Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Colorado Coyote Hunter May be Charged in Wolf Killing

DNA test on slain wolf-like canine may prompt probe of Colorado hunter

A licensed coyote hunter who killed a 90-pound canine near Kremmling may face prosecution, authorities said Monday, if tests prove it was a federally protected gray wolf.

If so, this would be the first confirmed wolf killed in Colorado since 2009. One was hit by a vehicle that year. Another was poisoned.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials said a DNA analysis hasn't been completed.

The hunter, who has not been identified, thought the animal he shot April 29 was a coyote, Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman Matt Robbins said.

"He did everything right" in swiftly reporting the killing on federal land near Wolford Mountain Reservoir to CPW officials at Hot Sulphur Springs, Robbins said.

But under the Endangered Species Act, a hunter can be prosecuted for killing a protected species without a permit.

The Obama administration in 2013 proposed removing gray wolves from the endangered species list. USFWS wolf recovery coordinator Mike Jimenez said wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains are stable and may be spreading.

"By all biological criteria, wolves are recovered and there are no threats to the population," Jimenez said.

Mature males leave their packs, often migrating 60 miles, Jimenez said. USFWS biologists have recorded wolves dispersing over 500 miles.

In December, a man in Utah killed a wolf known widely among schoolchildren as Echo, saying he thought he was shooting at a coyote. The feds are investigating and weighing whether to file charges.

Wildlife advocates urged aggressive enforcement. Colorado officials must protect wolves, not just tolerate them, and notify residents they may be present, said Michael Robinson of the Center for Biological Diversity.

S.S.S........

Serious question: how large is an average CO coyote?

He won't be charged, thats just speculation by the writer.

'Bout 90 lbs. last I checked.

I doubt he will be either.

Still, how big is an average CO coyote? The ones I've seen out there might go 30-40 lbs. No offense, but if you can't tell the difference between a 30-40 lbs canine and a 90 lbs canine, you probably aren't someone I want out there hunting in the first place. It's pretty much akin to the idiots that shoot moose every year mistaking them for elk.

Probably 30ish pounds should be an average coyote. plus or minus 7ish

40lbs is a big fuggin coyote

another good wolf!

He didn't do " everything right". 2nd thing he should have done was bury the damn thing.

Yep....theres times when "right" and "law-abiding" aren't the same thing...

If they have to do a DNA analysis to verify species, the hunter shouldn't even be charged.

How many triple S guys carry a shovel? Guess all you Colorado boys better get one. Then figure out what's "right." mtmuley

Lot of things can be use to bury a critter with out needing a shovel.
Hell, he could of just let it lay and not say anything, but I suspect he wanted to brag about it.

For a while it was considered cool to keep these things (or at least hybrids) as pets.
Who is to say that it was wild?

Some years back it actually happened in my area that someone shot a domestic one thinking it to be a coyote.

Well saddlesore, at least you're prepared. mtmuley

Exactly, if they can't give a positive ID just looking at it then it's pretty hypocritical to expect someone hunting to know for sure.

DING! DING!

EXACTAMUNDO!!

KC

I would prefer there be many coyote hunters out there who couldnt tell the difference. But, they should be smart enough to ass choot and button up.