Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-05-09
THE WOLVERINE.
A Fierce Animal That Lives Only
in Michigan.
1t Has the characteristics of the
Wolf and the Bear.

michigan Is called the Wolverine
Stntc, but don't believe there arc two
dozcn persons outside of that State that
know what wolverine is" said ii ma.
Two Of the Green Buy region. 'For
hat matter, the people in Michigan
ITSELF who can tell you what a wolverine
.s are mighty scarce. Why this animal
mould be particularly a resident OF the
'icaiSan wilderness | do not know
Tut never heard of it being seen or
hcard of else where. The wolf is n
G. mmon animal all over the West or at
east it was before civilization Limited
IS habitat, AMI the black bear is also
;'und everywhere, in grcatcr or les.
numbers. Then why should the wolvcr-
no only havo m,dc its appearance in
Michigan. where it was in the pioneer
lays as plenty, almost, rs the wolf, and
even now is dreaded frcqucntcr of the
'oods Of the northern part OF III.
State ! Tho wolverine is an animal that
has some Of tho characteristics of the
VOL, and partakcs i'll other ways OF the
nature Of the bear The old settler, of
Michigan always insisted that tho ami.
NAL was cross between those two
beasts, and that is the belief of the
north Michigan woodsmen today.
when Michigan was admitted into the
Union the wolverine was still common.
In :aci, infested all the forests of the
State, and the State was named after
him, owing to some of The character.
islics of tho animal admired by tho
hardy pioneers who hcwcd a common
wealth out of the great Wilderness they
lound about their inland sea.
at is singular fuct that no museum
or geological garden has ever vet hal a
specimen of this unique member of the
animal kingdom. say i. is singular,
md do not know that it is either, for
The reason they havo never exhibited
the wolverine is the great difficulty, not
to say impossibility, of capturing il
alive. or Of keeping ii alive after it is
captured. They are the most savage Of
tcast'. They have the ugly temper of
the wolf, which they resemble in an.
pcnranco, but in size and sayarcness
they resemble the bear of the Western
iastnesscs. But while having tho sizo
and snvagcncss of the bear, they excel
Inn in ngsrcssivencss and fcrocity. They
10 not have his clumsinoss. Their wolf.
'sh appearances makes the fact that they
are expert and agile tree climbers seem
odd. IN lying in wait for prey they also
resomblo tho panther, for they will
crouch closely in the branches or forks
81 tree, and drop DOWN upon
'hcir victim like one OF those
great members of the cat family, They
Will attack man in this way as readi-
ly as they would fawu, aud many an I'M.
wary hunter in the Michigan wood
las fallen victim to somo hungry and
undls crim:nating wolverine. Tic
claws Of this strange animal arc much
longer and sharper than tho bears. and
their teeth bigger and more pointed
lnd curved. Their wariness is said by
hunters 10 exceed that of any animal
Oh tho continent. and they are seldom
hunted for tho sport of the thing. the
LANCER being too great. 1t is only when
wolverine has made his presence 80 de.
'tructive to the pastures and shccpfolds
81 tho bacSwoods farmers that the en-.
tire loss OF their 1.-Two stock is feared
that the farmers organize for a raid on
The wolverines, u'ua ly cmplo ing
number OF expert and daring woodsmen
to direct tho hunt. l can see for NV
'oll what the pioneers of Michigan sn
IN this animal to pcrpctuatc its memory
by nick naming their State after it, but
the mime is there, aud Michigan will!
remain the Wolverine State long after
tho wolverine is extinct. IN \. Sun