The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-04-21
GALORE.

An independent fortune, together
with all the glory and gratitude merited
by a philanthropist, awnits the man
who can solve the wolf problem in Mon.
tana. AT least this is the conclusion OF
Montana stockgrowers, who recently
gathered at Miles City in the largest
and most successful meeting in the his
tory Of the association. The fact that
wolves have increased in vast numbers
within the past three years and that all
methods for their destruction have hith-
erto failed made the problem a matter
Of SO serious concern that it became the
most important subject Of discussion.
After a six hours debate nc solution was
reached and the case is now left open to
the ingenuity of wolf destroying Edi-
son. He will be n greater man in the
history Of Montana than either Lewis or
Clarke, if he can do the business.
It is surprising to learn that ten per
cent of the colts and twenty-five per
cent of the young cattle on the range
are yearly destroyed by wolves. To rid
the country of this curse two remedies
have been proposed, each OF which is
apparently futile. The first relates to
the destruction of these animals by
poison. The wolf, however, has grown
smarter since the days of little Red
Riding Hood. He refuses to eat a
poisoned carcass except when driven to
desperate hunger, for it happens that by
some curious evolution Of physiology
the strychnine now refuses to take eff
feet. The wolf simply gives his pursu-
ers that which is known in modern farce
comedy as the "horse laugh" His
dainty stomach, however, takes rather
to live meat which is not difficult to get.
To secure this the wolf picks out a fine
young steer, leaps down on the hind
quarters and cuts the tendons OF the
steers leg until the animal is crippled.
The rest is very easy. The marauder
simply invites his family in and together
they enjoy a meal Of the daintiest NOR
sells on the fallen animal. They do not
have to eat the rest for young steers are
plenty and if a change in the bill OF fare
is needed, a young colt supplies the va
riety. 1t is of course out of the ques-
ton to s%trychnine live animals, and
other methods must be considered.
One of these is the offer of bounties
large enough to make the hunting OF
wolves a fairly lucrative business. This
however presents a problem as serious
as that Of the wolves themselves. The
cattlemen say that such a policy would
bankrupt the treasury OF the state OF
county in a very short time. 1t the bus
mess were made profitable, wolf hunters
would go into Dakota or Canada fol
skins and thus open the way to an end
less season Of fraud. Such a measure
would doubtless meet with violent pro
test in the legislature from men mo-
connected with cattle interests, even i
it we're thought advisable by the cattle
men. They agree however that it is no
to be considered.
The same problem in different form
) is found in other countries. The rabbi
l pest In Australia has caused an immens
reward from the government for
method of determination. Thus far i
> has not been claimed. The coyote ha
> given an endless amount of trouble il
y that state. A plan very recently adopte'
=, and now under trial is that of a form O
incubation, which, it is believed, vii
practically exterminate these prowler
4 of the plains within a few years. 1t wi
be worth the time Of Montana cattle
v men to watch the results Of this scheme
d Another suggestion is that our legi'
+ lature or the Stockgrowers' associatio
v offer a reward of sufficient value I
bring the best Of talent into play fe
the Kidding OF this pest. Unless a
t effective remedy is introduced, the MOI
6 tana wolf will soon drive cRttlemen OF
of the business.