In the winter of 2014, an adult female wolf was found dead in northern Minnesota, on the Grand Portage Indian Reservation. When the necropsy was performed, the cause of death was determined to be from a single wound from an ordinary pellet gun. Described as “low powered”, the pellet was almost certainly either .177 or .22 caliber. Although this incident occurred in 2014, I only learned of it this year. Ordinary pellet guns have been powerful enough to kill humans and even a black bear.
The wolf was a lone female who had been driven out of the pack on Isle Royale. It had a radio collar as part of the Isle Royale study. Researchers said the wolf had almost been killed twice, in fights with another female wolf, presumably, to keep her out of the pack. During the winter, ice had allowed the wolf to reach the mainland, 18 miles from Isle Royale. READ MORE AT: https://www.ammoland.com/2025/12/wolf-killed-with-pellet-rifle-in-minnesota/?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=SocialSnap
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