Iowa has a wolf! Oops, had a wolf.

[David Petersen]

#7584

If ever there has been a subculture that works harder against itself and everything we claim to stand for than we hunters do, I can’t think of it.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/13/wolf-killed-iowa-first-seen-89-years_n_5315868.html

[Ralph]

#63484

Yep. Some are really good at it.

[Col Mike]

#63507

And the hunter won’t be penalized:twisted: What does that say about respect for law and our wild creatures?

[Ralph]

#63599

Yeah, I thought about that too. If it’d been me I’d be mortgaging the farm I don’t own to get outta jail.

[James Harvey]

#63641

If this guy hadn’t shot this wolf, no one would have known wolves were back in the state yeah? Even if this was just a transitory loner from an adjoining state, at least now there is proof that ‘they are there’.

If you read this much more detailed report, that is linked in the huff post article, I think the hunter comes off in a little better light:

http://thegazette.com/subject/news/wolf-found-in-iowa-20140507

It points out that he took it to the DNR office and raised the alarm that a wolf had been shot in Iowa.

I imagine the reason he was not charged with an offence was because it would have been reasonable to assume the animal he was aiming at was a coyote, as no wolves had been seen there in almost a century. Now every hunter in the state ought to carry the burden of knowledge and responsibility that wolves are there, because this accidental wolf killer was honest and forthright enough to volunteer his misdeed.

That’s a rare enough virtue amongst men to be commended I think.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#63683

I have to agree with Jim on this one, after reading through the link he posted. It’s easy to rush to judgement, but the guy lives in a state that hasn’t had a recorded wolf sighting in some 90 years. There was no reason for him to expect that he might see a wolf, nor that he might suddenly have to distinguish one from a coyote.

“…Suspecting that he might have shot a wolf, the hunter took it to the DNR office in Manchester, where biologists examined the animal and took samples for DNA testing.

Kinseth said the hunter went out of his way to cooperate with the DNR, and he had no idea he was doing anything morally or legally wrong when he shot what he thought was a coyote…”

Yeah, he made a mistake, but I don’t think it was malicious, nor excessively ignorant. And, after all, he reported it and cooperated fully with DNR. I’m not sure that’s the behavior of a “slob hunter.”

[Stephen Graf]

#64037

I think I have to agree with Jim and Hammer. This falls in the “accidents happen” category and not the “bubba hunter” category.

He could have easily left the animal in the woods without a second thought. He didn’t. That speaks volumes.

I recall a deer hunting story by our Dave P. in which he shot 2 bucks (thinking he had missed the first). He self reported to the DNR and that was that. I think this falls into the same area. Shoulda, Woulda, …

[Ralph]

#64056

I can respect that.

[sinawalli]

#7653

Nothing more valuable than a good pair of of binos!

[Jason Wesbrock]

#7704

I agree with Bruce. We’ve had the same thing happen here in IL with the same results. Kudos to the hunter for coming forward and the DNR for using a little common sense.

[sinawalli]

#7799

All we can do is speculate as we weren’t there. What one sees and what is actually there can be completely different! There was a story up here a few years ago written in a local rag by a hunter who shot at what he absolutely swore was a cow moose at last light standing on the edge of a field. He said he identified it through binos, had his scope on it, was 100% certain it was a moose. Took the shot, and the “moose” screamed and yelled back at him! Said “moose” was actually another hunter in blaze orange! Lucky for him, the shooter missed! Shooter swore up and down he was certain it was a moose. I’m sure there are a lot more similar stories out there, some didn’t end so well…

[Etter1]

#13873

Yeah. I cant blame the guy. I do blame the GA hunter who recently killed a florida panther. They only look like mountain lions.

[SteveMcD]

#14460

I don’t know. My feelings about predators are pretty much the same as David’s. And I’ve been blasted on other forums for it, as well. Not to sound holier than thou, but most game laws in most states indicate that “All Wildlife is Protected”, unless specified otherwise under unprotected species. .

As Hunters we are responsible to “positively identify” what we are shooting at. Malicious.. of course I don’t think so either, but every hunting season there are a lot of tragic “honest mistakes”. To quote one of our TBM Contributors, Reg Darling, “I have taken few shots that I have regretted, but I have never regretted not taking a shot”

Reminds me of a funny story though I heard as a volunteer for our state game department for over 20 years. A gentlemen came into the deer check station to have his deer checked, as required by law back then, his tags were all properly filled out. nothing wrong at all. Except, the Game Warden asked the gentlemen, do you remember exactly WHERE you shot this animal? And the gentleman said oh yes! This is my first deer ever! I will never forget it! Well, it was BROWN and had two horns. The Game Warden replied< Good! Now we have to go back and explain to the farmer, why you shot his goat.

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