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

By: Riley Brown | Last updated: Nov 12, 2023

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. 

The man had a heart, and there was no way he would be cruel. So, with this in mind, John Oens made a sensible decision that would change his life forever by making him an internet sensation.

Humanity over Cruelty Any Time

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. 

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When he stumbled upon an odd situation in the wilderness, he knew he had to make the right call. Being nonchalant was a cop-out, and John was better than that. His kind-hearted nature wouldn’t let him go through with the vile option, and we are glad he didn’t.

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He's a Lover of Nature

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.

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Luckily, thanks to John’s proficiency, he became popular in his community. In addition, his hunting skills allowed his neighbors access to some rare game that would otherwise be unreachable to the average Joe.

Charity Begins at Home

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.

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source : GettyImages

This helped keep the peace between the people and the wilderness because things sometimes got out of hand. Unfortunately, when this happened, people’s reactions would either be too aggressive, thanks to widespread panic. This would cause more problems as innocent creatures, and people would be caught in the crossfire. Sometimes even the hunters would be affected.

The Hunter vs. Predators

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.

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This is why John was so important to the community. His experience and maturity allowed him to make the right decisions that would leave each party—at least the humans and herbivores, the foxes and coyotes, not so much.

As Humane as Possible

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.

source : GettyImages

Even so, some of these creatures were quite aggressive, and thus John would pull out his gun. Nevertheless, this was considered a last resort as he understood the animals were looking for easy prey. 

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A Day in the Life

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.

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John’s father and a friend were the selected individuals accompanying him through the obscure trails. This was a solid team, as John’s father offered invaluable insight thanks to his experience. On the other hand, chilling with nature is an excellent way to bond with the boys.

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The Love of Nature

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.

source : youtube

This tour was a big deal as it meant either positive or negative things for the community. However, severe consequences would lead to catastrophe if they didn’t do their job thoroughly.

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Of Rabid Coyotes and Guns

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.

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This is one of those moments guns were necessary, and the hunters kept their ears close to the ground. At the slightest sound of movement around them, the trio would move into position with their guns cocked and ready to unload at the aggressor.

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Something Is in the Trap

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.

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When approaching one of his traps, our good man noticed his trap had caught something. There was a giant furry creature on there, but that was no rabid coyote! Instead, John’s trap had inadvertently captured a poor wolf.

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Well, That's a Problem

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.

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Source : Reddit

On the one hand, the animal was trapped, so it was bound to be vicious, so freeing it might not be as easy as you think. On the other hand, this was a rare creature that couldn’t be put down or left to die.

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He Was Understandably Upset

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.

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The creature made eye contact and started growling at the hunter. This made John second guess his position, thanks to the rabid coyotes roaming about. Maybe this wolf was also infected, and he had to make the tough call to put it down before things got out of hand.

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Stay Back or Get Hurt

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.

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Additionally, he was still unsure if the wolf was rabid. They had to be one hundred percent sure of this lest they get in trouble with the authorities. Luckily, these were not amateurs, so they knew how to navigate the situation.

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Taking Matters into Their Own Hands

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.

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The hunters knew leaving the wolf where it was would be a problem, so they quickly sprang into action. John needed to find out if the creature’s headspace was correct, so he exercised caution. He promptly called his dad and asked him to bring him a board from the truck.

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Patience Is the Key

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.

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Wolves are timid and private, and getting one up close never ends well unless you’re in the zoo. So John was forced to contain his curiosity lest he worsens the situation. One wrong move and the wolf might switch to survival mode, and hell breaks loose.

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He's a Lover of Wolves

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.

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While fighting the urge to pet the creature, the hunter decided to examine it. John intended to save the timber wolf sooner than later with very few problems, so he had to be thorough about the situation. In his examination, our good man made two discoveries.

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Here Comes the Board of Salvation

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.

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Whatever the hunter had planned was pretty interesting, considering he was grinning from ear to ear when the board was brought. However, as soon as John took the board in his hands, his stance changed from curious to defensive. Something interesting was about to happen here.

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The Shield of Timber

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?

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If everything went South, this would be one of those stories you never wish to recount. On the other hand, if everything went according to plan, this would be a story worth a prestigious award.

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All Systems are Ready to Go

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.

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Despite the good news, there were still a few hurdles along the way. First, the hunters were dealing with a trapped animal with ferocious fangs. One bite, and it’s game over. The trap only worsened matters, as cornered animals don’t respond well to trouble.

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Easier Said than Done

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.

source : youtube

Things were not looking good, and the hunters had to act fast. If they made a wrong move, someone would get hurt, and by the looks of things, the wolf would not be a casualty. 

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Time for Some Action

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.

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That’s how John’s friend found himself shakily recording the whole scenario with a camera. It was a pretty tense situation, and a camera was not an ideal weapon. If anything went sideways, he’d be the most disadvantaged of the lot.

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The End Justifies the Means

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.

source : youtube

John found the perfect angle to salvage the situation and started plotting his movement. He had one shot, and he had to get it right. Wolves are pretty intelligent creatures, so there was no taking any chances. 

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Getting up Close and Candid

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.

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Our rescuer peeked over his wooden shield to prepare himself for whatever was coming next and was met with a rather interesting sight. Instead of attacking, the Timber Wolf was returning to the forest.

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A Job Well Done

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.

source : GettyImages

Before the wolf disappeared completely, something interesting happened that left all three men speechless. If the cameraman hadn’t done his job, it would be easy to call this story a lie as the following events felt like a Disney movie script.

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There's More to the Story

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! 

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The hunters’ faces turned pale as they watched the pack of wolves scamper off into the deep. Typically, this would have been a mesmerizing sight, but considering the situation the hunters had just come from, things were not so optimistic. Had they tried anything funny, this story would not have been told.

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They Were Watching the Whole Time

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.

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The wolves had been patiently and quietly watching their every move waiting for one misstep. Even when John reached out to their brother, none of the creatures revealed their presence. It’s a miracle no one got hurt, and no shots were fired.

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Happy to Have Him Home

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.

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Considering the age difference, the happy wolf was probably the mother, and we all know how deep a mother’s love goes. Nevertheless, the young canine was loved, and the pack was ready to protect him.

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A Truly Wholesome Moment

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.

source : GettyImages

You must admit it takes a rather cold-hearted individual not to find such a reunion heartwarming. The guys were proud of their efforts, and everything was looking fine. Their work was done, but there was more in store.

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They Were Grateful Creatures

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.

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Words weren’t exchanged, but the message was put across. The wolf was grateful to John and co. They had saved him from a dire situation and hadn’t tried to harm him. It was like the animal understood the gravity of the problem.

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Deep Into the Woods

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.

source : GettyImages

The three hunters watched as the animals rushed away. They had witnessed an incredible moment that anyone would find difficult to believe. Luckily, the camera had done justice, and a picture was worth a thousand words.

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