Wolf question

[levi127]

My question, is it legal to shot a wolf in MS?

On our farm in tunica we have a pack of coyotes and a wolf that run together oddly I guess. Saw him last year during the flood cross the duck field. Then seen him a few times over the year at a distance away. This morning him and the coyotes came through the woods roughly 40 yards away. I tried to video him only to see later I didnt hit the record button when I went to show my daughters.

[JaMak84]

GIFSoup

[NyssaAquatica]

Speaking as a former wolf trapper and researcher, I am 100% certain that you have not seen a wolf. The closest wolf pack to Mississippi is in Wisconsisn, and none have ever dispersed this far south.There are no wolves in Mississippi, and none anywhere that 'run' with coyotes.

[country_20boy]

My guess is that you have an abnormally large coyote or some type of dog cross breed.

My uncle killed one on our farm in central MS about 20 yrs ago that weighed 78 lbs. Called the MDWFP biologist and he said it appeared to be a cross with a German Shepard or other large breed dog. This think was huge. We hung it up on our skinning rack, and it was as long as a deer. I just wish we had camera phones back then. Never thought to take any photos.

[deltadukman]

Maybe he'll breed and help take out all the black panthers seen around the state....

[Wingman]

I've read that the Red Wolf will crossbreed with the coyote. We used to have Red Wolves here.

[levi127]

Yep serious! Lol
I might sound bat crap crazy about it but oh well. He looks exact opposite of a coyote in color. He is more of a white/greyish color, -alot taller and bigger. Always stays behind them also whenever we have seen them like yesterday morning. Very well could be a cross with something. But the color stuck out the most with him.

Wolves have never came to the south? What is a red back wolf? We have a biologist on our farm in lagrange Tn that was tracking a pack for about 4-5 yrs. Then they were gone. This was probably 10yrs ago also id guess.

[NyssaAquatica]

Yep serious! Lol
I might sound bat crap crazy about it but oh well. He looks exact opposite of a coyote in color. He is more of a white/greyish color, -alot taller and bigger. Always stays behind them also whenever we have seen them like yesterday morning. Very well could be a cross with something. But the color stuck out the most with him.

Wolves have never came to the south? What is a red back wolf? We have a biologist on our farm in lagrange Tn that was tracking a pack for about 4-5 yrs. Then they were gone. This was probably 10yrs ago also id guess.

Wisconsin wolves are gray wolves (Canis lupus), the world's most widespread canid species and second most widespread terrestrial carnivore behind the red fox. However, their range never extended into the American Southeast. The wolf species that once inhabited the southeast from Virginia to Florida and west to Texas is the red wolf (Canis rufus). This area was their sole domain, but by 1980, the critically endangered species was extinct in the wild. Reintroduction efforts are ongoing in North Carolina, where in 1987 a population of 100 animals was reintroduced to Alligator River NWR.

Interestingly, a pair of red wolves was reintroduced to Horn Island in 1989 in the hopes of establishing a population from which further reintroductions could be based. However, the program was nixed shortly thereafter due to concerns about hurricanes wiping out the animals.

As for the biologist you know, red wolves were reintroduced to the smokies in 1989, but the effort was unsuccessful largely due to parvovirus breakouts, competition with coyotes, and the wolves being shot by hunters who thought they were coyotes. The 4 remaining individuals were removed from the park in 1998. Perhaps the guy you know was involved with that?

[eSJay]

Levi - To answer your original question about it being legal to shoot a wolf in MS, I'd have to say NOT no, but HELL NO! Mainly because it's not a wolf!
It does sound like you need to get some good pictures of this creature though!

[Buckwabit]

I would Like Wingman to explain to me how shooting something, that doesn't exist in the state, is illegal? I've always wondered that. If wolves are not here, but are protected, and I shoot one of them then how is it illegal?

[donia]

could it possibly be a hybrid (offspring, now)? i personally knew 2 people that had them as pets. came from a trainer at parchman, trying to create a super-tracker...couldn't breed enough of the wild out of them. they were timber wolf/husky (maybe malamute) mix. not sure if they were neutered or still in tact, but seems like my best friend's (dire, of course) was in tact.
i have also noticed "oversized" coyotes in the last decade or so, that i was almost certain was a cross-breed with a dog because of the coloring.

[levi127]

I have photo after photo of coyotes on the property. But this 1 animal I have none of.
I know our biologist lost track of them after a few years. Never knew if they were shot or just went on their way. We had ames plantation that butted up against us and it was in their transition from a elite hunting club to shoot it if it walks place now from what I understand. Owner of holiday inn was on the other side of us and allowed the guys to use the helicopter to actually follow and track them from the air at some time or another. They were only spotted by air a few times when flushed out of the woods during non hunting season.
I figure this could be a hybrid of some kind. I talked to the farmer next to us also down there and his group saw it before season as well crossing wide open field.
So for me and everyone in our group, it lives to see another day and will not be shot at. I just didnt know and figured to ask.
Hopefully I will get a photo of him to show

[NyssaAquatica]

You could have a 'Call of the Wild' situation. Maybe somebody's husky got out and decided to run to the wildness still in his genes. It could also be a hybrid somebody tried to keep as a pet and let go or lost because they couldn't handle it.

If you get a photo, please share it on here.

[Recovered]

https://g.co/kgs/59vfYc

[Recovered]

https://g.co/kgs/59vfYc

Coydog maybe