Update on animal found along U.S. 10
By Greg Seubert
Authorities are seeking the public’s help to determine who shot a timber wolf found near Weyauwega.
State Department of Natural Resources conservation warden Kaitlin Kernosky and DNR law enforcement supervisor Ted Dremel responded to the scene Jan. 3 on U.S. Highway 10 just east of the State Highway 110/County Trunk X interchange.
“I had initially gotten a call from the Waupaca County Sheriff’s Department that morning,” Kernosky said. “They advised me that a motorist had observed a dead wolf on the highway on Weyauwega Hill. There were a couple of other wardens that also received calls. Passers-by noticed the animal and either gave the sheriff’s department or a DNR warden a call.
“When I arrived, I found the wolf on the south side of the eastbound lane of traffic,” she said. “I observed it was large and once I got close, I determined it was a female wolf. At first, it did appear it was hit by a car. There were some car parts located adjacent to the animal. The animal was just laying on the side of the road on its side. Upon further inspection of the animal, I determined it had been shot.”
Kernosky and Dremel flipped the wolf over.
“That was when we located evidence of the wolf being shot,” she said. “We believe it was shot and then hit by a car.”
“It was shot a couple days before it got hit by a car, that’s what we’re thinking,” Dremel said. “I would describe it as a fairly large female wolf. I’d put her at about 80 pounds. We’re sending the wolf down to Madison for a necropsy. I’m thinking there are two separate incidents here. One, somebody accidentally hit this wolf with a vehicle. Before that, somebody intentionally shot this animal. We’re looking for any help from the public that may know somebody who shot a wolf. We’re just looking for any kind of information that we can follow up on.”
“You get a call about a dead wolf on Highway 10 and you instantly think, ‘OK, it’s probably going to be an animal that was hit by a car,’” Kernosky said. “You arrive and you find evidence of it being shot. It certainly was a surprise. It’s not something that you see every day. We’re hoping the necropsy will help us determine the manner and the actual time frame. Generally, they’re pretty timely at getting back to us, especially with the magnitude of this case.”
The DNR’s Bureau of Law Enforcement is asking anyone with information to call or text the agency’s Violation Hotline at 800-847-9367 (TIP-WDNR). The hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Online reports can also be submitted to https://dnrx.wisconsin.gov/rav/ .
“They can also contact their local sheriff’s department as well,” Kernosky said. “Hopefully, somebody heard something or saw something and will make a phone call.”
Kernosky and Dremel said there were no tips as of noon Jan. 4.
Cases like this can be difficult to investigate cases without tips from the public, according to Kernosky.
“We’re certainly hoping somebody comes forward with any information they may have,” she said. “On the other end, we’re also continuing to work on our investigation and leads.”
The DNR estimates Wisconsin’s timber wolf population at just under 1,000 animals.
“I wouldn’t say they’re super-prevalent, but there certainly are a few around,” Kernosky said. “I hear reports of wolf sightings.”
“For some reason, timber wolves bring out emotion and passion, whether people like them or don’t like them,” Dremel said. “I’ve been working in the Waupaca area for 12-plus years and people who live in the Waupaca area are very passionate about all of their natural resources. They enjoy things such as an eagle flying over the city. They enjoy hunting, fishing and trapping.
“I’m somewhat optimistic that somebody’s going to make a call and tell us about who shot this wolf because of the connection that the community and the county have with those natural resources,” he added. “I feel good about it.”
Facts about wolves
The timber wolf, also known as the gray wolf, was originally found across North America, Europe and Asia.
• Legal status in United States: Federally delisted in January 2012, but relisted in December 2014.
• Estimated population in Wisconsin: 905 to 944 animals.
• Length: 5 to 5 1/2 feet long (including 15- to 19-inch tail).
• Height: 2 1/2 feet.
• Weight: 50 to 100 pounds. Average for adult males is 75 pounds, average for adult females is 60 pounds.
Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources