Wolf pups are barely a month or so old at this time of year. Wolves are protective of their young pups. It’s no surprise that wolves killed six hound hunting dogs that were allowed to run lose in known wolf territory in east Idaho. Hunters should know better than this and it’s a sad day when dogs have to lose their lives because of their handler’s negligence.
Source: The Idaho State Journal Six dogs killed by wolves in east Idaho
By David Ashby May 20, 2016
Six hunting hounds have been killed by wolves in an isolated location in Madison County over the past few weeks.
The hounds were killed in two separate incidents near White Owl Butte east of Rexburg. In both instances, three hounds were killed. According to Idaho Department of Fish and Game spokesman Gregg Losinski, the houndsmen were using the dogs to hunt for black bears in Game Management Unit 62.
The hounds were allowed to run loose and pursue the bears. But when the hunters caught up with their dogs, the hounds were dead.
“The incidents occurred about a week apart, and each location was about four miles apart,” Losinski said. “By wolf measurements, that’s not very far.”
A similar incident involving wolves occurred in the same area in 2014.
There is no open wolf season right now in Unit 62, but the hunters would have been in their legal right to shoot the wolves if they had seen them harm their hounds. It is rare for multiple dogs to be killed by wolves in such a short amount of time in the same area. But Losinski said that’s one of the risks of hunting with hounds in an area that’s populated with at least one wolf pack, as well as black and grizzly bears.
“Wolves consider any other canines as rival wolves, and in their world, it’s kill or be killed,” Losinski said.
another reason to ban hounding in all states. Just another reason to hunt and kill wolves. Hounders know the risk of letting their dogs to run loose under no supervision. They know wolves are very protective cause of the pups. Why would you put any dog at harms way, BAN HOUNDING
I believe in Wisconsin hound hunters purposely do this to get money for those dogs and if those dogs attack and kill something they should not , which happens, nothing happens to the hunter for those losses of other people’s pets or in some cases wildlife not on a hunt list. Hound hunting is lethal for both the lives of those dogs and the wild life they are allowed to harass. Maybe it’s time for hound hunters to stop this madness.