FOR RELEASE: December 1, 1999

CONTACTS:
Ed Spoon, Special Agent, U.S.Fish & Wildlife Service, (608) 221-1206 ext 15
Mike Weber, Wisconsin Conservation Warden, Necedah, (608) 565-2519

Reward Offered for Killer of wolf



EAU CLAIRE, WI. -- State Conservation Wardens and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Agents are turning to hunters and residents for help in finding the killer of a timber wolf on the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Juneau County.

The wolf was discovered on Nov. 24 and taken to the National Wildlife Health Lab in Madison for examination and necropsy. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Special Agent Ed Spoon, Madison, said the examination shows the wolf was killed by a gunshot.

Wolves are classified as an endangered species in Wisconsin under the Federal Endangered Species Act and have Threatened Status under the Wisconsin Endangered Species Act. In October the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board approved a plan for the long-term management of the state wolf population. The plan set a management goal of 350 wolves for the state.

A $4,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for killing the wolf. $1,500 of the reward is from the Defenders of Wildlife Imperiled Predator Reward Fund. The remainder is from the Timber Wolf Alliance at the Sigurd Olson Institute, Northland University, Ashland; Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Anyone with information about the killing of the wolf can call the Department of Natural Resources hotline at 1-800-TIP-WDNR or reach Spoon at (608) 221-1206 ext 15. Wisconsin Conservation Warden Matt Weber, Necedah, may be reached at (608) 565-2519.

The wolf was recovered near the center of the Necedah Wildlife Refuge south of the Sprague-Mather Road after a USFWS employee was told about it by a hunter. It is a young female that may have been part of the Suk Cerney Pack. It is the first wolf found shot in Wisconsin's Central Forest. The Central Forest includes forested areas of Eau Claire, Clark, Jackson, Monroe, Juneau , Wood and Portage counties. There were approximately 200 wolves in Wisconsin, according to the late winter count in 1999, said Adrian Wydeven, Park Falls, wolf program coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. About 25 of the wolves in the state live in the Central Forest.

Spoon said it is essential to get information from people who were in the area when the wolf was shot. "We need anyone who has information about who shot this wolf to come forward and assist us," he said.

Weber said he and Spoon will be gathering information and that hunters and others who were in the vicinity can help. "If anybody has any information concerning the case, any information whatsoever, they should call," he said.

Spoon said the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge is hunted heavily by people from southeast Wisconsin and that someone who hunted the area may have some information. He said such acts harm all hunters. "To me this is an irresponsible act by somebody with a firearm. We're hoping responsible hunters will help us in solving the crime."