recovered the collar from
the East Branch of the Munuscong River. The collar had been cut off and
thrown into the River. This was an adult male captured June 11, about 20
miles north of St. Ignace in Mackinac County.
Rewards are offered for information leading to the
arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for shooting
the Iron County animals, through the Report-all-Poaching Program. The
RAP
Hotline, toll free at 800-292-7800, allows people to report
information
about illegal activity relative to wildlife and outdoor activities.
The gray wolf is listed as a threatened species in Michigan and
protected as an endangered species under federal law. Like bald eagles,
moose, fisher and other animals, wolves play an important role in the
ecosystem, and the wolf recovery is a strong indicator of Michigan's
environmental health.
There is no evidence that healthy wolves pose a threat to
humans. Each year, people occupying the same areas as wolves rarely see
the animals. Regardless, humans were known to have shot and killed six
wolves in Michigan last year. Five of those cases resulted in
convictions.
"This year, we are reminding people who see wolves in the woods
that they do not need to fear them, and shooting them is both a serious
crime and a blow to wildlife conservation," said Lt. Thomas Courchaine,
DNR District Law Supervisor. "It is an offense we take seriously, and
plan to prosecute to the fullest extent possible."
Hunters are reminded that a moratorium on the coyote season is in
effect Nov. 15-30 to protect wolves.


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## Brian S (Apr 5, 2002)

Thats a shame.

What I don't understand is the $1,500 reward. When you consider the money and man-hours spent on trapping, tracking equipment, and studying the animals, the killing of a wolf results in the loss of ten or twenty times what the reward money is.

The people who shot those animals have friends or family that know about it. But they're not gonna squeal for that amount. Raise the reward to $10,000 and maybe they'll get some info. Otherwise, they will never be caught.


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## Guest (Nov 22, 2002)

If someone shot me, and they were looking for the trigger puller, would the state have a reward, on the hopes it will help catch the killer? I don't think so....

Sometimes I think the governments efforts are misguided.


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## Brian S (Apr 5, 2002)

But Jimbos, the state doesn't have the money invested in you that they do in the wolves. The reward is an effort to protect their investment and our resource.

Don't worry though, based on your value to this site, I'm sure the members here would put up some reward money if something ever happened to ya  .


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## Guest (Nov 22, 2002)

You got it Clay....Or streamline the process for these farmers to be reimbursed faster and at a fair price, and not make them jump through hoops to get paid, then deny that it was wolves causing the damage.

Oh my, a couple of downstaters sticking up for U.P. farmers. These Yoopers think because we don't live up there, we want wolves trotting around in everyones backyards.


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## trout (Jan 17, 2000)

I agree I don't think the Wolf has a place in the ecosystem in Michigan anymore.
The wolf is a pawn and will be used to stop outdoor activities at some point in time, the Greenies will try to use the wolf as a anti hunting anti land use pawn.

Alaska, Montana are much better siuted for the Wolf, and even in those areas the wolf has caused too much damage.

If I had to worry about my dogs being attacked by wolves in my own yard I would shoot whatever was killing them.
If it were my horses cows or chickens I would shoot.
****, POSSUM, MINK, FOX and YES even the HOLIER THAN ALL WOLF.


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## Dave Simmons (Dec 5, 2001)

Just a side note:

At my wifes work ( a local grade school) the DNR comes and gives the kids a little outdoors lesson/talk every once in a while and she says the last guy spoke about the wolves in the U.P. If a good ice bridge forms this winter the state expects the wolves to migrate to the northern lower this winter. FWIW


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## Guest (Nov 23, 2002)

SFK said it - what he hell did they expect. Let one harass/kill somebody's chance to make a living -boom baby your out of here.


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## Danatodd99 (Dec 26, 2001)

SFK ..... to my knowledge..... This has given rise to the quote that "there has never been a documented case of a *healthy*, wild wolf killing a human in North America" - a quote which is still true. Yet, in some rare cases wolves have become fearless of humans and the result has lead to serious injury and in some countries, even death. But NOT in North America

Do you have info I don't about killings in NA ? I would really be interested in reading it if you do.

A normal house pet does more damage than a wolf will ever do, Pitbulls kill more people, than wolves ever have. 
Should we kill them all? NO
Yeah, it sucks that they are killing livestock, the farmers are reimbursed for their losses.


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## jamie7117 (Aug 15, 2001)

> I don't think the Wolf has a place in the ecosystem in Michigan anymore


if you go by that logic, then neither does the elk or turkey, look at the damage they do to crop fields, etc.

i believe the wolf was there well before cows and sheep. should they have been re-introduced? probably not, but it seems they were well on there way to establishing a stable population by crossing over from minnesota and canada, by all accounts they are already in the LP, and nobody let them go there.

they lose more sheep and cows to anti-biotic resistant diseases (that they created) than to wolf kills.


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