Gov. Mark Gordon and Wyoming Game and Fish Director Brian Nesvik are publicly condemning the alleged torment of a wolf in Sublette County, while wildlife advocate and animal rights groups continue to call for stronger responses and stiffer penalties.
The outrage and condemnation of the Feb. 29 incident peaked over the weekend when Cowboy State Daily obtained and published a photo of a Sublette County man posing with the wolf with its muzzled taped shut.
“Cruelty to any wildlife is absolutely unacceptable. This is not the way anyone should treat any animal,” Gordon said in a statement issued from his office Monday.
Nesvik called the alleged capture and torment of the wolf “disgusting” during a telephone interview with Cowboy State Daily early that morning.
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Meanwhile, some animal rights activists continue to call for stiffer penalties against the man, who was fined $250 for illegal possession of a live wolf in connection with the incident in Daniel, Wyoming.
Wane Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action, said Cody Roberts of Daniel, who was ticketed by wildlife officials that day and alleged to be the man shown posing in a photo with a wolf that had its muzzle taped shut, should face felony charges.
“Cody Roberts needs to be arrested for animal cruelty,” Pacelle said in a statement released jointly Monday by his group and the Center for a Humane Economy.
According to accounts of the events Feb. 29, Roberts ran a wolf down with a snowmobile and disabled it, then taped its mouth shut before taking it to his residence, showing it off at a local bar and then finally taking it behind the bar and killing it.
‘I Find It Disgusting’
Nesvik said Monday that Game and Fish could not yet officially identify the person who was fined in connection with allegations of possession of a life wolf.
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But he said accounts of the incident had marred the reputation of years of sound and responsible wolf management by Game and Fish.
“It’s really casting a shadow over a really strong track record of wolf management in our state,” he said.
Once wolves were delisted from federal protection in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, management of wolves was handed over to those states’ game agencies. All three states have allowed wolf hunting.
And although shooting wolves is legal in much of Wyoming, Nesvik said prolonging an animal’s suffering goes directly against the hunting ethics that Game and Fish promotes.
“It’s disrespectful of wildlife and it’s disrespectful of the law, and I find it disgusting,” he said.
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Gordon also stated that the alleged torment of the wolf violated Wyoming’s ethical hunting tradition and isn’t representative of the state’s people.
“I am outraged by this incident, just like thousands of Wyoming ranchers, farmers, sportsmen and sportswomen, and others around the state,” he said. “I would be disappointed if anyone were to paint Wyoming with a broad brush and suggest that Wyoming citizens condone the reckless, thoughtless and heinous actions of one individual.”
‘Everybody’s Watching Wyoming’
Officials speaking out about the incident is a step in the right direction, Wyoming Wildlife Advocates (WWA) Executive Director Kristin Combs told Cowboy State Daily on Monday.
However, more needs to be done, and pressure needs to be put on the Wyoming Legislature to change the state’s animal cruelty laws, she said.
WWA, Wyoming Untrapped, Wolves of the Rockies and the Large Carnivore Fund on Monday issued a joint call to action, asking their members and others to call or email Game and Fish to pressure the agency to release an official statement condemning the incident.
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“I think there needs to be an actual, official statement from the Game and Fish Department that this was cruelty and this was torture,” Combs said.
Game and Fish could also use its influence with the Legislature to have animal cruelty and wildlife harassment protections extended to wolves throughout the state, she added.
The state’s good name hinges upon such action, Combs said.
“Everybody’s watching Wyoming and seeing what’s going to happen,” she said.
Jeanne Ivie-Roberts is the aunt of Daniel resident Cody Roberts, who’s accused of mistreating a wolf before killing it. She has expressed support for her nephew and seems to comment the situation by posing for a photo with a wolf pelt and her mouth taped shut. (Jeanne Ivie-Roberts via Facebook)
‘I Love And Support You Cody’
Amid all the angry condemnation from across the nation and beyond, Roberts isn’t without support.
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His aunt, Jeanne Ivie-Roberts of Jackson, posted a photo of herself Friday on her Facebook page holding a wolf pelt with her mouth taped shut.
The image seems to mock the outrage and reaction of the wolf incident.
In another post she linked a Cowboy State Daily story headlined Wyoming Animal Cruelty Laws Don’t Apply To Alleged Wolf Torment Case and her reaction: “Woohoo” with heart emojis.
In another post, she simply states, “I love and support you Cody.”
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
With a population under 600, Byron, Wyo., is generally a quiet town. In recent weeks, streets have been even quieter as both local and federal law enforcement search for 39-year-old fugitive Anthony Pease, who is wanted for six counts of sexual assault involving a minor.
Authorities have been searching the area for weeks, and a reward for information leading to an arrest now sits at $2,000.
See how the search impacts the town:
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Search for fugitive wanted for child sex crimes leaves Wyoming town on alert
Saturday morning, law enforcement shared there was a confirmed sighting of Pease near town and reminded residents to remain vigilant by locking their doors and reporting suspicious activity. According to Wyoming’s Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office, before the weekend sighting, Pease hasn’t been seen since Nov. 1.
The Big Horn County Schools Superintendent, Matt Davidson, told MTN News a school resource officer on staff stays up to date with the latest on search efforts, and some parents say they’ve been keeping their kids indoors when they’re not at school.
As the search continues, the mayor as well as some residents, say they are taking law enforcement’s advice while keeping a watchful eye.
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“I never used to lock my house during the day. I didn’t even lock my vehicles at night. In fact, a lot of the time I’d leave the keys in them. I’ve talked to other people and there is quite a few people that are nervous. I would hope that a lot of us are nervous because this is a bad thing,” said Byron Mayor Allan Clark.
In fact, investigators could be seen around Byron knocking on doors and scanning land outside of town.
“There’s just so much area and a low population, so much area for him to hide and seek shelter,” Clark said.
With so many wide-open spaces and abandoned buildings in the area, Clark understands why the search has gone on so long.
According to the US Marshals Service, Pease is 5 feet 11 inches tall and may also be going by the name Abraham. They also ask that anyone nearby who has a collection of silver dollars to ensure they are still there, and if not, to report to authorities.
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Marshals say Pease is considered dangerous, and the public is told to not approach him and instead call 9-1-1. As the search has stretched over six weeks, many residents hope a capture will bring life back to normal.
“I hope that they capture him soon, and I hope that us as community members and around the area keep our eyes open and report anything suspicious,” said Clark.
SHOSHONI, Wyo. — A 12-year-old boy from Shoshoni is now the proud holder of the Junior 4-pound Line Class world record for bass after netting a 2-pound, 4-ounce largemouth in August. The boy, coincidentally with the last name Bass, caught the fish at Lake Cameahwait.
According to a release from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Tucker Bass and his father were fishing over the lake on a two-person kayak when the young angler reeled in the record fish. He did so on a rod and reel given to him by his grandfather.
Bass is the first Wyoming resident to hold a world record in any category for largemouth. The International Game and Fish Association oversees all world records for fishing and officially approved Bass’s catch in November.
Wyoming’s state record largemouth was caught in 2018 near Sheridan. A comprehensive list of all Wyoming record fish can be found here.
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“This is an exceptional accomplishment for a young angler,” WGF Lander Region fisheries supervisor Joe Deromedi said in the release. “Tucker’s record highlights not only his skill and dedication, but also the quality fishing opportunities we have in central Wyoming. It’s always exciting to see youth developing a lifelong passion for fishing.”
Bass, an avid fisherman, also earned Trophy Angler status in the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Master Angler program in August.
For more information on Tucker Bass’s record catch, see the Wyoming Game and Fish website.
Junior Line class 4-pound world record-holder Tucker Bass (WGF Department)
