The family of a hunter who tortured a wolf and paraded it around their local bar before shooting it have released a bizarre reconstruction of the scene.
Cody Roberts, 42, was cited and fined for possessing the live wolf in Daniel, Wyoming, on Feb. 29, but it was not illegal to kill it.
Roberts posed with the exhausted animal, flashing a beaming smile while grabbing it by the scruff of the neck and holding up a can of beer.
The wolf, which was injured when Roberts ran over it with a snowmobile, had its mouth closed and was cowering like an abused puppy.
Cody Roberts, 42, posed with the exhausted animal, flashing a beaming smile while grabbing it by the scruff of the neck and raising a can of beer
Jeanne Ivie-Roberts, a close member of Roberts’ family who lives in Daniel, re-enacted the bizarre scene with a wolf skin in the same bar – including taping its mouth shut.
Witnesses said that shortly after this photo was taken, Roberts dragged or carried the animal through the Green River Bar while patrons drank beer.
He then took the wolf behind the bar, allegedly tortured it and shot it.
Jeanne Ivie-Roberts, a close relative of Roberts who lives in Daniel, recreated the strange scene with a wolf skin in the same bar.
She posted photos on Facebook of herself with her mouth closed, just like the wolf, while holding the skin in front of her.
Ivie-Roberts wrote in another post after Roberts’ antis went viral: “I love you and support you Cody.”
She also celebrated the news that animal cruelty laws did not apply to Roberts’ case, and another family member claimed they were receiving death threats.
Ivie-Roberts wrote in another post after Roberts’ antis went viral: “I love you and support you Cody”
Animal rights activists reacted with fury and were further upset when it was confirmed that Roberts would only face a small fine.
“Roberts'” actions clearly warrant a harsher punishment than the $250 ticket he received for possessing live wildlife, Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy wrote in a letter to officials .
“Such an anemic response from law enforcement will be seen by some as tacit approval of his crime and will only motivate other like-minded individuals motivated by hatred of wolves to engage in similar behavior and disgusting.”
Roberts, who is a father and owner of a trucking company, first encountered the wolf when he ran it over with a snowmobile and disabled it.
But instead of killing the animal right away, he kept it, took it home and brought it to the bar.
It is legal to kill wolves in the Sublette County area, but by keeping the animal alive and tormenting it as Roberts did, he was violating hunting ethics.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department confirmed that a man was cited and fined for misconduct, but did not name him.
However, Sublette County Circuit Court records showed Roberts was cited for a wildlife violation following a Feb. 29 incident.
Witnesses said that shortly after this photo was taken, Roberts dragged or carried the animal through the Green River Bar while patrons drank beer.
Roberts, 42, of Daniel, Wyoming, was cited and fined for being in possession of a live wolf during a Feb. 29 incident. He is pictured here with a dead animal that he was presumably hunting.
According to public records, Roberts has a hunting and fishing license.
Roberts did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com’s request for comment.
Adam Hymas, the responding officer, was also contacted, but DailyMail.com did not receive a response at the time of publication.
“An anonymous report informed the Wyoming Game and Fish Department that an individual was believed to be in possession of a live wolf,” Game and Fish said.
“The author of the report informed the Department on March 1, 2024. According to the investigation, the individual was in possession of the live wolf on 02/29/24.
“The individual was hunting when he encountered the wolf in the predator zone and intended to harvest it.
“However, the wolf was returned alive to his residence and then to a business in Daniel, Wyoming.
The 42-year-old man, father of a family and owner of a trucking company, ran over the wolf with a snowmobile and knocked it out of harm’s way. But instead of killing the animal right away, he kept it, took it home and then took it back to the bar
Based on Roberts’ social media accounts, he appears to be an avid hunter who frequently hunts wild animals alongside his children (pictured here).
About 85 percent of Wyoming is a “predator zone” for wolves, meaning the wild animals can be killed at any time with no bag limits or required hunting days.
“The individual euthanized the wolf later that day. The individual was cited for violation of Chapter 10, Importation and Possession of Live Warm-Blooded Wildlife.
Roberts paid a $250 fine, records show.
About 85 percent of Wyoming is a “predator zone” for wolves, meaning the wild animals can be killed at any time with no bag limits or required hunting days.
Areas of Wyoming near national parks are considered a “trophy hunting area,” meaning wolves are a “trophy species” that can be hunted, but only by hunters with tags during designated seasons and within the framework of predetermined quotas.
Inside Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, wolves are fully protected by the federal government and are not allowed to be hunted.
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