Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-11-22


80 Weafs G9ssas - seseose Cnes.
or rnr sxAxx RIVER. Idaho. Dc
fober. 1884 In : fair. stand up hxhs.
the average white. grsy, o. black VOL
Of these Western pzairies can down
the best dog that ever drew breath;
He knows bic own powers. and VIII
rarely run from : single dos. But
the true praIrie wolf. or coyote, h loo
couardsy 10 ever engage 10 face-to-
face nght with D Tnongrel cur even,
and viii often whip his tail between
his legs snd run yelping from
monlh-old puppy. The z. 81 10 camp
know these characteristics Of the dii-
ferxnt species - well 81 The hunters.
aud will dash out slone after coyote.
but unless urged on will never sinaly
modest 8 gray wolf. When the dogs
are In packs Of three or more. how
ever. oil this u changed, and The VOL
declines 40 Interview.
With seven hounds and four bum
seYs We left camp Yesterday morning
Al dawn fax days run for wolves.
They are more nnnserssus In this re-
gion tusf now than aay Iyther speciss
81 game; and although hunting them
Il not generally included 10 the list OF
Western sports. II II highly exciting
adjunct 20 the pursuitof buffslo, deer
and bears.
When 40 hour out Of camp the bay
ing Of the hounds Ia n coppice to the
right OF az told Us that something
was started, and the next minute .
lank gray wolf. with SIX cubs stream
ing after her, dashed out into the
open ground. and ran past US 30 close
| that We might have killed her with q
revolver; but something like pity
stayed every mans hand. aud We let
her 90 by without shot. The cubs
we're evidently four or i've months
old, and kept well up with the moth
er. who moved over the prairie Ike =
gray streak. When the dogs broke
cover she had disappeared around the
face Of hillock, TO the top OF which
| we spurred our nsrses 10 order 10 see
| the remainder q the chase. In the
| course Of few minutes ii was plain
/ TO see that the cubs were losing lheiI
wind, one OF them falling behind 90
rapidly that he was almost In the
Jaws Of the foremost hound. and the
others, while keeping ahead. were
giving every evidence OF distress.
The mother wolf Was not moving
At her best by any means. and II shs
would abandon her cubs to the dog
might easily escape; but instead ol
doing that she suddenly wheeled
around, while the cubs kept on for
ward. and doubling square 10 heI
tracks closed with the foremost houn6
who was In the lead and not more
THAN ten PAGES from the exhausted
young one. Before the dog could re
cover from bis surprise she had bin
by the throat. her long, white teeth
cutting through the skin and mus
lei 9, then closing and tearing on
windpipe. jugular vein and gulIet
II was only single bite; but Thu
spread and strength OF her jaws, a
well as the sharpness OF her teeth
made 10 fatal.
| Then she bumped up her back. and
In ten bounds regained the los
ground, and was again 10 full retrea
| In the center Of her family. In tn,
nature Of things. however, the cub
could not stand the killing pace; the,
fell behind Ia ones and and twos, ant
the result was foregone conclusion
--at least II was % until the mothe
changed her tactics. She started oil
at right angle with the line pursued
by the cubs, swerving In her cours
so as to bring herself very near TO th
hounds, apparently with the purpos
of attracting the chase 10 herself
Three OF the dogs accepted the il
| vitation. and presently were out O
sight in the rough country to whicl
abe led them, while the remaining tw,
| busted themselves with the cubs, nov
left 10 their own devices.
| At a rafting pace we set of acros
the country In The direction taken b,
the old wolf. aud presently from 81
elevation discovered the chase not fa
ahead. Tue dogs were rapidly gain
ing on the prey. and We spurred on II
order 10 be al the death. 10 Its es
sentlals this method of hunting
wslyes II similar TO the Engllsi
sport of fox hunting. largely depend
ing for It's pleasure upon good horses
fleet. sharp-nosed hounds. aud ihs
spice OF danger that always attends /
break. neck ride over a rough couatry
but our sport was not marred by an,
sentimental pity for the victim, as th,
killing OF wolves Is a utilitarian ser
vice. appreciated as well by hunters
as by ranchmen. The run was but ,
saort oae. and befnre we drew neaI
enough for the effective use OF oul
sho,guas The dogs had dragged tn,
tired animal to the ground and were
tearing at her throat.
Wolf skins In the frontier marke,
bring from $3.50 to 90 each, ane
~ every pelt we captured during th,
huss was 10 tall 10 the share OF jim
our cook. he was probably the mos
eager member of the chase. lie rues
into the thick OF the fight, and. kick
ling the dogs right aud left, had ihs
skin stripped from the animal before
The blood had don. tlowing from the
throat Wolf skins are the main de,
pendency of many Of the poorer
ranchmen during The winter months,
some OF them collecting as msny AS
i've hundred pelts from the beginning
OF November to the end Of February
Their favorite weapon Is strychniue.
which often kills for one man more
wolves In single night than party
OF hunters could run down and shoe,
In aweek. When the poisoned me al il
placed near pond, or stream of wa
ter, the carcasses of wolves will al
ways be found near the waters edge.
a. The poison breeds an insolerable
thirst and the water hastens dissolu.
/ ton.
In the course of the morning We
ran down three other gray wolye.
aud succeeded In shooting q coyo,e
a. well as al antelope for dinner
While stretched on the grass smoking
our pipes after dinner was over =
black wolf skalked into the very bor.
ders OF our camp. and made q lean Al
one OF the reeking skins which jun
had hung over the lower branch of a
scrub oak. He failed TO get il. but In.
stead DC got the hounds on his trail.
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