Former Wisconsin Conservation Warden Fined for 2023 Killing of Protected Gray Wolf

It was Christmas Day 2023 when Pat Quaintance, a resident of Bayfield in northern Wisconsin, shot and killed a collared gray wolf near his rural home. Quaintance, a former conservation warden with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, self-reported the incident to the Bayfield County Sheriff's Office around 2 a.m., stating that he had killed the wolf, which he said was at or near his back door.

The wolf was a 13-year-old female from the Echo Valley pack, part of a long-term research effort by the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, sporting a tracking collar used for monitoring. At the time of the initial investigation, authorities confirmed that there was no evidence that the wolf had attacked any person or pets.

Quaintance claimed the shooting was in self-defense (or defense of property), citing ongoing wolf activity near his home. A prominent hound hunter and president of the Wisconsin Association of Sporting Hounds, Quaintance had previously reported wolves harassing his hounds, a story corroborated just days before he pulled the trigger. According to reports, on December 18, 2023, USDA Wildlife Services verified wolves in close proximity to a residence and outdoor kennel in Bayfield County, posing a threat to kenneled dogs (though the exact location wasn't publicly specified, it aligned with Quaintance's reports). 

Less than a week before the incident, Quaintance testified before the state Senate’s sporting heritage committee that wolves were "getting bolder," coming within 100 yards of his home and even following a neighbor on a four-wheeler. He expressed frustration over being unable to hunt or trap wolves on his property and advocated for managing the state's wolf population to around 350 animals, far below current estimates of over 1,000.

Unfortunately for Quaintance, under federal law, gray wolves remain listed as endangered in the Great Lakes region following a 2022 court ruling restoring protections, therefore making killing a wolf illegal except in cases of immediate defense of human life. In cases like this one, defense of property or pets does not qualify. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service led the investigation, and as of mid-December 2025, Quaintance was ordered to pay a fine, although the exact amount was not publicly disclosed, as the case was classified as open at the time of reporting. That said, potential penalties for illegally killing an endangered species include up to one year in prison and fines up to $100,000 for individuals, though no jail time was mentioned. The wolf's remains have since been transferred to the Red Cliff Band.

Quaintance's background only served to add layers to the controversy. As a former enforcer of wildlife laws, he has held prominent roles including past president of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, member of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, and vice chairman of Bayfield County’s Deer Advisory Committee. He has been vocal against wolf protections and restrictions on hunting, with reports also noting a prior November 2023 Facebook post where Quaintance appeared to discuss baiting wolves on his property with doughnuts and Rice Krispies cereal (via trail camera photos and comments), which is illegal under federal protections and raised questions about whether the wolf's presence was encouraged.

When contacted in late 2025, Quaintance declined to comment further, stating the case was "over and done with." Supporters, including Hunter Nation's Wisconsin director Chris Vaughan, have since organized a GoFundMe to cover legal fees, offering to match funds up to $5,000.

Animal welfare advocates made their voices heard, expressing disappointment, arguing a fine alone is inadequate for harming a federally protected endangered species. Members from the Red Cliff Tribal Council Member mirrored the sentiment describing the wolf as "family" to the tribe, not merely a predator.

Despite their feelings, this incident continues to shed light on the ongoing tensions in Wisconsin over wolf management.  The state's population is healthy but, similarly to some western states (read: Colorado), is ridden with depredation issues on livestock and dogs. With 12 reported illegal killings between April 2024 and April 2025, there is a rising undertone of a sort of vigilante justice as it pertains to Great Lakes wolf packs. As broader debates continue, including efforts in Congress to remove federal protections for gray wolves nationwide, the question as to whether 2026 will see more common sense legislation weaved into wolf management remains unanswered, at least for the time being.