The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-09-09
THE MOUNTAIN LION.
Stirring Stories of Adventure
Among the Rockies"
A War of Extermination-Lasso =
Monster from Horseback-A Young
Nimrod's Feat-A Huntsman's
Justifiable Faint.

Some pretty big stories come from
California of some pretty big mountain
lions they have on the Pacific coast, but
think we have here in Montana larger
and more fcroeious specimens of this
feline species than Californians ever
heard or dreamed of. Certainly they
are found in great nunberssall through
this Northwestern belt of country and
their rayages extend SO far as to attack
not only weak calves and yearlings on
theranges, but also sheep, goats and
full-grown steers.
The natural home of the mountain
lion is in the Northwest and the fathers
of the species live here in Montana
among the foothills of the Rocky noun
tains.. Since the disappearance of the
vast herds of bison that once roamed
over the prairies of Montana. Idaho and
Wyoming the plains and hills Of the
Northwest have become infested with
all sorts of wild animals. Wolves and
coyotes are, of course, the most de-
structive, but this is owing rather to
their astonishing numbers than any
thing else. Mountain lions come next
and are almost as numerous as their
cousins, the coyotes and wolves Close
after the lions follow the bears. of which
there are several varieties in the Rocky
mountains, such as cinnamon, black,
brown, silver tip and the true grizzly,
found far up among the peaks, near the
perpetual snow-line.
But mountain lions, owing to their
ferocity and great numbers, must be
considered the most dangerous and
most destructive wild animal we have
80 bold have they become of late that
ties too have been compelled to give
attention to the ravages committed by
these beasts among the focks and
herds. A lively war of extermina-
tion has been going on against them
for some time. The Territory offer
premium of So on every scalp brought
in to be punched and some of the.
counties add to the inducement by
Offering on their own accounts a nice
little sum in addition to the Territorial
bounty. The cowboys, with lots of
spare time on their hands during the
winter months, gain a handsome
largess for themselves (not to speak of
the fun and sport they have) by hunt
ing and killing mountain lions from
November to March. The cow
puncher, with an eye to business, first
draws on the Territorial Treasurer for
"; he then hands a bill to the county
ior something more, and finally sells
tne hide to furrier for what it is
worth. There were IA mountain
lions killed and paid for in Montana in
1884; l6l in 1885, for which 81, ,2sS
came out Of the Territorial Treasury,
and this year the figures promise to
run up to 200 or thereabouts.
Mountain lions in this section attain
aprodigious size. Specimens are often
Killed measuring 9 feet from tip to tip
ana weighing not far from $50 to 800
pounds Many more measuring from
~ % II feet are frequently bagged, and
occasionally a monster reaching II
,eet m the clear and perhaps longer is
aoaght down by some lucky and
aarlng hunter. The hide of this ami
mal makes an excellent rug. Scarcely
sraneh in the whole Rocky Mountain
region is without mountain lion skin
pa the floor. One cattle ranch on
,loWaer river has every room in the
aouse carpeted with handsome skins of
.ns saimalsx The hidessiss ~ bright
a.own ON the back and ruinp, but fades
sNay INTO soft white brown towards
.ae sides and becomes almost pure
sal1e under, the belly. The tail is
apped with white and the head, eyes.
saIs, nose and features are an exact re-
ouucfion of the domestic cat on
,.ger scale, The feet and claws are
~'Iu w,i hKe those of tom and Maria"
~, while lam penning these lines word
h,s;, hs;ss from roundup partynear here,
Ssy SSas,ly at work rounding up cattle and
cang canalng calves, that Red Carbon, a
w;ss ;ns-ooy with the outfit and an expert
m.. ~.sn the lariat. accomplished the re-
ioa ihsskaals %, feat Of roping mountain
NY, nva awe from horseback. The fore
hsnnnfhree boys of the Green Noun 4
a Cattle Company were
%bp hanka of Enorolic