HikeArizona.COM

Investigation is still needed and in process. Photos from a hunter are being analyzed and field work is in process.

An animal spotted at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon this month could be the first federally protected gray wolf seen in the area in years, wildlife officials said Thursday.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/loc ... /18225655/

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is looking at photographic evidence to determine the species of an animal seen north of the park by a hunter and other visitors starting about three weeks ago, said Jeff Humphrey.

Conservation groups say the animal's size, ear shape and inactive radio tracking collar indicate it is likely a Northern Rocky Mountain gray wolf. If that's the case, it will be the first spotting in the area since the 1940s, said Michael Robinson, conservation advocate for the Center for Biological Diversity

And right on cue... they(someone) killed it. What a shame.

Breaks my heart ... and makes me so angry!
RIP Echo - or whoever you were.

chumley wrote:I am not remotely against hunting.

But:

a fundamental rule of firearm and hunter safety is never to pull the trigger without being 100 percent sure of the target

this needs to be enforced/penalized much more severely. Hunters must be held to account for taking species "by accident". When you are firing a gun, there is no excuse for not being absolutely sure what you are shooting.

No doubt, this is why humans wear orange vests in hunting season and when hunting, as humans look 100% like a prey species when they do not. I agree with the theory, but no one goes by 100% when they practice. I'm no hunter, and if I was I would like to think I was skilled enough to not use a gun but a more sporting and primitive weapon. Perhaps an atlatl. Yeah, that would be bad pumpkin.

Yep, with the Stupidity of Hunters and the Attitude of Ranchers towards Wolves, I had a feeling that she wouldn't last very long...Probably a Rancher who doesn't want Wolves and used a "I thought it was a Coyote" Excuse to try to get away with it...He probably knew that if he didn't report it, that the Outcry would be 10 times worse if someone found it....

@Outdoor Lover Fear is an ugly thing ...

Outdoor Lover wrote:Probably a Rancher who doesn't want Wolves and used a "I thought it was a Coyote" Excuse to try to get away with it...

You should consider publishing a fiction novel. You have a skill for inventing stories and making them seem like they could be true.

@chumley
I used to love and excel at Creative Writing....And I just know how Society in general can be I guess....

I find it hard to believe that someone would mistake a 70 lb. collared wolf for a coyote. A coyote half that size would be a huge coyote for that area I would imagine. Of course-- Utah does raise some dummies.

Utard... :whistle:

No one state has a monopoly on morons. We certainly have enough here not to be pointing our fingers elsewhere ...

Arizon-out.

kingsnake wrote:No one state has a monopoly on morons. We certainly have enough here not to be pointing our fingers elsewhere ...

Utah, Arizona... I got eight fingers left.

DNA Test Confirms Death of Gray Wolf Seen Near the Grand Canyon
http://knau.org/post/dna-test-confirms- ... and-canyon

What a shame. RIP, Echo.

And the biggest Crime of all...is that the Shooter will go completely unpunished due to the McKittrick Policy....Want to know why no one is ever prosecuted for killing Endangered Species? Read this... It's disgusting...Anyone that wants an Endangered Species gone from their Property or whatever, just has to use this lame excuse and they are home free... http://nywolf.org/home?p=10258

This is a bummer of a story!

Hunter who killed wolf seen at Grand Canyon won't be charged http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/loc ... /29988397/

I bet that excuse wouldn't work if you shot a dog.

I've had a few conversations with hunters about this since it originally happened and I've really changed my opinion on the situation. With him reporting his error so quickly-- I'm going to assume that him knowing he killed that wolf is enough of a blow. People with a conscience don't need us to punish them.

This is exactly why I don't think people should be allowed to hunt coyotes when there are endangered wolves in the same area because some hunters don't know how to tell them apart. If he was truly sorry, he'd voluntarily repay the money that was spent on tracking this wolf and other research expenses or ask what he can do to help with wolf conservation.

@gummo
I agree...Just because he isn't going to be Federally Prosecuted doesn't mean he should get off completely...Just for being Irresponsible with a Firearm, he should be facing some sort of Fine and some Community Service...The McKittrick Policy really needs to go away, it's ridiculous....