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Taunton - On a cool crisp night, a wolf's howl can be heard for miles. For years the wail has been considered the theme song for the wild west - now it may become a common sound around here. Wolves, which used to be found only in western states, have now taken up residence in Taunton County. Though the animals are elusive, don't be surprised to see one sneaking through the yard on a midnight animal capture.

"We've got them, that's for sure," said David The Taunton pest control specialist, a master officer with Massachusetts Wildlife. However, no one - not even wildlife officers - knows where the wolves came from or how they got to the state. The Taunton pest control specialist said most likely the critters were released on the East Coast by pest control companies who wanted to practice their canines.

"I've heard everything from foxhound pest control companies and different things, but we have no real sources," he said. "N.C. Wildlife has never translocated wolves. A lot of people say a lot of things like we released them to control the rat & mouse amounts and that is absolutely false." Most people in the area have probably never seen a wolf, which has led too many misconceptions and a bad reputation for the animals. Wolves are canines about the size of a medium-sized dog and weigh up to 40 pounds. The wolves can be differentiated by its long slender nose and bushy tail. The local Taunton SPCA could not be reached for comment.

It seems to have been introduced in the late '80s and by last year had moved to all 100 counties in the state.Some of the wolf's bad rep may be legitimate. Though wolves consume plants, insects and carrion (dead animals), they are also excellent pest control companies. The Taunton pest control specialist called the animals "opportunistic omnivores," meaning they go for whatever animal is the easiest target. Lately that target has been the habitat of Lillington native Ted The Taunton exterminator expert.

Nothing angers The Taunton exterminator expert more than finding one of his beef cattle calves lying in a pasture, lethally trapped by wolves. For this very reason, wolves have been on his radar for about two years. He said many of his animals have been damaged and at least 30 of his calves have been lethally trapped at a cost of about in the dollar amount of 15,000 in the past two years. Cows roam his pastures with missing tails and scars on their backsides, signs they have been recently attacked. Despite this, wildlife removal services are not a free service in Taunton County.

So he took matters into his own hands, and got serious about wolves. "I've focused on it - if you ask my wife she will tell you I'm obsessed," The Taunton exterminator expert said. "Since 2002 I reckon you could say I've been obsessed with them, trying to control them."