Morning journal and courier., 1882-09-23
Trapping Wolves.
Splendid Sport If You Do Not Get Too
 HIuch of It.


 From the Boston Commercial Bulletin.l
 Wolf stories abundant in Siberia, and many of them of blood curdling character that is quite sufficient to deter the strongest hearted from wishing to have any close deal ings with them. In the most northerly parts of Siberia the animals swarm over the coun try, particularly the wooded parts, ln large packs, sometimes even of a thousand or up ward. They attack men and beasts lndlscrlm- inately, and have even been known to make an attack upon some of the smaller villages where their number enables them to do great deal of havoc before they finally be driven off.
 But all the aggressiveness is not allowed to be on their side, for the men of the country seek every opportunity to diminish their numbers from various motives. Very natu- rally the people for their own protection de- sire to get rid of many as possible, and bounty paid in some quarters upon every an- imal killed is an additional incentive to the work of decimation Then their hides be tanned into excellent leather, and are in great demand and bring high prices. The fur is also very useful to the natives, being very heavy and warm. and is much used for trimming the large hood which Siberians of the north are accustomed to wear.
 The animals caught in various ways, sometimes by poisoned bait and again by traps One of the commonest kinds of traps in use is large circular pen surrounded by 8 high wooden fence. Outside of this fence IS another similar one, perhaps two or three feet distant from the first and running en- tlrely around it. In the centre of the pen is placed live deer or pig. In the outer fence Is small opening, the door of which, swing ing inward, is left conveniently and seduc- lively open. The wolf scents the live bait in the center of the pen, and after vainly deavoring to leap over the protecting barrier and get at it, finds the door standing open and at once enters in The passage between the inner and outer fence is wide enough to allow him to move ahead comfortably, but is too narrow to admit of his turning about. Once in, he must keep going straight ahead and very naturally thinking that in this direction lies his prey, he presses on, licking his chops in anticipation of a rich feast. Having completed the circle of his pen, he arrives at his starting point and finds his further progress completely barred by the door which still stands open as when he entered Pushing against this, he shuts it close in order to get by, and has effectually made himself prisoner. Then the crafty huntsman who has all the time been con cealed within, shoots or spears the animal from the top of the fence, draws his carcass within, so as to save it, and opens the outer door again so as to welcome the next visitor.
 When wolves are plenty, two men or more in one of these pens have a very busy time for number of days and are scarcely able to slaughter or skin the animals as fast as they would like to rush in unconsciously to
 
 that the men are kept in these pens for number of days at time, being unable to get out on account of wolves, which surround them and would tear them to pieces the mo- ment they made their appearance. The only thing for the men to do under such circum- stances is to consider themselves in state of siege, and to keep on trapping and slaughter ing until the animals. starved out and disap- pointed abandon their position and skurry off to another part of the country.
 In localities where the wolves are most nu- merous wolf hunting is regarded as @ regal and is also frequent sport. It is sometimes engaged in by large parties of hunters, and again by one or two individuals alone. Like IF ost hunting for sport in all countries, it is principally practiced by the wealthier men, who have both the time and the means and the daring to pursue it. The latter is very essential qualification for the sport, for the man who engages in it literally takes his life in his hand. It is anything but boys play to enter upon it, and great deal of nerve and coolness, as we'll as skill, is required of the man who expects to come off unscathsd. The slightest wavering or the slightest mis- judgment may at any moment throw the hun ter into the very midst of the hunted where no power on earth can avail him for a single instant. The slightest accident means not only death in less than a second, but also means utter annihilation for the man upon whom a pack of hungry infuriated wolves leap; for almost before he knows what has happened, he is torn limb from limb-devoured, hat coat, boots and all, so that not a shred is left of him for his sorrowing friends to hold fune- ral service over. It is, perhaps, this horri- ble fact that is always staring the wolf hunter in the face, that adds to the fascination of the sport, so that there are few who have the op- portunity afforded that can resist the tempta ton or forego the exciting sport.