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HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana, Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials say they are investigating a Missoula man's anti-wolf claim that he purposefully ran down a pair of wolves near the Idaho-Montana border.
The Great Falls Tribune (http://gftrib.com/1uPcrNW ) reports that Toby Bridges posted on Facebook last week bragging that he killed two wolves in his wife's van.
Capt. Joseph Jaquith said he is trying to determine if the Montana's wildlife law enforcement can do anything since Bridges used social media and he doesn't have any physical evidence.
Bridges did not respond to an email from the newspaper seeking comment.
"It's very unsporting, regardless of how you feel about wolves or lawful means for harvest of wolves, certainly running them down on the highway is not what we would accept," Jaquith said.
Jaquith added that it is illegal to intentionally run over animals in a vehicle in Montana.
Bridges' post included graphic details about how he accelerated his vehicle to intentionally hit a group of wolves that ran out across Interstate 90 just east of Idaho's Lookout Pass. He describes the wolves as chasing a cow elk and calf.
He went on to write that the wolves were not immediately dead after hitting them but looked like they had broken legs. He turned the van around and got out to take pictures, which he also posted to Facebook.
Bridges oversees an anti-wolf website and Facebook page called Lobo Watch, which is described as "sportsmen taking charge of predator problems."
Predator Defense executive director Brooks Fahy condemned Bridges' post and described it similar to a hate crime.
He added that posting violently graphic images and hatred of predators is increasing on online forums and social media.
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Information from: Great Falls Tribune, http://www.greatfallstribune.com
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