San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-09-21
TRAPPING WOLVES.
Splendid Sport, II You do not Get too Much or II.

| 'P''""" SPo'sh iou w not oet 100 much OF IL.
Wolf stories are abundant in Siberia,
and many OF them of bleed. curdling
character that is quite sufficient to de.
ter the strongest hearted from wishing
to have any dealings with them. In
the most northerly part of Siberia the
animals swarm over the country. partic.
ularly in the wooded parts, in large
packs, sometimes even of thousand or
upwards. They attack men and beasts
Unfortunately, and even have been
known to make an attack upon some
of the smaller villages, where their
numbers enable them to do great deal
Of havoc before they can finally be
driven of.
But all the aggressiveness is not al.
lowed to be on their side, for the men
OF the country seek every opportunity
to diminish their numbers from various
motives. Very naturally the people
for their own protection desire to get
rid of as many as possible, and boun.
ty paid in some quarters upon every
animal killed is an additional incentive
to the work of defamation. Then their
hides can 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 trim.
ming the large hood which Siberians of
the north are accustomed to wear.
The animals are caught in various
ways, sometimes by poisoned bait and
again by traps. One of the COM
monest kinds of traps in use is
large circular pen surrounded by a
high wooden fence. Outside of this
fence is another similar one, perhaps
two or three feet distant from the first
and running entirely around it. In the
center of the pen is placed a live deer
or pig. In the outer fence is small
opening, the door of which swinging
is left conveniently and seductively
open. The wolf scents the live bate
in the center of the pen and after vain
ly endeavering to leap over the protect
ing 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 enable
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 pres
ses on, licking his chops in anticipation
of rich feast. Having completed the
circle of the pen, he arrives at his start
ing 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 concealed 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 to
welcome the next visitor.
When wolves are plenty, two men or
more in one of these pens have very
busy time for a number of days and
are scarcely able to slaughter or skin
the animals as fast as they would like
to rush in unconsciously to their death.
1t not unfrequently happens that the
men are kept in these pens for a num-
Der of days at time, being unable to
get out on account of wolves, which
surround them and would tear them to
pieces the moment they made their
appearance. The only thing for the
men to do under such circumstances is
TO keep on trapping and slaughtering
until the animals, starved out and dis
abandon their position and
,kurry off to another part of the coun-
Try.
In the localities where the wolves are
most numerous, wolf-hunting is regard.
I'D as regal and is also a frequent
sport. 1t is sometimes engaged in by
arge parties of hunters and
again by one or two individuals
alone. Like most hunting for spot in
III countries, it is principally prscticed