Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1893-03-10
TRAPPING WOLVES.

TRAPPING WOLVES.
splendid Sport II You n Nst 0ss I've
Auch = II.
Wolf stores are abundant In Sibs-
ria, and many OF them are Of q blood
curdling character that Is quite suel-
cient to deter the strongest hearted
from wishing to have any close deal
ing with them. In the most north
erly parts OF Siberia the. animals
swarm over the country, particularly
the wooded parts In large packs,
sometimes even OF q thousand or up
wards They attack men AMI beasts
Unfortunately and have even been
known to make an attack upon sonae
Of the smaller villages where their
number enables them to do . great
deal of havoc before they can be final.
ly driven on.
But all the aggressiveness In not al
lowed tn be on their side, for the men
OF the country seek every opportun-
ity to.diininish their numbers, from
various motives. Very naturally tho
people TOR their own protection de.
J sira 70 Get rid Of q naanl r oGs
'sJlnfe, sEnd q 65d0t III Id ~ ~ r.
quarters upon every anipal fflled 10
an additional incentive to the work
Of decimation. 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 hoods which Siberlans
of the north are accustomed to wear.
Tue animals are caught In various
ways, sometimes by poisoned bait and
again by traps. One of the common.
est kind of traps in use Is Q large cir.
cular pen surrounded by high wood.
en- fence. Outside Of this fence 10
another similar one, perhaps two OF
three feet distant from the frst and
running entirely around 1t. In the
center of the pen IA placed live deer
or pig. In the outer fence Is small
opening, the door OF which, swinging
Inward, is left conveniently aud se-
ductively open. The wolf scents the
live halt in the center of the pen,
and after vainly endeaving to leap
over the protecting barrier and get
at IL, finds the door standing open.
and at once enters In. The passage
between the inner and outer fence is
wide enough to allow him to move
ahead comfortably, but Ia too narrow
IN nj m IL h 10 <u = n la.v n f,ne,< nnro IN
he must keep going straight ahead,
and very naturally thinking that In
this direction lies his prey, he presses
on. licking his chops Ia anticipation of
rich feast Having completed the
circle OF his pen. he arrives at the
starting point and finds his further
progress completely barred by the
door which still stands open as when
he entered. Pushing against this, he
shuts 1t close in order to get by, and
effectually made himself q 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 SO as to welcome
the next visitor.
When the wolves are plenty, two
men or more In oLe of these pens
have a 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 uncon.
sciouslv to their death. 1t not un-
frequently happens that the men are
kept in these pens for q number OF
days at a 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 consider themselves In q state
Of seige and to keep on trapping and
slaughtering until the animals, starved
out and disappointed, abandon their
position and skurly OF to another
part of the country.
In localities where the wolves are
most numerous wolf-hunting is re-
garded as a regal, ana Is also fire..
Quent sport II il sometimes en-
gagged In by large parties OF hunterA
and again by one or two individuals
alone. Like most hunting for sport
in all countries, it isprincipally prac-
ticed by the wealthier men, who have
both the time and the means and the
daring to pursue it. The latter is Q
very essential qualification for the
sport, for the man who engages In II
literally takes his lite In his hand.
1t is anything but boys play to enter
upon 1t, and q great deal OF nerve
and cOolness. - well as skill, IS re-
quired of the man who expects to
come OF unscathed. The slightest
nisjudgment may at any moment
throw the hunter into the very midst
OF the hunted, where no power on
earth can avail him for . single In.
stant.
The slightest accident means not
only death in less than second. but
also means utter annihilatiOn for the
man upon whom q pack Of hungry in
furiated wolves leap; for almost be-
fore he knows wh6t has happened ho
II torn limb from limb--devoured,
hat coat bOots and all 30 that not
q shred Of him Is left for his sorrOw-
ing friends to bold q funeral service
over. 1t il perhaps this horrible
fact that Is always staring the wolf
hunter 10 the face, that adds to the
fascination Of the sport. 90 that there
are few who have the opportunity AZ
f0rded that can resist the temptation
or forego the exciting sport ~ Boston
Commercial Bulletin.
Conoensrnte Hsar Elhs1s.
Singleness OF mind or purpose will
accnmnlish more In the long run than