Taxidermist Speak On The Wolf Hunt
The bow deer hunt is underway in the state but already hunters are thinking about the newest one, the wolf hunt.
The lottery to determine who will get licenses was completed last week. Now, those hunters are learning what they can do once they harvest a wolf.
For those who applied for the upcoming wolf hunt, the selected hunters received papers in their mailboxes this weekend. But there's more to know than what those papers say.
David Blaubauch has been a taxidermist for 34 years. He says one of the biggest things hunters can do is make sure what they shoot is actually a wolf, and not a coyote or even a large dog. Once the hunter gets their prize, odds are they're going to want it mounted, and that means some work in the field.
Blaubach says, "Any big game hunting you'd want to do a little homework, and the wolf hunt in general. When you do harvest the animal, you wan to keep it cool. Also, not transporting on a hot exhaust from a vehicle can save that prize possession."
Another concern, how to make sure you follow proper DNR regulations after the kill. Within 24 hours of tagging your wolf, you must report the harvest by calling 1-855-299-WOLF.
The DNR wants all carcasses to be turned in by the fifth day following the month of the kill. For example, if a hunter harvested a wolf on October 15th, they must turn the carcass in by November 5th to the Department of Natural Resources.
Blaubach says it cost around $1,500 to get a full wolf body mount, depending on the size and weight of the wolf.
