Dog, mistaken for wolf, shot and killed by teenager in North Idaho

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

Pathetic.

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/may/22/dog-mistaken-wolf-shot-and-killed-man-north-idaho/

A North Idaho man said his dog was shot on a Forest Service road last weekend by a teen who mistook the husky-malamute cross for a wolf.

The dog later died. The same bullet struck Jim Rosauer’s second dog, which survived.

“We saw both of our dogs drop to the ground. It was just shocking,” said Rosauer, who lives near Eastport, Idaho.

Rosauer said he and his wife, Lisa, were hiking Sunday afternoon on the snow-covered road to Spruce Lake, which is near the Montana border. The dogs had run ahead of them.

“We saw the people about 180 yards away with a gun,” said Rosauer, who described them as a couple with their 19-year-old son. “The man said to me, ‘Sorry. It’s my fault. I told him (the son) to shoot the wolf.’”

Boundary County Sheriff Greg Sprungl confirmed that the shooting is under investigation, but said no charges have been filed. The sheriff’s department is working with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game on the investigation.

Dogs are sometimes mistaken for wolves, said Chip Corsi, Fish and Game’s regional supervisor in Coeur d’Alene. Several years ago, a wolf hunter brought an animal to a check station that was actually a dog.

Corsi said he couldn’t comment on the recent incident, since it’s still under investigation. However, “people need to know what they’re shooting at, and they need to be hunting legally,” he said.

Idaho’s wolf season on federal lands closed March 31. Hunters face fines of up to $1,000 if convicted of attempting to take a game animal during a closed season.

Rosauer, a 50-year-old log furniture maker, said he feels compelled to speak out about the incident. He’s an elk hunter who supports public hunting of wolves, but said the “reckless disregard” for safety and flouting of hunting laws appalled him.

Kenai, the dog that was killed, weighed 65 pounds and had some wolf-like features. But unlike a wolf, she had an ear that flopped down and a curly tail, Rosauer said. She was with the couple’s other dog, a lab-malamute mix.

“He doesn’t look anything like a wolf,” Rosauer said, “but that’s not even the point. There is no gray area here. The season was closed.”

Shooting into a roadway also endangered him and his wife, Rosauer said. They were a short distance behind the dogs.

Rosauer said the couple and their son stopped to apologize and helped him load the dogs into his vehicle. Kenai died in a Sandpoint veternarian’s office; her shoulder was shattered. The bullet struck the other dog in the leg, but it’s recovering.

Anti-wolf feeling runs high in Boundary County, where vehicles sport bumperstickers that say “Canadian wolves, smoke a pack a day.” Rosauer said that type of sentiment encourages people to act lawlessly.

“We’re teaching people to have zero respect for the animals. I don’t remember growing up like that,” he said. “Where are our hunting ethics? You don’t have to like wolves, but I think they should be treated with respect as a game animal and a creature of this planet.”

Rosauer said he still feels raw over Kenai’s loss.

“This is a sad story, but I want it to be an educational one for people,” he said. “I’d like to see the culture change.”

I live here in good old North Idaho and this is a constant fear when I am out in the woods with my Husky.  The blood lust for wolves and the lack of common sense by some of the people carrying firearms keeps me very vigilant while camping and hiking with her.  Ill throw a red bandana on her neck and try to keep her in eyesight, but you cant control the other person. I never even pay attention to when the seasons are open, because I cannot trust most of the people up here to have any regard for the laws.  There is no reason your dog should be shot in the woods if people just follow the rules and identify their target before pulling the trigger.   

[BNAElkhntr]

That situation is why I put an orange vest on my chocolate lab when we go hiking, and he doesn't look like a wolf.  It's not the owners fault, so don't get me wrong, if my dogs come close to looking like wolves in wolf country and it's known the public hates wolves, I'd have an orange vest on them.  Slam on

My Weimeraner  always has the orange on when out in the woods and he looks nothing like a Wolf If I owned a Husky I'm damn sure have orange on it.  I'm not excusing the people for shooting the dog my condolences to them.  but at some point people need to think ahead just a little bit.

 

[mfswallace]

I agree, this article is pathetic.  :')

The only thing pathetic about this is that a kid was told by his father to shoot without properly identifying their target and even worse out of season. I understand people don't like wolves but the guy who's dog was just shot is right too many people with blind hatred for the wolves and blatant disregard of the law. None of us has to like the wolves but at least idaho is doing the best they can to manage them, too many more stories like this just add fuel to the anti hunters fire

My point was this is completely one sided. I think what the dad and son were doing in the woods and what they thought when they saw a very wolf like animal in wolf country matter and should have been written into article, responsible journalism that's all...

They were knowingly poaching on the father's advice. Although, in retrospect, I'd agree that the dog owner may have saved his dog's life by putting an orange vest on him, he certainly had a reasonable expectation of being able to safely take his dogs out for a walk because the wolf season was closed. The article was factual. The "hunters" did none of the rest of us hunters a service. Part of our credibility as hunters died with that dog.

I see no reference to poaching in the article by idfw or dog owner or dads comment
I agree that what happened is unfortunate and wrong

[pianoman9701]

I agree, this article is pathetic.  :')

The only thing pathetic about this is that a kid was told by his father to shoot without properly identifying their target and even worse out of season. I understand people don't like wolves but the guy who's dog was just shot is right too many people with blind hatred for the wolves and blatant disregard of the law. None of us has to like the wolves but at least idaho is doing the best they can to manage them, too many more stories like this just add fuel to the anti hunters fire

My point was this is completely one sided. I think what the dad and son were doing in the woods and what they thought when they saw a very wolf like animal in wolf country matter and should have been written into article, responsible journalism that's all...

They were knowingly poaching on the father's advice. Although, in retrospect, I'd agree that the dog owner may have saved his dog's life by putting an orange vest on him, he certainly had a reasonable expectation of being able to safely take his dogs out for a walk because the wolf season was closed. The article was factual. The "hunters" did none of the rest of us hunters a service. Part of our credibility as hunters died with that dog.

I see no reference to poaching in the article by idfw or dog owner or dads comment
I agree that what happened is unfortunate and wrong

What do you call hunting game out of season?

[Jonathan_S]

I agree, this article is pathetic.  :')

The only thing pathetic about this is that a kid was told by his father to shoot without properly identifying their target and even worse out of season. I understand people don't like wolves but the guy who's dog was just shot is right too many people with blind hatred for the wolves and blatant disregard of the law. None of us has to like the wolves but at least idaho is doing the best they can to manage them, too many more stories like this just add fuel to the anti hunters fire

My point was this is completely one sided. I think what the dad and son were doing in the woods and what they thought when they saw a very wolf like animal in wolf country matter and should have been written into article, responsible journalism that's all...

They were knowingly poaching on the father's advice. Although, in retrospect, I'd agree that the dog owner may have saved his dog's life by putting an orange vest on him, he certainly had a reasonable expectation of being able to safely take his dogs out for a walk because the wolf season was closed. The article was factual. The "hunters" did none of the rest of us hunters a service. Part of our credibility as hunters died with that dog.

I see no reference to poaching in the article by idfw or dog owner or dads comment
I agree that what happened is unfortunate and wrong

What do you call hunting game out of season?

I don't know but his response is sure to include some of these:   

He's a shouter.

[mfswallace]

I also see no reference to shooter hunting?
I often carry a rifle when in the woods whether in a hunting season or not...

I hope shooter and dad get all that the law can give them but you are assuming things that are not in the article,, that's all I was saying  If u don't think shooter should get due process in this instance

       I included your bash's Jon-S

[pianoman9701]

I also see no reference to shooter hunting?
I often carry a rifle when in the woods whether in a hunting season or not...

I hope shooter and dad get all that the law can give them but you are assuming things that are not in the article,, that's all I was saying  If u don't think shooter should get due process in this instance

       I included your bash's Jon-S

I said nothing about him not getting due process. But he clearly admitted to doing this, to the dog owner, the sheriff, and the IDFG. He's a poacher by any definition of poacher there is.

I get the impression your nose is bent out of shape because you think he thought he was doing a good thing (killing a wolf), but just made a mistake. First of all, poaching isn't a good thing, whether it's on wolves, deer, elk, or any other species. It hurts our public image and it harms our resources. Second of all, he didn't know his target - huge, huge problem.

I pack a gun everywhere I go. We have terrorists in America. If I see a guy I think is a terrorist and shoot him, and he turns out not to be a terrorist, should I be given consideration because I thought I was doing a good thing? I don't think so. I think I should be tried for murder. Maybe I missed your point altogether. 

[andrew_in_idaho]

I also see no reference to shooter hunting?
I often carry a rifle when in the woods whether in a hunting season or not...

Do you often shoot at game animals which are not in season?

The article clearly states that wolf season closed March 31st, the incident happened in May. The kid said that his dad told him to shoot the wolf, so he intentionally aimed and fired at what he assumed to be a game animal that was out if season.

If you still don't see a reference to poaching in the article I can't help you.

[mfswallace]

Do you know more than what is actually in this one article sighted? If so then please share because as I stated before, there is no mention of poaching or hunting.
 It does say the dogs were running ahead, maybe the idiot dad thought they were in danger from 2 wolves running at them?

I totally agree with your other statements  and my nose isn't bent out of shape, just wondering why your putting your own spin on it and then claiming it as fact when nothing in this article backs up your claim of knowingly poaching

[Holg3107]

I also see no reference to shooter hunting?

The moment you start to pursue game you are hunting, or in this case poaching. Not sure why you feel they need to spell it out more?

[andrew_in_idaho]

Do you know more than what is actually in this one article sighted? If so then please share because as I stated before, there is no mention of poaching or hunting.
 It does say the dogs were running ahead, maybe the idiot dad thought they were in danger from 2 wolves running at them?

I totally agree with your other statements  and my nose isn't bent out of shape, just wondering why your putting your own spin on it and then claiming it as fact when nothing in this article backs up your claim of knowingly poaching

It is pretty hard to claim self defense from 180 yards away.

On another note are you by chance an attorney? If so can you send me a business card, I have no need for an attorney at the moment but never hurts to have a good one in mind lol

[Jonathan_S]

     I included your bash's Jon-S

 

[mfswallace]

Do you know more than what is actually in this one article sighted? If so then please share because as I stated before, there is no mention of poaching or hunting.
 It does say the dogs were running ahead, maybe the idiot dad thought they were in danger from 2 wolves running at them?

I totally agree with your other statements  and my nose isn't bent out of shape, just wondering why your putting your own spin on it and then claiming it as fact when nothing in this article backs up your claim of knowingly poaching

It is pretty hard to claim self defense from 180 yards away.

On another note are you by chance an attorney? If so can you send me a business card, I have no need for an attorney at the moment but never hurts to have a good one in mind lol

  I am not an attorney 

I know it's not self defense and to help Pman understand, I'm sure that it is more probable than not that they were aware they were poaching  It just isn't in the article as some are claiming and like Brady some dbags just get to have there side aired before they get condemned 

[Jonathan_S]

It just isn't in the article as some are claiming and like Brady some dbags just get to have there side aired before they get condemned 

Coming in hot from left. 

It's like if I shot somebody's pack goats in July thinking they were deer...would that be poaching deer?  No.  Would that person be a poacher for thinking they were shooting deer out of season?

[pianoman9701]

Do you know more than what is actually in this one article sighted? If so then please share because as I stated before, there is no mention of poaching or hunting.
 It does say the dogs were running ahead, maybe the idiot dad thought they were in danger from 2 wolves running at them?

I totally agree with your other statements  and my nose isn't bent out of shape, just wondering why your putting your own spin on it and then claiming it as fact when nothing in this article backs up your claim of knowingly poaching

OK, we're going in circles. I think we're actually not that far apart except for some semantics.