I'm pretty surprise by this. I sure don't want them in Indiana (but I wouldn't mind if some of the black bears from Michigan migrated down here). Still, I'd like to keep the wolves OUTSIDE of my state borders.
Photos in the story are 2 different animals, one alive, one not. DNA testing is being done on the wolf that was shot.
Photos in the story are 2 different animals, one alive, one not. DNA testing is being done on the wolf that was shot.
Picture this: A wolf, man
OUTDOORS Camera on trail captures 'visitor' near Oregon, Ill.
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/outdoors/2106488,CST-SPT-out17.article
Comments
March 17, 2010
BY DALE BOWMAN outdoordb@sbcglobal.net
The first good photograph of a live wolf in modern Illinois might have been captured by a trail cam last week near Oregon, Ill. It comes about the same time as a reliable report and photos of an apparent wolf, a 140-pound canine, shot near Walnut, Ill.
Bob Coine of Heartland Studios received the trail-cam photos from a friend. Coine is an experienced outdoorsman working in the field, including quality deer management.
When he realized the possibilities of the photo, taken by the trail cam about 9 a.m. March 9, he checked with professional wildlife managers, including regional wildlife biologist Tom Beissel.
I reached Beissel on the road at noon Tuesday.
''It looks a wolf,'' he said. ''It is pretty cool. It is within the parameters of what we have already seen in Illinois.''
For size comparisons, Coine set up a segment with a deer photo taken the previous day from the trail cam at heartlandillinois.com.
''If it is, it would be the most southern trail-cam photo of a wolf in the Midwest,'' said Adrian Wydeven, Wisconsin's pre-eminent authority on wolves, while traveling Tuesday.
Young male wolves traditionally disperse across great distances.
Which explains a reliable reader sending photos of a large canine, apparently a wolf, shot near Walnut last week. I haven't been able to track down any of the details so far, but the photos are posted at Stray Casts (blogs.suntimes.com/bowman). Beissel said tissue samples were taken for DNA testing.
![wolfmarch2010[1].jpg_20100317_09_44_37_7-400-400.imageContent](http://media1.suntimes.com/multimedia/wolfmarch2010[1].jpg_20100317_09_44_37_7-400-400.imageContent)
DNA is the only positive method to tell the difference among wolves, dogs, coyotes and various hybrids. Because of the secretive nature of lone wolves, it is difficult to confirm reports without bodies.
Wolves are endangered and federally protected in Illinois, though no one has been charged for shooting a wolf accidentally. Beissel said they are more concerned about the science of studying the killed wolves than about prosecuting accidental kills. If somebody targeted a wolf, that would be a different matter.
Of the four wolves confirmed in 21st-century Illinois, three were shot accidentally by coyote hunters. Illinois has an open coyote season.
Randy Worker shot the first confirmed wild wolf in modern Illinois in Marshall County on Dec. 29, 2002. Seth Hall shot one in December 2005 in Pike County. In 2008, another was shot in Carroll County (previously reported as Jo Daviess).
The only confirmed report in modern times around Chicago outdoors was hit by a vehicle outside of Chain O'Lakes State Park on Feb. 17, 2005.
Times are changing.
The reader who sent the shot canine photos is an avid deer hunter who noted: ''A thriving wolf population in our state would mean the end to one of the best deer herds in the country and all of the revenue that our world-class deer hunting generates for the [Department of Natural Resources] and rural communities. While these predators are beautiful and majestic, they would have a devastating impact on our state.''
I'm not convinced that wolves would establish that size of a population in Illinois and would be willing to concede some deer for a wolf.
