Wolf Killed in Kansas
Associated Press - Tue 03:00 PM 01/29/2013
The animal was a western Great Lakes wolf, a subspecies of the gray wolf.
A state parks official says tests have confirmed that an animal killed by hunters in Trego County in December was a wolf.
DNA testing conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed the animal was a western Great Lakes wolf, a subspecies of the gray wolf.
Ron Kaufman, a spokesman for the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, says officials haven't determined if the wolf was wild or had been in captivity.
The last confirmed killing of a gray wolf in Kansas was during the winter of 1938-39.
The animal's body has been turned over to the federal wildlife agency. Gray wolves are a protected species outside extreme northern United States.
The hunters have not been identified.
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jigsawjack
Tuesday 29 January 2013 15:42 Report this comment
I would bet that the hunters were after coyotes dumped dogs from trucks, using radios and cell phones. Confiscate the trucks, phones, guns, and dogs. Identify your prey!???
stirthepot
Tuesday 29 January 2013 15:57 Report this comment
I agree jigsaw they need to be cited for this. All hunters need to be more careful of what they kill. We do not need to become kill crazy like the hunters in Idaho , wyoming and montana.
troy
Tuesday 29 January 2013 17:46 Report this comment
Just so I can understand your points of view a little better, would stirthepot and jigsawjack please say a few words about the 500+ murders in Chicago last year. They seem to be fairly upset about a wolf getting killed, first one since 1939! Are they equally upset about the 500 people gunned down in the windy city?
passing_by
Tuesday 29 January 2013 18:27 Report this comment
Though I really hated reading this, I imagine they mistook it for a coyote. Who would have ever though a wolf would be in Kansas? If they did however realize this was a wolf, yes, they should be fined and all other penalties that come with it. @ Troy. I will say a few words about Chicago. Gun control laws do not work, and Chicago is the best example.
GetAGrip
Tuesday 29 January 2013 20:43 Report this comment
There are a few hunters or ones that think they are hunters that just have to kill something before calling it a day. The ones involved in this incident should face a hefty fine and have their guns confiscated. That may or may not hit home with them but better than no enforcement action. I wonder if their names will be released. I have a real problem with thrill kill hunters. This somewhat reminds me of the fawn incident last year where our local game warden ordered the killing of the animal that could perhaps of lived, after he lied to the caring teenager that he was only going to take it to be checked by a vet. Shameful
Aurora.
Tuesday 29 January 2013 23:18 Report this comment
No identification of these hunters give me a break. If it were up to me the hunters would become the hunted.
stirthepot
Wednesday 30 January 2013 00:31 Report this comment
@Troy I am a hunter. I love to shoot rifles , shotguns and hand guns but I do not believe in just killing something just for the fun. If you are going to kill it and eat it then that is fine, just do not kill it because you can. As for chicago it is terrible that 500 died, but that is human on human and they are not obeying the gun laws of their city. Laws are there for a reason to be obeyed.
ifyousayso
Wednesday 30 January 2013 08:08 Report this comment
Maybe this is a case of the wolf stumbling across ranch land and a cattle herd. Trego County is primarily farming and ranching. A vast majority of baby calves born in Kansas are born in the winter months. Possible that the hunters, were really ranchers erasing a threat to their ranch and or cattle herd. I can only imagine what a wolf or two could do to a small herd of baby calves. Besides, does Kansas really need wolves when we have the drought, the whitetail hood ornaments and dip$hit people that write posts on KSAL and have no idea about life. Come on, give me a break. Then to top it off, had the story read - Hunters arrested for killing Kansas wolf, you all would be bashing law enforcement for taking action, now your calling for it??? Make up your minds....
Holycow
Wednesday 30 January 2013 09:14 Report this comment
I am glad it's not up to you Aurora. I agree with ifyousayso... do most people have any idea how many coyotes or other fur bearing animals are killed in a single season. If it wasn't a rare animal, no one would even care about this story.
abi2011
Wednesday 30 January 2013 10:08 Report this comment
LMFAO at the comment about "hunters were after coyotes dumped dogs from trucks, using radios and cell phones" Why would they confiscate anything from the hunters if that is what they are doing??? Last time I checked all that was legal when hunting for coyotes!! As a matter of fact the only thing illegal when hunting coyotes is shooting from a roadway or using a fully automatic rifle! They want coyotes gone so its legal to alot of things that are illegal hunting other animals.
stirthepot
Wednesday 30 January 2013 12:11 Report this comment
Killing coyotes is legal in Kansas. Killing wolves is not. That is the point. I support any type of law enforcement. If someone breaks the law the they need to be held accountable.
mickbenimble
Wednesday 30 January 2013 16:49 Report this comment
Coming from Montana, the sportsmanship is probably better than it is here in Kansas and the conversation of wildlife too. Wolfs are killed because, if you have ever seen the size of them, they will take down a 600 lb. calf with no problem. We wait until it happens, wait for a pittance of a government reimbursement........investigation.....have them tell us it wasn't a wolf but natural causes......Don't let them get started because once they are established .......I am sure they were planted here without your knowing.........But I have seen them in Colorado also so it is possible they have migrated this far. They destroyed a whole pack of them in Northern CA. and there wasn't a whole lot of uproar about it. They are an awesome creature but reintroducing them causes alot of problems for area ranchers and remember: They kill just to kill.
RangeRider
Wednesday 30 January 2013 18:07 Report this comment
stirthepot...It's people like you we really need. I'm sure your as intense on the illegal immigrants issue as you are on those obviously pre-judged hunters...Go Get Em
passing_by
Wednesday 30 January 2013 19:01 Report this comment
mickbenimble, wolves do not kill just to kill. If they take down prey larger than them, the pack will come back later to consume said prey. (Yes, I lived in Montana and Idaho too.) From the various reports I have read, this wolf weighed about 85lbs, so it was not full grown. The Fish and Game did DNA, to make certain it was a wolf and not a coyote, so how would coyote hunters know this was a wolf? I am a huge wolf lover, but since wolves have not lived in Kansas since 1939, who at a distance would have thought it was not a coyote? Also, did it wonder in or did it escape from someone fool who thought wolves made a great pet?