46 Nebraskaland • April 2023
Wolves are native to Nebraska and
were a familiar sight to people here
for thousands of years before William
Clark documented the expedition's first
encounter with a wolf in Nebraska on
July 20, 1804. On that day, he wrote in
his journal that he killed an "emence
[immense] large yellow Wolf" near
the mouth of Weeping Water Creek in
present day Otoe County.
Since that encounter, wolf
populations were steadily reduced via
elimination of their prey, including
the great bison, elk and pronghorn
herds. Settlers and explorers also
killed wolves directly for pelts and to
protect livestock at every opportunity.
Bounties were paid for dead wolves,
and hunting parties numbering in the
hundreds pursued wolves, coyotes and
other predators. They were trapped,
shot and killed by poisoning until the
last confirmed wolf in Nebraska was
captured near Oconto in Custer County
in 1913. This animal was mounted in
A mount of Nebraska's last known wild wolf from the historical population is on
display at the Hastings Museum in Hastings, Nebraska. This animal was killed in
Custer County in 1913. COURTESY HASTINGS MUSEUM
Buff alo Hunt. White Wolves attacking a Buff alo Bull – George Catlin 1844.
