It would have probably wandered down from MN or WI.Looks wolfish to me.
A lot of times, those end up being feral wolf/dog hybrids, but maybe it wandered over from the Rockies.
mistaken identity. Nope, definitely a coyote.According to the article, the DNR biologist estimated the canine weighed 80 pounds. A few notes:
-Sometimes hard to tell if even with an external exam whether it is a true wild gray wolf or a hybrid. The former are protected the latter are not.
-From past DNA tissue samples, Iowa gets the occasional visiting dispersing wolf from the Great Lake population- WI, MI, or MN, not the Western Rocky Mountains
-There have been confirmed sightings, killings, and trapping of true gray wolves in Iowa in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2021
-DNR encourages (emphasizes) that coyote hunters spend extra time knowing their targets to avoid cases of mistaken identity.
Lions aren't protected here but wolves are.A mountain lion was killed in Iowa just a few days ago by a coon hunter. Non native game to that state are not protected. In the case of lions anyway, hopefully wolves too.
A quick google search showed several wolves killed there.
According to the article, the DNR biologist estimated the canine weighed 80 pounds. A few notes:
-There have been confirmed sightings, killings, and trapping of true gray wolves in Iowa in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2021
-DNR encourages (emphasizes) that coyote hunters spend extra time knowing their targets to avoid cases of mistaken identity.