Killing endangered gray wolf Iron County, MI (US) Date: Nov 28, 2004 Disposition: Alleged Alleged: James Lakosky

Case ID: 3519 Classification: Unlawful Trapping/Hunting Animal: other wildlife View more cases in MI (US) Login to Watch this Case

A Manistique-area man was arraigned Monday (Jan 3, 2005) afternoon on charges of killing a radio-collared gray wolf in Iron County in late November.

James Lakosky, 55, pleaded not guilty and faces a Jan. 17 pretrial hearing in 95th District Court in Crystal Falls before Judge Joseph Schwedler, according to a Monday press release from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Lakosky faces a misdemeanor charge of taking an animal designated in Michigan as threatened or endangered. He could face 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine and $1,500 restitution to the state, according to Lt. Thomas Courchaine of the DNR's Crystal Falls office. He also could face suspension of hunting privileges at the discretion of the court, Courchaine said.

Protected by state and federal law, about 360 gray wolves are in the Upper Peninsula, the DNR said. Recently, evidence also confirmed that there are at least a few wolves in the northern Lower Peninsula.

An arrest warrant was issued by Iron County Prosecutor Joe Sartorelli for Lakosky on Dec. 21 after an investigation by DNR conservation officers, the press release said.

The officers were called to the scene in Iron County when the radio transmitter on the wolf went into mortality mode, a signal that emanates when the animal has not moved for 24 hours.

Evidence collected at the scene led to search warrants being issued and several people being interviewed during the investigation, which led officers to believe Lakosky shot the wolf Nov. 28 while he was hunting from a deer blind, the DNR said.

References

The Mining Journal

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