Just as I predicted a number of months ago, the killer of no. 39F, the famous Yellowstone White Wolf pled guilty and got a $500 fine from U.S. Magistrate Judge John Brooks in Casper, Wyoming.
The Wolf Justice League has obtained a copy of prosecuter's statement of what happened.
"After completing the investigation of the crime scene, the officers returned to Emmett's residence and interviewed Darwin regarding the incident. Emmett stated that at approximately 10:30p.m., he was in bed and heard the dogs barking. He got out of bed and got his new rilfe (22/250 Savage bolt action rifle with 4x - 16x Tasco scope) and a recently purchased 750,000 candle power, hand held, rechargeable spotlight. Emmett had the scope turned down to it's lowest power to pick up more light. Emmett walked out on the porch wearing only shorts and was barefooted. Emmett turned the spotlight on and using a vertical support post for the porch and his left arm as a rest for the rifle (his left hand held the spotlight) he saw an animal moving directly away from him in the pasture. The animal traveled a short distance and turned broadside with it's head pointed to Emmett's left (east), stopped and looked at Emmett. Also, Emmett's border collie named Annie was standing on the porch steps barking at this time. When the animal he thought
was a coyote turned broadside, Emmett was looking at it between two rails of the pasture gate. Emmett couldn't see the whole body, just the width between the rails. The animal's color looked like a dingy gray coyote and the eyes looked like coyote eyes. Emmett then fired one shot knocking
the animal down.Emmett then went back inside the house and got dressed and walked back outside to the pasture gate with Annie accompanying him. Emmett rested the rifle on the top rail and turned on the spotlight and observed that the coyote had gotten up and moved south towards the Clark's Fork River. At this time the coyote was some distance from Emmett and he could just see the outline of an animal. The coyote was moving away from Emmett at this time. Emmett fired one shot at it and missed. The coyote turned back to the west and stopped, standing broadside to Emmett with it's head to his right. Emmett fired one shot and the coyote dropped. When Emmett started shooting, Annie ran back to the porch. Also there were nine horses in the pasture and they were located at the lower end of it (far east end). There was also another horse (a stud) which was in the west pasture. Emmett walked to the coyote and when he was approximately five feet away, noticed that it had a radio collar and red ear tags. At this time Emmett knew he had killed a wolf and not a coyote."
The Casper-Star Tribune reported that Judge Brooks said , "Unfortunately, you made a mistake with an animal the United States is trying very hard to protect." Assistant U.S. Attorney John Barksdale said the sentence was appropriate because rancher Emmett "has always been open and truthful." The judge said he understood Emmett's dilemma because he had worked on a ranch too; but the judge added, "The next time you go to shoot an animal, maybe you will take a closer look."
Emmett's place [the Wright Ranch, according to the newspaper] is immediately on the north side of Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone. This is where the shooting took place rather than Sunlight Basin proper where I first reported the location. The Clark's Fork is over the ridge from Sunlight Basin, although I have learned that the whole area between Dead Indian Hill and the junction of the Chief Joseph and the Beartooth Highway is locally known as the Sunlight Basin.
Number 39 was a favorite of Yellowstone wolf watchers, but she became the third wolf to be illegally shot in the same sparsely-populated area in the last year. The shooting deaths of the Druid Peak Pack males 38M and 31M have not been solved. They were shot in Crandall Creek, which is four miles as-the-crow-flies from the location of no. 39's shooting.
The maximum fine for killing an endangered species or a species that has been reintroduced as part of an experimental program under the Endangered Species act is $25,000 and six months in jail. The other accidental shooting of a wolf in Wyoming was by ranch hand Jay York. back 1996. He also got a $500 fine. York immediately turned himself in. This killing was between Cody and Meeteetse in a location far from any of the other wolves.
In a related story, folks at the Wolf Justice League, who are discussing this case on-line, have just learned that Chad McKittrick, the only wolf killer to receive a substantial punishment has once again had his punishment stayed. This time it is so he can appeal his case to the United States Supreme Court.
I have no information who is paying for the appeals by McKittrick, who has always been described as a person who doesn't have a lot of money.
Added 8-28-98. Note: It turns out that McKittrick has a public defender. Your money is paying for him.
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