Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-06-02
A WoLF-HUNTER.
Wilburn Waters Adventure
With q Pack Of Wolves on
Roan Mountain.

With q Pack Of Wolves on
Roam Mountain.
From the Knoxville. Tenn Tribune
Some years ago, but little hunting
having been done for some time, the
wolves became very numerous as Wen
az very destructive, not only In SOUTH
western Virginia, but fearfu!ly 30 10
Western North Carolina; 30 much 90
that but few sheep bad escaped them IN
the vicinity OF the Black, Yellow and
Roam Mountains, in Kip Van Wrinkles
dominjona The fame OF Wilburn
Waters as an intrepid and successful
hunter and trapper having gone ont into
the country, a number Of farmers and
stock raisers, whose folds had been
broken up and scattered-some sixty in
all-drew up an obligation to give him
one sheep each for every wolf he would
capture, in addition to the s. bounty
given him by the county for each scalp.
Wilburn accepted the proposition and
killed several wolves, but the depreda-
tons continued. He again started on
the hunt. According to Coale's life, he
held out faithfully. though the wolves
led him from mountain TO mountain
and from gorge to gorge, to great dist
ances and Tor weeks. But when he re-
turned he brought the scalps OF not only
of all that gang. but OF others, making Ia
All lorty-two wolves in this Winters
hunt. Besides these he captured dur
ing the hunt a number OF catamounts,
few bears, an otter or two, and any
number OF wild Turkeys and other small
game. ,,.
During the same general hunt he had
an exciting time With q detachment OF
five wolves that had wandered of TO
some distance from the same gang. he
was entirely alone, without even a dog.
high up one OF the tall peaks OF the
Roam Mountain, and several miles away
from the nearest human habitation
The five wolves he was IN search oil
were two old ones and three hall grown
They had destroyed great deal OF stock
in the range, as we'll as the adjacent
valleys, running out dogs that had been
put upon the trail, and even evlnclng
disposition to attack man when alone.
Wilbur had found Sign" and had
followed up a tall cliff near the summit
of one of the highest and most inaccessl'
bic peaks in the range. 1t was sultry,
drizzly day, and, having greatly latigued
himself working his way up through
the tangled vines and laurel Jungles, and
climbing over and around steep and
ragged Drecipices, he lay down to rest
under a shelving rock and fell asleep. In
about an hour he arose refreshed, and,
crawling out OF his resting place, he
found that the old leader OF the gang
had been reconnoitering while he slept,
and had passed along on ledge few
feet below him.
Picking up his gun and tOmahawk, he
took the track, and on approaching
precipice ne saw the old ma wolf at its
base quietly licking his chops AMI APP
paren,ly winding prey or An enemy IN
The distance. Stealthiiy advancing
within convenient range, Wilburn
brought his shotgun TO bear and fired,
when the largest and most formidable
wolf Of the gang fell and died without
struggle. Securing the skin, he made
his way with great difficulty TO the top
of the precipice, ADD there, just beyond
the turn OF the summit, he saw the four
others, three of them gamboling like
puppies around the dam, not having
heard the report OF the gun under the
cliff. They were in an open place, and
il was very difficult TO get within range
without being seen, heard or winded,
but he made out To ''snake" in to with
in forty yards OF them and pulled
down." Two Of them dropped dead,
but the old dam and one OF the cubs es-
capped into a cavern near by.
Having started out with the determi
nation OF capturing the whole family, he
went 10 digging with sharpened stick;
he soon reached the old one, which was
too large to get far into the hole, drew
her ont by the hind legs aud tied her
feet together. lie hal 10 widen the
passage for distance OF TIN or twelve
feet before he could reach the other
The hole, after thus being worked out,
was barely large enough 20 admit his
body, and, il being impossible for the
wolf 10 escape, he had to meet it face TO
face. All that he could see Of the animal
was its eyes, which 81 one like two balls
Of fire in the darkness OF the cavern,
and, having no room To operate with
GUN or tomhawk, he cautiously slipped
his hand over the VOLTS head, grasped
il by the neck, brought it out, and tied
il as he had the other. He then march
ed ont into the settlement with two
live wolves and three skins, without
having received scratch or wasting a
load OF ammunition. The days work
brought him SIP, made up by the set,
tlers whose stock had been destroyed
and whose lives had been menaced by