MI Hunter Who Shot, Killed Rare Gray Wolf May Face Charges: Reports

CALHOUN COUNTY, MI — A Michigan hunter may face charges after he shot and killed a rare gray wolf, an endangered species, back in January, according to reports.

The hunter initially thought he shot and killed a large coyote during a legal hunting season in Calhoun County, but subsequent genetic tests revealed the 84 pound animal was a gray wolf, according to officials.

A typical eastern coyote weighs between 25 and 40 pounds, according to officials.

Any person who knowingly kills an endangered animal faces up to one year in prison and a $50,000 fine, according to the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Wolves in Michigan are a federally endangered species, meaning they can be killed only if they present a direct and immediate threat to human life, according to officials.

Officials said wolves have not been found in that part of lower Michigan since the likely extirpation of wolves from the state in the early part of the 20th century.

"This is an unusual case, and the DNR is actively delving into the matter to learn more about this particular animal's origin," Large Carnivore Specialist for the DNR Brian Roell said. "While rare, instances of wolves traversing vast distances have been documented, including signs of wolves in recent decades in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula."

Wolves were once present throughout Michigan, but now they are almost entirely found in the Upper Peninsula, according to officials.

The department continues to search for wolves in the Lower Peninsula but has found only a few signs of wolf presence in that part of Michigan since the state’s wolf population became reestablished in the 1980s.