Hunter jailed after killing 18 wolves because he ‘likes to do it,’ Michigan agency says

A Michigan hunter accused of killing 18 wolves in 18 months and poaching other wildlife will go to jail, officials say.

Kurt Johnston Duncan, 56, pleaded guilty to seven poaching charges after an investigation by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

In May, the agency announced 125 misdemeanor charges against Duncan after conservation officers learned he was using the animals he poached for crafts and selling or disposing of wildlife. Duncan told investigators he was catching the animals because he could and “likes to do it,” officials said.

In addition to wolves, Duncan is accused of poaching bald eagles and wildlife crimes involving deer, turkeys and bobcats, officials said.

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Duncan was sentenced to 90 days in jail, $36,240 in fines and fees, lifetime revocation of his hunting license in Michigan and 48 states in the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, officials said. He also will serve 18-24 months of probation.

“This is a historical case for the division and department,” Gary Hagler, chief of the DNR Law Enforcement Division, said in a news release. “We hope this poaching case acts as a deterrent to criminals for committing future wildlife crimes such as this.”

This story was originally published October 14, 2020 at 12:18 PM with the headline "Hunter jailed after killing 18 wolves because he ‘likes to do it,’ Michigan agency says."