An inspiring rescue story
When the hunter John Oens and his fellows were making their regular walk through his property in Central Wisconsin to check the coyote traps he has set earlier, they were hoping to see trapped coyotes but stumbled upon something else instead.
A timber wolf had its right front paw caught in the coyote trap with no way to pull it out and get free. The surprising encounter was captured on a video that went viral on YouTube back in 2015. Perhaps the situation is a dream comes true for many hunters, but not for Oens.
The wolf appears to be unharmed and healthy despite the trapped leg. The trap is designed to not hurt the leg of the animal. However, the wolf is frightened and in distress, ready to protects itself. Getting closer to the wolf is risky.
The adult animals can reach up to 80 pounds in weight and 5.25 feet in length. Wolves are perfectly adapted to the cold climate of Wisconsin. The body of the timber wolf is covered with thick coat. The paws of this species have elongated claws for better grip when running fast.
In nature wolves would avoid contact with humans, but when the animal is cornered, it can become aggressive to defend itself. The video shows how Oens approaches the animal holding a gun in his hand. While the first thought of the viewer is definitely a terrifying scene of potential killing of the wolf, the intention of the hunter is different.
The animal got caught in the trap by accident. “This is my first timber wolf of 2015. It’s a big, beautiful animal. I’m gonna go ahead and get out of the trap and get him on his way.” Says Oens in the video staying alongside the wolf.
The wild animals should never be underestimated especially when they are in distress. The two Oens’ fellows quickly point their guns towards the wolf to stay safe in case it attacks. Oens however pushes the guns back and makes a plan how to help to the scared animal.
It would be impossible to just get close to the wolf and release his paw from the trap. Oens has to find a shield that will protect him in case the animals decides to attack and at the same time will give him enough space and visibility to manually open the trap and free the wolf. The instincts and the creativity of the hunter quickly kick in.
Oens decides to use a large wooden board for the rescue plan. The sturdy board would work as a shield from the wolf while the hunter would be able to work on open the trap. The plywood has a hole at the bottom where Oens can place the paw of the frightened animal without hurting it or stressing it more. The plan seems simple, but would it work in reality?
The video shows how the other two friends cautiously stay along the hunter with guns ready to fire in case of unexpected danger for their friend. Prepared with the wooden board and equipped with a GoPro camera, the hunter shows no fear in approaching the animal.
He places the board in front of the trapped timber wolf and over its caught paw. The scared animal doesn’t hesitate to attack the wooden board and snaps jaws a few times to defend its paw. Oens’ friends try to distract the wolf with a stick, but the hunter finds it unnecessary and pushes it away. It is him and the wolf and the determination to rescue the animal as quickly as possible.
Once Oens has an access to the trap, the opening of the device seems easy. Before Oens opens the trap he asks his friends to be prepared. “You guys ready, ” he says. “Yep,” answer the fellows. The video shows the anticipation of the wolf. A simple rapid pull of the trap and it gets open.
The wolf doesn’t skip a beat and jumps backwards to escape from the scene. Fast like a bullet, the gorgeous wild animal runs into the woods to reunite with its group and lives again, saved from the deadly situation.
The video quickly became viral on YouTube with almost 7 million views. The improvised approach of the hunter and his confidence to free this majestic wild animal inspires more and more people. The topic of poaching wolves is kind of controversial in Wisconsin. The timber wolves are considered endangered species in the state. Killing of the wolf would be illegal.
Fans of the video have a lot to say about the inspiring rescue. “Beautiful!, he was scared at first when you went up to him but it was like he realized you was going to help him and he just chilled. good job!” was written by one of the viewers. “Much respect! I know plenty of people would've just shot it!,” is the comment of another viewer.
