Wolves Stalk Kids in Catron County
The following incident is known as prey testing. While the mainstream media criticizes Catron county for implementing an anti habituation ordinence aimed at controlling wolves that behave in the following fashion it is important to remember that the Catron County Ordinence was not implemented for trivial and antagonistic purposes. The Ordinence is aimed at preventing situations such as the following which occurred 5-23-07. These wolves are not on the flight reports.
My name is Brenda McCarty. We’ve met several time at wolf meetings. I worked with Leasha Kaber to construct a video for the County on some of the wolf encounter. That video went to the Game & Fish Commission . I guess I included that bit of information because what we where trying to avoid is exactly what has happened.
We live on Eagle Peak Road and it’s about 1/2 mile from the highway where the bus stop is. This past year my neighbor and I have been taking turns in regards to getting the children back and forth from the bus stop. I take the children to school in the morning and she takes them from the bus stop after school to the house. On the last day of school they only had 2 hours. I was not aware that my neighbor would not be home that early and that she had made arrangements for her daughter to be picked up at school or I would have also made arrangements for my children.
My children where walking home from the bus stop when after hearing a vehicle on the highway, turned to look behind them to see if the vehicle was turning down the road, saw a wolf standing in the middle of the road watching them. At one point, just a few second earlier, they had to have walked right past the wolf. After seeing the wolf my son, who is 13 years old took my daughter, who is 11 and mildly retarded, across the short cut straight to the house. The wolf turned and finished walking across the road and headed in the same direction as our house and more importantly the same direction as my children needed to go. As many time as we have talked to them about how to react, they still not only ran (or as my son put it walked very fast), but also left the main road and cut across 150 yards of brush and wooded area. They got to the house and immediately called me. They were scared and in a panic. I made sure that they were both safely in the house and then calmed them down. I then called Jess Carey and he in turn called the sheriff’s department to make sure that the kids were not alone while Jess came from Rancho Grande Estates, which is about 9 miles from my home. Sheriff Menges took the Game Warden with him. They were the ones that measured the wolf print in the spot where my children first saw the wolf. When Jess got there they also found two other different set of wolf tracks, again on private property just southeast of the house.
All track were documented by Jess Carey, Sheriff Menges and the Game Warden. My son then made a statement out for Jess. When the Fish and Wildlife Biologist showed up she was asked not to speak to the children till after I got there, this was on my request. She drove out to look for more tracks while they waited for me to get there. I got home shortly before she returned and talked to Jess Carey and my father-in-law who had gone to stay with the children while I finished work. After returning, the Fish and Wildlife Biologist and I talked for a few minutes. She said that she did not find anything other then what Jess saw and to understand that she was not calling my son a liar, but that she did not find anything. Excuse me, but I don’t think that the wolves, that left those tracks, just materialized out of nowhere. I wish someone had gone with her so that we would have been sure that she didn’t erase evidence. She never, even when asked, commented on the tracks that Jess and the Game Warden confirmed. She didn’t take my son’s statement or even ask me if she could talk with him.
My father-in-law asked if the children (on the days when I am in court or their is no one able to pick them up) carry a gun up to the bus stop. All I could think of is that we live where we do so that our children don’t have to pack a gun to school. Guess the jokes on me.
This morning I took the kids with me to work. This is something that I will not be able to do every day, but I just can’t leave them alone anymore. My son is now afraid that if I go to work that his sister may “try to go outside and the wolves will get her”. What do you do? How do you tell them well just pay attention to what’s happening around you and stay close to the house. If you have any questions, want more detail or just want to talk about it. You can find me at………….
Thank you,
Brenda
Sphere: Related Content
May 25th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
This is prey testing. Two kids have reciently been attacked by coyotes in New Jersey in an area that never had coyotes in the past.
Habituated animals are dangerous and these wolves are displaying habituated behavior and are one step away from attacking these biologists need to learn a bit more about animal behavior.
I hope the kids are doing ok. I am glad the kids did not scatter and stayed together.
May 25th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
We seem to be at the mercy of those who just don’t care. The extremes of these government functionaries dangerous/deadly and carefully engineered, action and inaction cannot be attributed to any other conclusion. The people and their whole world here in the agencies’ “wolf” country are tragically at their mercy.
All my life I have seen a reverence for women and children as an expression of human respect . What do you call it when situations such as with Brenda and her childre are allowed to prevail? The disconnect from all feelings for the people here is appalling and reminds me of the similar mentality of “acceptable atrocities” that have been commited around the world for personal gain or warped satisfaction.
We need to pressure all officials to quickly correct this crime of intentional endangerment occuring here regularly. Children shoulden’t have to live under this kind of horror anywhere! This is definately prey testing. This program cannot afford to acknowledge their intentional endangerment or any of the other crimes against humanity they are masking with gobbledygook and survive in an honest world. Their horrifying behavior has become their lifeblood.
May 26th, 2007 at 8:38 am
Well said as always Mary. I think like always they will blame the people that live here for living here. It is our fault not the people that put these wolves here an habituated these wolves. Are lack of being able to protect ourselves now having to have our kids armed is just crazy.
May 26th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
Very powerful. Send this post to to Congress.
May 30th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
[...] in New Mexico are still dealing with wolves stalking kids coming home from school and chasing wolves off their cattle on a daily [...]
June 3rd, 2007 at 6:45 pm
Two great ironies.
We are spending American blood and treasure exporting “democracy” to the middle-east while literally turning the wolves loose on Americans at home and assaulting property rights.
Jack Kevorkian was released after spending eight years in jail for murder. Greeting him with open arms was Mike Wallace. How much time do you suppose one would do for killing a wolf in order to protect your children or private property?
June 3rd, 2007 at 9:06 pm
This article just adds to the mess that started with our kids being considered expendable.
Bill Richardson support the program and affirmed it again after these incidents in the above link occured. He is running for president. Hit the news blogs and post comments on how Bill Richardson does not care about our kids safety.
June 8th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
[...] investigated in more urban areas of Catron County as well. On May 23 the last day of school, two children ages 13 and 11 were followed home from the bus stop by at least one wolf. Three sets of tracks were found in the area, but only one wolf was actually seen by the [...]
July 15th, 2007 at 10:55 pm
[...] knows that the wolves are often constantly in peoples yard’s ripping apart their pets and stalking their children returning home from school, but to him this is just fine for the children in his home state of New Mexico to have traumatic [...]
July 26th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
Jay asks how long a sentence one gets for killing a wolf while protecting a family. I have the answer. A little less than a year ago, we had a wolf meeting in Reserve. I asked the question Jay asks. Of course, I received a terse, “You’d better not shoot it while it’s walking away, or if it’s not dangerously close.” They knew before answering me that I had no such intention. For their record, I stated that I walk on my own property with a 10 pound dog, “bait” for a wolf. I used that because a small child with a small dog had witnessed her pet being snatched from right in front of her.
To clarify my intentions of only shooting if necessary, I made myself very clear that if the dog was in my arms and the “wolf,” and I use that term very loosely, lunged at me, I would have to shoot. In that instance, the shot would enter the chest from very close range. Again, Terry Johnson, Head of the Arizona Game and Fish, sneered at me and challenged my response. I asked if gun powder residue on the chest hair would be proof enough that I made a righteous kill. Another official quietly answered that would be enough. Under his breath, but heard by several of us, Terry Johnson muttered, “6 months and $10,000.”
I waited for the coffee break and let Mr. J. know that we heard his remark. He blushed brightly and tried to tell me it was a joke. None of us were laughing. This shows the mind set of those who use their badges to bully civilians. What Mr. J. showed me was that such a kill needs to be “disposed of properly.” I probably won’t ever have such a justification for such a kill or disposal, but it is important for me to relay to the public what their attitudes are and what we face every day.
July 26th, 2007 at 10:31 pm
Cari, in America you have every right to defend your self from a vicious predator, also the two legged wolves that are ruining America think they have the right and duty to destroy you any way they can, isnt it encredible that these goons were born here to like you and me, yet they would treat you like your Osama Bin Wolf huntin again Laden. Well hang in there gal and dont be frettin none, if ya do singe the chest hairs on a wolf just butcher that ole dog up and make a bunch of cheese burgers out of him/her then invite that Terry Johnson over for a burger and a coke, smile a lot and tell him what a good little tin soldier he is. He might even blush. maybe he will get worms from that dog meat to, one can hope. God bless ya. One old Idaho cowboy Wolveshater son-ova-bee.
July 29th, 2007 at 10:47 am
[...] wonder if they could handle being stalked coming home from school by 3 [...]
September 4th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
OH MY GOD!!!! THE SKY IS FALLING!
At their Mercy!
When can the rest of humanity (Including all of you) realize THEY are at our mercy.
Where is your evidence they were wolves? How about hybrids or wild dogs?
September 4th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
You people just prove the fact that the two most common elements in the universe are HYDROGEN and STUPIDITY
September 4th, 2007 at 9:26 pm
Robert Roach has obviously missed the enlightening experience of those subject to ground zero in wolf country. Ya think he might change his tune if he was backed up against a tree by three wolves? Lack of compassion seems to be a hallmark of too many on the outside looking in who have been inundated by the “wolf friendly” propaganda that has been so detrimental true understanding of what kind of populated, or not, landscape and management is necessery to large predator recovery.
The steam roller approach of management is self defeating, and the original designation of a fully utilized ungulate dependant landscape, with “no core area” (Ed Bangs) for recovery, networked with towns and communities was perhaps a mistaken (intentional or not) evaluation for an appropriate location. As the ESA specifies, that recovery areas (and populations) be instituted “as practicable” not just anywhere with no consideration. Hopefully the extremeists can back off and allow nature to determine whether the truly wild population can succeed and not continually allow aggressive attitudes in management to shoot the program in the foot.
Many cumulative impacts are being ignored here. Upcoming evaluations must take into account not only the reality of no core area for recovery, but also that future impact can be multiplied by ten as best science shows that, as per the Northern Rocky Mountain recovery program, litigous influences, that care not for the laws in place to protect the program’s affects on the resident people’s
“…historic, cultural, economic, social, or health, whether direct, indirect, or cumulative” (CEQ - Regulation 1508, Sec.1508.7 Cumulative Impact - Sec. 1508.8 Effects - supposedly governing the NEPA process) in blatent disregard for the welfare of others will not allow wolf population control.
September 7th, 2007 at 7:41 am
Robert
The sky is not falling, Freedom is. STUPIDITY is enslaving ones self. STUPIDITY is joining environmentalism which is one of many communist tools destroying the Constitution and Bill of Rights. See the Wilding project, see agenda 21 of the U.N. charter. America has been taken down from within, the velvet glove is coming off. Get a copy of Hitlers enabling act, then compare it to the Patriot act, almost a word for word match. When the dollar collapses and the stores are empty and the wolves have killed off all the game the people will realize to late what has gone down. FREEDOM will be lost for good.
October 10th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
[...] the southwest we currently have wolves stalking children going to and returning home from school and campers are not warned when they are camping near [...]
October 11th, 2007 at 8:39 am
[...] pen raised Mexican wolves are regularly seen at ranch headquarters and homes, in one case wolves followed children home from a bus stop and in several cases other children have had wolves in proximity to them and [...]
November 10th, 2007 at 10:08 am
WOLVES DO NOT HUNT HUMANS PERIOD THEY ARE AFRAID OF HUMANS YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE BIT BY A SHARK OR STRUCK BY LIGHTNING BEFORE BEING BIT OR ATTACKED BY A WOLF. THERE ARE NO DOCUMENTED CASSES OF AN UN-PROVOLKED WOLFE ATTACK ON A HUMAN EVER. DON’T START A NATIONAL PANIC BECAUSE YOUR KIDS HAPPENED TO SEE (WHAT THEY THOUGHT COULD BE A) WOLF. HOWEVER THEY ARE VERY CURIOUS ANIMAL AND WOULD WATCH OR OBSERVE A HUMAN OR ANY OTHER ANIMAL IF THEY DID NOT FEEL THREATENED. A LOUD NOISE WOULD CERTIANLY SCARE THEM AWAY AND THE FACT THAT YOUR CHILDREN RAN AWAY AND DID NOT GET CHASED OR ATTACKED PROVES THERE IS NO INTEREST IN HUMAN FOR FOOD. DURING HUNTING WHEN PREY RUNS THEY PURSUE THEY WILL NOT ATTACK FROM THE FRONT EITHER (LIKE A LION OR TIGER) SO IF YOU ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO SEE A WOLF AND FEEL THREATENED JUST DON’T LET HIM BEHIND YOU. AND DO A LITTLE RESEARCH BEFORE BLURTING OUT YOUR IGNORANCE… ALL OF YOU…
November 10th, 2007 at 11:02 am
OK Watzen, how do you, in all your reasonableness explain the following?
http://wolfcrossing.org/?p=632
http://wolfcrossing.org/blog/2007/11/05/mcnay-report-carnegie-case-excerpt/mcnay-conclusions-carnegie-case-editedpdf/
http://wolfcrossing.org/blog/2007/11/09/wolf-pack-incidents-luna-pack-threatens-hikers-and-hunters/
As far as your ridiculous claim that wolves don’t attack from the front explain this, the photo was taken by Wildlife Services of a collared Mexican wolf doing his thing. Bites were all over this yearlings head. Single wolves often attack from the front.
http://wolfcrossing.org/?pp_album=main&pp_cat=wolf-program-photos&pp_image=photo_WolfBitingYearlingCalf.jpg
I would sure love to hear your analysis of the above documents and photo’s. I imagine the rest of our readers would too, since you believe WE are ignorant and have done so little research. I would have to venture the opinion that you need to do a bit more studying on the subject yourself before you come to this site and yell at our members and readers.
November 10th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
Wolves will attack humans!bHabituated animals are dangerous and these wolves are displaying habituated behavior and are one step away from attacking these biologists need to learn a bit more about animal behavior.
November 13th, 2007 at 2:25 pm
[...] wolves here are so tame they are even stalking (oops I mean following) school children home from school. While our Governor (and presidential candidate) Bill Richardson thinks it is [...]
December 5th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
[...] Two schoolchildren in Reserve say they were followed by a wolf while walking from their bus stop to their home about a half-mile away. Because of that and incidents of attacks on pets and killing of livestock by the reintroduced wolves, Reserve Independent Schools Superintendent Loren Cushman decided to wolf-proof school bus stops. Some proponents of the Mexican gray wolf reintroduction deride the shelters as a public relations ploy. Others merely dismiss it as overreaction or hysteria. There’s little evidence that the wolves pose any real threat, they argue, and there has been only one recorded case of a human being killed by wolves in North America in the last 100 years. A century of experience with wild wolves, however, may not be the most accurate predictor of the behavior of these wolves. Raised in captivity in closer contact with humans than their ancestors would ever choose to be, they were fed instead of having to hunt down lunch, then set loose to figure out how to live in a different kind of world. These wolves come with no guarantees. Following children could be a behavior rooted in curiosity, not hunger. But it is easy to predict that most human mothers aren’t going to ponder the behavior of wolves if it involves their own pups. Superintendent Cushman said building the wolf-proof shelters, regardless of “whether a person is pro or con wolf,” is the right thing to do. Reserve parents and school officials say they feel better having a safe place for kids. It’s their decision to make, and it’s not costing taxpayers anywhere else in the state anything. It’s easy for city dwellers to mock or discount rural residents anxieties— too easy Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]
December 10th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
[...] Two schoolchildren in Reserve say they were followed by a wolf while walking from their bus stop to their home about a half-mile away. Because of that and incidents of attacks on pets and killing of livestock by the reintroduced wolves, Reserve Independent Schools Superintendent Loren Cushman decided to wolf-proof school bus stops. Some proponents of the Mexican gray wolf reintroduction deride the shelters as a public relations ploy. Others merely dismiss it as overreaction or hysteria. There’s little evidence that the wolves pose any real threat, they argue, and there has been only one recorded case of a human being killed by wolves in North America in the last 100 years. A century of experience with wild wolves, however, may not be the most accurate predictor of the behavior of these wolves. Raised in captivity in closer contact with humans than their ancestors would ever choose to be, they were fed instead of having to hunt down lunch, then set loose to figure out how to live in a different kind of world. These wolves come with no guarantees. Following children could be a behavior rooted in curiosity, not hunger. But it is easy to predict that most human mothers aren’t going to ponder the behavior of wolves if it involves their own pups. Superintendent Cushman said building the wolf-proof shelters, regardless of “whether a person is pro or con wolf,†is the right thing to do. Reserve parents and school officials say they feel better having a safe place for kids. It’s their decision to make, and it’s not costing taxpayers anywhere else in the state anything. It’s easy for city dwellers to mock or discount rural residents anxieties— too easy Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]
January 9th, 2008 at 9:38 am
I happen to know the author and the children very well, and I am here to tell you idiots that this not a made up tale or hysterics! If the children said that animals were wolves then wolves they were. The young man is not one to tell fabricated stories if he did then the little girl would set the story straight in a heartbeat.
We do not live in the area anymore but my heart goes out to the families that are having to deal with the idiots that are in charge of this program. While the wolf is one of gods most majestic animals, cunning, clever and a killing machine the so called wolves brought into this area are not pure breds.
I am here to tell Brenda that I will take the kids over the summer after school gets out so she will know that they are safe and cared for. Brenda can count on me to watch over her children at anytime.
Kari
February 19th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
So. I have a question. How do you know they were wolves and not wild dogs or hybrid wolf-dogs? Wolves have a deeply, DEEPLY ingrained fear of humans. But, wild dogs and hybrid wolf-dogs do not. If “wolves” are getting close to your town, couldn’t they be reproducing with your dogs and creating non-human-fearing pups? Hybrids are also known to be quite viscious.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
[...] May of 2007 two Catron county Reserve School district school children were followed home from the bus stop by what appeared to be a Mexican wolf although later two sets of wolf tracks were found in the [...]