Man Frees a Trapped Wolf and Gets Rewarded With a Heartwarming Reunion

Sometimes we are faced with difficult choices, and this guy found himself on the receiving end of a similar situation. Luckily, there was a better option, and he knew what to do. It all came down to what made more sense. 

In most cases, choosing the harsher option is most accessible as it means you don’t have to deal with the aftermath. Unfortunately, John was one with nature, meaning he had a soft spot for nature’s offspring. 

John Oens was not a stranger to the Wisconsin wilderness, thanks to his hobby as a hunter. You’d find him scoping the terrain often, looking for game, and boy did he know his stuff. Unlike most people in his shoes, John was proud of his activity and never shied from it.

Additionally, John’s hobby went beyond having fun. The avid trapper made this activity a double-edged sword, taking out predators and other bigger animals that the average population had no idea existed.

Mostly, John hunted foxes and coyotes with a penchant for invading local farms. The creatures would attack the chicken coops and livestock, leading to retaliation from the farmers. The angry farmers would use poison and crude traps, even catching innocent victims.

Despite them being his mortal enemies, John never had any bile toward his prey. His goal was to capture the foxes and coyotes, not torture them. That’s why he always opted for humane traps to hold the creatures. Then, he aimed to release them back to the wilderness far from the farmland.

As courageous as he might sound, John was not an idiot. The wilderness is unpredictable, and things can go left before you know it. That’s why our favorite hunter always had company when inspecting his traps.

Fresh pine filled their nostrils and pleased their lungs as the trio went around their spots. The goal was to get as many fliers as possible before returning home. Additionally, trap inspection was necessary lest they leave a poor creature trapped for a long time.

Unfortunately, this trip around the trails was not a courtesy call. For quite some time, rabid coyotes had been spotted around the community forcing the hunters to up their efforts in capturing them. Additionally, this meant everyone had to be on high alert.

The team combed through the trail, inspecting every brush inch. Then, as a precautionary measure, John used his gun to move the bushes out of his way. You never know what you might startle by disturbing flora and fauna outdoors.

Capturing a wolf was a big problem, but John was in, deeper than he had planned. Right before his eyes was an endangered animal. John was looking at a Timber Wolf, and there and then, he knew he had a difficult choice.

As for the wolf, it had a tough time trying to free itself. It was pretty frustrated, angry, and distrustful of people making sudden movements around it. Immediately John came into its vicinity; the Timber Wolf was on alert.

Thanks to his experience, the hunter knew he had to handle this situation carefully. Any sudden motions would lead to trouble, meaning making contact was out of the question. Therefore, John took his time assessing the situation before making sudden moves.

The first course of action would be to call animal control and let them handle the problem. However, considering how deep in the wilderness they were, it would take too much time. So it was up to them to figure out what to do next.

As John’s dad made his way to the car, John stayed within the animal’s vicinity. However, he had to resist the urge to get closer and steal a glance. It was a rare moment getting this close to such a majestic creature.

Considering how much John loved wolves, we must give the man some credit. He had always been curious about the creatures, and here was one mere inches from him. Better yet, the beast couldn’t scamper off or hide from him.

When John’s dad eventually came over with the board, he was curious about his son’s intentions. The older man couldn’t quite get what his son was up to, and John seemed to be pretty excited about the whole affair.

After assessing his options, John realized he needed a shield for his rescue operation. That’s where the board came in, and his father was more than willing to indulge in his plan. Admittedly, it was an unconventional plan that relied heavily on chance, but what other option did the team have?

The trio took their time to inspect the creature and came to the consensus that the wolf was not rabid. That was good news, as it made things easier for them. They could carry out the rescue operation without fearing infection.

This was quite frustrating, considering all they had to do was get to the trap and free the Timber Wolf. However, it turns out that was easier said than done. As soon as the hunters started making advancements, the creature tensed up, ready to pounce.

The setup was pretty simple; John had his “shield” ready while his father had his gun pointed at the wolf. Better safe than sorry, like? John was ready to go, but he felt like something was missing. This moment had to be documented.

The hunters knew they were on the right track and couldn’t wait for animal control. However, if they didn’t act quickly, the creature might harm itself before help came around. The worst-case scenario would have the animal gnawing its paw off in an attempt to free itself.

John positioned himself as close as he could and reached out super fast. Immediately he retreated to his shield; he felt the strong slam against the board. He braced himself for more blows, but none came through. Instead, there was uncanny silence which wasn’t always a good sign.

The creature was content with the results of the humans and just wanted to go home. It had had enough trouble for one day, and the people had no ill will towards them. John watched as the brown and black fur melted into the undergrowth.

When the big wolf reached the brush, there was a rustle of leaves and bushes. Suddenly, a pack of Timber Wolves joined the freed canine and dove into the woods! 

The hunters had survived by a whisker, and had they decided to put the wolf down, the pack would have had a field day with them. To make matters worse, no one had noticed the massive pack waiting nearby this whole time.

As soon as the freed wolf made his way to his pack, the hunters ceased to be of interest to the animals. Instead, the wolves were happy their trapped brother was free. One of the wolves was ecstatic than the rest as it licked the recent prisoner’s face ecstatically.

You’d think hunters are cold-hearted, and such a display wouldn’t affect them. In this trio’s case, the situation was different. John, his dad, and his friend were enjoying every moment of it all. Nature was doing its thing, and they were glad to witness it.

The hunters marveled at the sight for a few more minutes, taking in what was happening. It was a great moment after such an adrenaline-rushed situation. Then, just before the wolves left, the freed canine turned back and locked eyes with John.

As quickly as it had turned to look at John, the wolf made its way back into the woods with its family. Finally, it was time to go home, and he was ready to retire. The wolf had just had the longest day of its life and was happy to be heading home.