Preliminary Necropsy Results Reveal Well-Known Wolf Shot

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY – Preliminary results from the necropsy of the Canyon Pack alpha female wolf showed that she suffered from a gunshot wound. Hikers discovered the mortally wounded wolf April 11, 2017, inside Yellowstone National Park near Gardiner, Montana. Park staff responded quickly to the situation and due to the severity of the wolf’s injuries, euthanized the animal. The deceased wolf was sent to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Forensics Laboratory in Ashland, Oregon for a necropsy. The lab has transferred the preliminary results to Yellowstone National Park.

National Park Service law enforcement believes the wolf was shot on the north side of the park, near Gardiner, or near the Old Yellowstone Trail which is located in the park on the northern boundary. The incident likely occurred sometime between April 10 at 1 a.m. and April 11 at 2 p.m.

“Due to the serious nature of this incident, a reward of up to $5,000.00 is offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for this criminal act,” said Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Dan Wenk.

If you have information about this incident that could help with this investigation, please contact the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch (ISB). Your tips will be confidential. You don't have to tell them who you are, but please tell them what you know:

• CALL the ISB Tip Line 888-653-0009
• TEXT to 202-379-4761
• ONLINE www.nps.gov/isb and click "Submit a Tip"
• EMAIL nps_isb@nps.gov
• MESSAGE via Twitter @SpecialAgentNPS

This wolf was one of three known white wolves in the park. She lived to 12 years, twice the age of an average wolf in the park, and had a broad range that extended from Hayden Valley to the Firehole River area to the northern portion of the park. As the alpha female for over nine years with the same alpha male, she had at least 20 pups, 14 of which lived to be yearlings. She was one of the most recognizable wolves and sought after by visitors to view and photograph.

The park will provide more information about this ongoing investigation when it is available.

Due to the ongoing investigation, the park will not provide interviews with subject matter experts at this time. Please contact the public affairs office for information.

Ok, so they think she was shot inside the park, which is illegal.
But if she was shot OUTSIDE the park, wouldn't it have been LEGAL?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/15/2017 12:47AM by qumqats.

It depends. IIRC (those that know for sure, please correct me if I've got it wrong), hunting is legal only in Wyoming (not other neighboring states) and as of an April 26 court decision. Wyoming has 3 zones. The zone which surrounds the park is the Trophy Game Zone. In that zone permits are required and hunting is subject to quotas. I speculate that successful hunters are required to report the kill (how else would they know the quota) and possibly other rules and regulations need to be followed as well. Outside the zones (a long way from Yellowstone), hunting is pretty open.

Maybe I'm thinking of Buffalo wandering outside the park.
I believe they're open game outside of the park because of worry about from the cattle industry about domestic cattle catching Brucellosis.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/15/2017 09:01PM by qumqats.

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY – Yellowstone National Park is now offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for shooting a wolf on the north side of the park, near Gardiner, Montana. National Park Service law enforcement believes the incident happened sometime between April 10 at 1 a.m. and April 11 at 2 p.m.

“Due to a tremendous desire by groups and individuals to donate for this reward, the park has established a Yellowstone Resource Rewards Fund through our charitable partner, Yellowstone Forever,” said Superintendent Dan Wenk. “Up to $25,000 from this Fund will pay for the reward in this case if there is a conviction. Any money leftover will be held for future resource violation cases in the park.”

If you have information about this incident that could help with this investigation, please contact the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch (ISB). Your tips can be confidential. You don't have to tell them who you are, but please tell them what you know:

• CALL the ISB Tip Line 888-653-0009
• TEXT to 202-379-4761
• ONLINE http://www.nps.gov/isb and click "Submit a Tip"
• EMAIL nps_isb@nps.gov
• MESSAGE via Twitter @SpecialAgentNPS