Colt Killing wolf is finally brought down!

[bearpaw]

http://idahoforwildlife.com/component/content/article/2-content/46-sun-valley-killer-wolf-dead

Colt Killing wolf is finally brought down!
 
After 36 days and nights of hell, Sun Valley couple finally realize the end to their wolfish nightmare!

Colt killing wolf finally downed by Kevin Swigert.
 
The wolf that killed the Swigert’s valuable colt on 2-13-2014 finally met its end on 3-21-2014 at 1:50 PM. The wolf was killed near the approximate location that it  attacked two of their dogs on 2-23-2014. Hunters from around the region have been assisting the Swigert’s in dispatching this aggressive brazen wolf. During these 36 days, two sets of seasoned hunters became extremely unnerved when this same wolf snuck in on them from behind, coming only, "feet away," and giving them a shock of a lifetime!

The wolf appeared to be desensitized to gun fire. Many speculate that this is due to radical wolf advocates shooting off “hazing” shots to scare wolves away from hunters. This creates a very dangerous situation for human safety when wolves no longer fear gun shots! USDA Wildlife Services flew the area multiple times in search of the wolf. Hundreds of hunting hours were spent to harvest this wolf. Almost every night the same wolf would return to the area. Kevin Swigert used a very accurate long range rifle loaned to him from a friend to dispatch the wolf. The Swigerts had photographed the wolf tracks after the colt was killed and their dogs were attacked so it was easy for them to confirm this was the killer wolf. Following is Kevin Swigerts report that end’s this nightmare.

The wolf that killed J.R. Luna Azul is dead. Although we cannot be sure there were not other wolves involved we can be sure that the distinctive track we have been following for five long weeks belonged to this wolf. Justice has been served for the painful death of our horse. At 1:50 pm on March 21 we walked out to the truck parked next to our house and looked out at the pasture to see all the horses alerted to the north. Not fifty yards away from where the two border collies were attacked a month ago we saw a large wolf watching the horses. I grabbed a rifle from the motorhome that was ready to go and braced against the bed of the truck, The shot was 321 yards but I estimated it was closer to 250. I took a deep breath and began to squeeze the trigger. One of our older mares trotted right between me and the wolf. I hesitated, which was actually good as I was forced to relax even more. I was determined to put an end to the ridiculous chaos that has plagued our entire life for the past five weeks. I fired, striking the wolf in the left side just behind the rib cage. The wolf was standing broadside but facing slightly away so the bullet passed through the wolf at an angle taking out his heart, the shot could not have been better. He jumped and ran about thirty yards and fell.

I have always tried to be respectful of every animal I have ever shot. We should never take for granted that we have the right and the privilege to hunt and harvest wildlife. I did not feel that way this time. I was filled with a satisfaction I have rarely felt, one of justified revenge for the malice this animal wrought in our life. I could think of nothing but the insanity that the past couple of months has brought. My wife sent an email to a few friends when our colt was killed. It was like a match struck in dry grass and the firestorm that ensued was beyond belief. My wife and I have, for twenty years been about as logical and middle of the road as one can possibly be when the subject of wolves came up. We have always been about legitimate, studied management. We have tried to carry on our lives and do what we do in spite of the hazards to our dogs and horses. We have tried every conceivable method of deterring wolves from interest in our animals. We have discarded those methods that don't work and invented new ones. We have, for fifteen years, been pretty successful and we have not felt the need to resort to lethal means. Our bloodhounds are the finest of the breed and they are valuable beyond words to us. They represent thousands of hours of hard, exhausting work and are there for the safety and protection of other people. They are man tracking dogs, they don't hunt animals, they hunt people. They hunt people lost in the mountains or people trying, mostly without success, to elude law enforcement. For our dogs to be referred to as "hound dogs" is insulting in the extreme. I can can only say those references are slow witted and ill informed.

We have spoken to few people and almost no media in the weeks that have passed, yet everyone with a keyboard has weighed in on their respective opinion about who and what we are. They have dissected very conceivable notion about this incident and have passed judgment on our character. We have been called devils and saints, we have lied through our teeth and exalted the greatest truth. In reality, we have just watched this firestorm engulf itself. To those who are in need of throwing stones, we are strong enough to take whatever they want to throw at us because we have one thing they will never have, the truth. The opinions of those people don't matter, we will continue to be who we are and we will continue to do what we do. We will not be swayed by emotional idiocy from the path we have always followed. There has been a divide defined that has simmered for a very long time and we are grateful that our colt's death could at least be a catalyst for positive change and recognition of badly needed address.

We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to every person that has lent their support with both time and energy. The staff at USDA Wildlife Services and the Idaho Fish and Game have been professional, supportive and deserving of our respect. For every person we thought was our friend and shown otherwise, we have gained a thousand more true friends. The world is not a dark place, it is filled with good people and the only real chore is figuring out who they are.

We also would like to give a very special thank you to Steve Alder and Idaho for Wildlife. Steve has gone the extra mile to make sure the story and timeline of these events beginning in late January were posted accurately and without undo commentary or critique. Steve posted the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth and we are extremely grateful that there is one honorable individual out there. Every media outlet that picked up on this story turned it around and upside down to meet their own agenda. We have been called liars and frauds, that the colt was killed by our dogs and that there were never any wolves in this area at all. The truth will always come to light. My favorite saying is this:
"No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar"  Abraham Lincoln

Kevin and Jennifer Swigert

[boneaddict]

Good for him!   Nice shot.   If only to join in the fray to add encouragement to offset some of the criticism, I am glad they protected their livestock from this villain.

[h2ofowlr]

Good to hear.  I saw all the crap the Pro-wolf folks put them through.  No good.  At least a good ending.

[Grizman]

Bear paw
Thanks for posting this report.  I'm glad these "normal" people stuck to their guns and did what was right.  I'm sure they fought neighbors and others but brought out the true meaning of rural living.

[NoImpactNoIdea]

Im glad these people were able to handle business but they lost me at the pictures with the quotes.  This wasnt the hunt for OBL or the press conference after a terrorist attack, and then to use a quote from "Ronin Hood" and apparently credit yourself with it seems silly to me.

[AspenBud]

If you look at the waste on that wolf in the first picture, it's pretty skinny. My guess is you could have acted as threatening as possible and made as much noise as possible and it was still going to take the chance to get an easy meal.

While I think these people were foolish with regards to their dogs and livestock at times I don't fault them for shooting the dog however. But contrary to the fellow's attempt to slap human emotions and motives on the wolf, I think it was simply a very hungry animal that got interested in the wrong place.

[mossy8352]

Reintroduction of predators will always lead to this end. They did what they had to do and now the season is on for the predators. Glad it is over for them until the next one tastes the blood of livestock and unfortunately the process will be repeated until the new predator is brought down. Man should let some predators go and quit playing god by forcing them back on people!

[CAMPMEAT]

Good job to the colts owners.

[KFhunter]

If you look at the waste on that wolf in the first picture, it's pretty skinny. My guess is you could have acted as threatening as possible and made as much noise as possible and it was still going to take the chance to get an easy meal.

While I think these people were foolish with regards to their dogs and livestock at times

I don't fault them for shooting the dog however. But contrary to the fellow's attempt to slap human emotions and motives on the wolf, I think it was simply a very hungry animal that got interested in the wrong place.

Totally agree with the part I didn't strike a line through, and it's a scenario that's going to play out over and over and over again.



I don't know how you can demonize these people when they've done everything they can to prevent conflict, then they invented new ones.   If I were a wolf lover I'd demonize this "rogue wolf" rather than the people in this case.  These people went well above and beyond in trying to prevent conflict, far above what average Idahoans are going to do.

but hey, don't let me help out your play book 

[washelkhunter]

Salt of the Earth folks to be sure.   

[Heredoggydoggy]

Salt of the Earth folks to be sure.   

We need a few of them around here. 

[buckfvr]

From my stand point, keep the public at arms length and take care of your own business like its no one elses.............avoid unnecessary scrutiny from people who shouldnt have an opinion by keeping to yourself with personal business. 

Even up here, there are too many folks with the wrong idea about wolves and hunting in general.  I know I wont put my life on display for the general assembly of ding dongs to publicly scrutinize.   

[bearpaw]

Did anyone notice the wolf was shot in broad daylight with the ranch buildings and horses in the background of the photo. Definitely was there looking for more food to eat.

This illustrates why people need to be allowed to shoot wolves near their homes.

Brings to mind recent encounters in Okanogan and Stevens counties. 

[AspenBud]

If you look at the waste on that wolf in the first picture, it's pretty skinny. My guess is you could have acted as threatening as possible and made as much noise as possible and it was still going to take the chance to get an easy meal.

While I think these people were foolish with regards to their dogs and livestock at times

I don't fault them for shooting the dog however. But contrary to the fellow's attempt to slap human emotions and motives on the wolf, I think it was simply a very hungry animal that got interested in the wrong place.

Totally agree with the part I didn't strike a line through, and it's a scenario that's going to play out over and over and over again.



I don't know how you can demonize these people when they've done everything they can to prevent conflict, then they invented new ones.   If I were a wolf lover I'd demonize this "rogue wolf" rather than the people in this case.  These people went well above and beyond in trying to prevent conflict, far above what average Idahoans are going to do.

but hey, don't let me help out your play book 

They were warned of wolves in the area before anything bad happened, they even acted surprised when they took their dogs out to the exact area they were warned about and got harassed by wolves.

I'd have changed some things upon learning wolves were around, they did not and paid the price. Oh well, they took care of the problem after the fact.

[KFhunter]

I just don't think you or other pro-wolf groups are being very honest when they/you condemn these folks. 

Do some more reading if you must (although I think you know they did everything they could but won't admit to it) these people pulled out all the stops trying to avoid wolf conflict yet you'd gloss over all of that and say they charged headlong into a conflict, it's just not true. 


This wolf is very bad for pro-wolf groups, so they feel they must drag these fine people through the mud saying they didn't do enough.