Oregon State Police are investigating an elk hunter who shot and killed a wolf in Grant County on Nov. 2, but a preliminary probe “revealed the hunter acted reasonably in shooting the wolf for personal safety,” according to an OSP press release.

The hunter, who was in the North Malheur unit, reported the shooting immediately, according to OSP.

An OSP fish and wildlife division sergeant and senior trooper, along with a wildlife biologist from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) met the hunter at the scene of the shooting.

The site is on Forest Service ground southeast of Seneca, in southern Grant County.

According to the OSP: “The preliminary investigation revealed the elk hunter was tracking elk on a ridge when a wolf came out from the timber in front of him. The hunter stated he yelled at the wolf and waved his arms in an effort to scare the wolf away. The wolf then reportedly looked at the hunter from a distance of approximately 30 yards and started coming directly toward the hunter. The hunter stated he feared for his safety and fired one round, striking the wolf and killing it instantly. The approximate distance from the hunter’s location to the wolf carcass was 18 yards. The hunter reported that after shooting the wolf, a second wolf came out of the timber and the hunter shot one time in the air and the wolf fled.”

Police will submit a report to the Grant County district attorney’s office for review, according to OSP.