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LANSING--A Rhinelander, Wisconsin man was sentenced today in 95-B District Court, Crystal Falls, for shooting a female wolf in Iron County.
Scott Blamberg, 34, appeared before Judge Joseph Schwedler, where he was assessed a fine of $1,000, ordered to pay $1,500 in restitution to the State of Michigan for the loss of the animal, serve 60 days in jail to commence immediately, plus an additional 60 days of probation after the jail sentence is served. In addition, Judge Schwedler condemned the firearm that Blamberg used to shoot the wolf and revoked all future Michigan hunting privileges.
Wolf #3605 was a one-and-one-half year old female that had been radio collared as a pup in 1997, then re-collared in 1998 after being accidentally caught in a leg-hold trap. The wolf was an important link in the effort to monitor the natural recovery of wolves in Michigan, according to Jim Hammill, the Wildlife Biologist in the Michigan Department of Natural Resource’s Crystal Falls office. The wolf was apparently eating from a road-killed deer when Blamberg shot the research animal. The wolf had been seen frequently along USFS Highway 16, in Iron County’s Stambaugh Township, near the location where it was shot.
Killing a wolf is a violation of the Michigan Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Endangered Species Protection Part 365. Results of the 1998-99 winter wolf survey conducted by the DNR confirmed the presence of at least 174 wolves, in about 30 packs, scattered across the Upper Peninsula. No wolves were confirmed in the Lower Peninsula.
Two additional cases related to the killing of wolves remain under investigation. A $2,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the death of a young wolf, also a radio collared research animal, whose radio collar was found during a ground search in Dickinson County, about one mile from the community of Felch. In another case, a wolf was found shot in the area of USFS Road 730, in Ontonagon County. A reward is also offered in this case.
Both animals were believed to have been killed during the November 1998 Firearm Deer Hunting Season. Anyone with information related to these open cases, or any matter pertaining to unlawful conduct relative to natural resources is urged to contact the DNR’s Report-All Poaching hotline at 800-292-7800.
Uploaded: 7/23/1999
Uploaded: 7/23/1999