Lansing-area residents say wolf-like creature prowls neighborhood; Michigan DNR says it's a coyote

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says this animal is a coyote. But residents who have encountered it in the area of St. Joseph Highway and Upton Road in Delta Township say it's more like a wolf. (Photo by courtesy)

By Brandon Howell | 

November 30, 2012 

LANSING, MI -- There's something very, very strange in these old woods.

That's what some neighbors in the area of St. Joseph Highway and Upton Road in Delta Township say, at least.

Brad Wallen has encountered what he described as a wolf-like creature six times in the past three months, and as recently as Wednesday when it darted through his backyard. He said he's never seen anything like it before.

"I'm guessing this thing is between 65 and 80 pounds," he said. "It's not afraid of humans. It walks right out into the yard and lays down."

Wallen said the beast has made several trips onto his property. On one such occasion, Wallen was able to snap a couple pictures. Even then, the creature wasn't scared away.

"That's the thing that worries me the most -- I walked out back and it just sat there looking at me, and it's not afraid of me," Wallen said. "It psyched me out. For it not to be running or hiding, it alarmed me.

"I'm 225 pounds, and it just kind of looked at me like, 'Why don't you come a little bit closer, old man, and see how fast I can catch you?'"

Wallen reported his sightings to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, along with his pictures (which are embedded adjacent to this text). He said DNR officials told him the animal is a wolf-coyote hybrid, the result of wolves migrating south from the Upper Peninsula and mating with coyotes.

But Adam Bump, bear and fur bear specialist for the DNR, who investigated Wallen's report, said Wallen misunderstood.

Bump said he and the DNR's wolf expert from the Upper Peninsula reviewed Wallen's photos and agreed the animal is a coyote. Bump said Wallen's confusion is understandable.

A number of years ago, Bump said, canines exhibiting the physical characteristics of wolves emerged in the northern Lower Peninsula. But genetic work done at Trent University in Ontario revealed the animals were, in fact, coyotes.

"Some time in the very distant past it looks like they have a female relative that was an eastern wolf," Bump said. "So these canines were behaving like coyotes, but they looked like wolves. We have a very complicated genetic situation when it comes to wolves and coyotes, so there's that confusion."

Bump added that gray wolves, which are found in the Upper Peninsula, are not capable of interbreeding with coyotes. Also, Wallen's pictures clearly indicate the creature in the Delta Township woods is a coyote, he said.

"Its color is very consistent with Michigan coyotes," Bump said. "The ears that look large relative to the face, the long, slender nose -- the face is consistent with a coyote more than a wolf."

The animal's thick, full coat is indicative of a healthy coyote, Bump said. Dense fur on a coyote can often mislead people to believe the animal is a wolf as many coyotes seen in populous areas are infirm and thus have thinner coats.

But some residents remain unconvinced.

Robert Merritt, who serves as public information officer for the Lansing Police Department and is a neighbor of Wallen, also encountered the creature in question.

Merritt was walking his two English bulldogs several weeks ago when his male darted off into the woods. Merritt chased after his dog, soon realizing it was on the trail of something. That's when he saw it.

"My dog is running down this woodline, and about 40 yards ahead of me, out pops this wolf or whatever it was," he said. "So my dog was chasing this thing, and it's running away. But now I'm running full tilt thinking if this thing turns on my dog he doesn't have a chance in the world."

When Merritt finally caught up to his dog and ended the chase, the creature turned and stared, he said.

"It never, ever was aggressive to my dog or me," he said. "It wasn't in fear. It was just staring at me, and I'm thinking, 'Oh boy.' She was huge. She's got to be 60, 70 pounds.

"I would've bet any amount of money it was a wolf. Trust me. I've seen coyotes."

Merritt, who has worked in law enforcement for more than 20 years, likened the animal's size to that of a full-grown German shepherd. He said another neighbor awoke in the middle of the night a few weeks ago to "hellacious screaming like an animal crying out." The next day, neighbors found a mauled deer in the woods.

After his encounter with the beast, Merritt said he found the deer's carcass about one-and-a-half days later. The only flesh left was its hindquarters.

Bump said the anecdotal evidence is consistent with the behavior of coyotes. It's not uncommon for them to be found in urban areas and backyards, he said, and they don't often cause problems.

"Coyotes are intelligent," Bump said. "They can learn very easily that people don't pose a risk. But if you go out and yell and wave your arms, they'll likely run away."

Coyote attacks on humans are rare even nationwide, Bump said, but they do happen, usually in instances where the animals have been habituated, such as by people feeding them.

But Wallen and some of his neighbors remain concerned.

"We have a lot of kids here who play outside," he said. "I think parents should know to be aware. This thing is a predator, and it's hunting."

Bump said the coyote's presence in the neighborhood poses no cause for alarm. He said the DNR is not actively attempting to trap it, but that residents have recourse available if they truly feel threatened.

Michigan regulations allow citizens to hunt and trap coyotes on their property without a license if the animal is a risk to cause damage. The DNR's website is home to information on that and more, such as a listing of wildlife removal companies.

In the meantime, Bump said residents should handle the coyote with normal precautions.

"Just be respectful of the animal," he said. "If you have an animal that isn't exhibiting fear of people, you should give it a wide berth. Attacks are rare, but they do happen."

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