Wolves attack injured horse on Round Lake area farm
Terrell Boettcher
A draft horse which has pulled many buggyloads of visitors through the streets of Hayward was fatally injured in an attack by timber wolves last week on a farm in the town of Round Lake.
Jim Henchel is the owner of the white 24-year-old Percheron mare named Mae. The horse is one of several he uses to give tourists rides in downtown Hayward during the summer. She also appeared in parades.
Henchel said that on Tuesday night, Feb. 15, the horse had fallen on ice in a pasture near his home on Farnsworth Road, off the Twin Lakes Road near Upper Twin Lake.
When Henchel checked his horses the next day, he noticed that Mae was down and could not get up. He got the horse up and walked her around a little bit. But she didnýt want to walk too far because she was bruised and was scared of the ice, he said.
Henchel took her some hay and water, and decided to bed her down in the field for the night.
About 1:30 a.m. on Thursday, Henchel ýheard her (the horse) scream and then I heard the attack going on,ý he said. ýIt was 200 feet from the house.ý
Henchel went out and found the horse hamstrung and unable to get up. The wolves (Henchel believes there were two) also had attacked the horseýs throat. Henchel said he had to put the horse down due to its injuries.
Henchel notified the DNR and the federal APHIS office out of Park Falls, which handles wildlife depredation complaints. They responded and verified from tracks that the horse had been attacked by wolves. Henchel filed a $1,000 claim with APHIS (U.S. Department of Agricultureýs Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service).
The DNR and APHIS believe the wolves were passing through the area, Henchel said. They think the wolves considered the injured horse ýan opportune kill, a chance for a quick snack.ý The wolves were not wearing radio collars.
Henchel said that the wolves have returned to the same site three times since the horse was attacked. ýWeýve seen wolves out here quite a bit the last two years,ý Henchel added.