The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-26
OF WOLVES.
NEBRlsKl OAzTLsMBN HUNTING
FOR MEANS OF KILLING THEM.

- NNASA y S-N
Convention 70 Consider the s~shtect-Feroc
ny or the beasts - Even Mes Attacked.
EEARYEY, Nob, Dec. 23.-owners Of great
herds on the ranges Of northwestern Nebraska
have come to tho conclusion that something
must be done to prevent the killing OF 30 much
stock by the wolves. This subject has been at
tracing moro and moro attention every year
among stockmen. Some startling figures have
been gathered during tho past year by ranch
owners In this part Of Nebraska. They show
that the loss from wolves Ia increasing In spite
of everything stockmen have done to exter-
inmate the pests.
The largest range herds in the State are to BIO
found TO tho north OF this place. Owen Broth
ers have 10000 cattle in this territory. Mark
Hammond has a bunch of $4,000 divided into
three herds; Abiton y. serls Of Chicago has
a big ranch with, 5000 cattle, and Marshall
Field and other Chicago citizens have large In
terests in this territory. An estimate OF the
losses of cattle owned by members Of the
Northwest Nebraska Stockmen's Association
has just been completed by Secretary Church.
1t shows that 10 per cent. of the hei ds are lost
from year to year and 80 per cent. Of the loss is
attributed to the wolves. With tho exception
of severe and sudden storms. the wolves are
about the only source OF serious loss to the pro-
ducers Of range stock In this and adjacent
SthUcS. Inc reports 10 ne SeCreUdry bBToo tnhI
the damage is increasing at the rate Of 8 per
cent. u year. and various foremen say that
wolves are becoming as great a menace to range
stock producing as jack rabbits are to agri-
culture In Australia.
The reports estimate that about 10000 wolves
are destroyed annually in the territory. Most
Of them are killed by poison administered by the
employees Of various ranches. Some counties
pay a bounty Of 80 a scalp, but the bounty Is
declared to DO merely q source Of profit to pro-
fcssional wolf hunters, who travel about in the
mountains, slaying tho animals where they ere
most plentiful and then shipping them to coun-
tics whcro the bounty is largest. The stock
men see no relief in-this direction. In view Of
the fact that ranchmen have been trying poison
without any material benefit, the reports agree
that other measures are necessary at once, as
the wolves are increasing in numbers. During
the past year all cowboys who ride the ranges
have been required to carry rifles and shoot all
wolves to be seen. Some Of the foremen pro-
pose that companies of sharpshooters shall be
employed by the various stock associations Of
the West and that they shall ride the ranges In
pairs and shoot wolves. Incidentally they could
map out dangerous places In the ranges where
stock Is lost, guard against cattle %rustling,
look after damaged fences and report anything
calculated to damage the stock industry. This
would DE expensive, Dut IL would enuDle lndlV1d-
ual.companies to do their work with fewer men.
Another plan suggested Is the employment OF
great wolf dogs to hunt the range IN company
with trainers and run down and kill the pests.
This plan is not regarded with muCh favor.
The stockmen of this section have repeatedly
had offers Of packs of Irish wolf hounds guar
anteed. to catch and destroy any woll, how
ever strong and wary, in a very limited Time.
But the men who know the wolves best arc not
inclined to look with favor upon this scheme.
They assert that any wolfhunting dog that
was ever bred would be killed in one season
- -n-a.n, -,-,,r lAra - HA -a-Na t-tx
contact with q lew healthy specimens of the
mountain wolf, such as come into this section
every fall and remain ain during the winter; They
as tigers. They will frequently fight men alone
and in packs are dangerous to range riders.
fanGs and tusks that are as sharp as knives.
Two can run down and kill the strongest steer
on the range. They usually sneak up as close
rush down on. the herd. scattering as they APP
preach. Frequently ,s a steer is * kiIsd for every
Satisfaction of the warm b.ood they find to
drink. though when very hungry the packs
The common coyotes Of the prairie. which
tho State, are not dangerous to healthy cattle.
They ARE not large enough to drag down any.
thing l.rger than u sheep, but il a steer gets
in such numbers that he will be overpowered
aud eaten, hide and all. These fellows are not
tain wolves, and are Killed by the Score by the
poison scattered by the cowboys.
cannot be induced to touch a carcass handled
by tho cowboys. They appear to detect tho
presence of the human being. though days may
man hands. Ordinarily the cowboys put in the
best part Of the winter poisoning the pests.
half, and fill the pieces with strychnine. Then
the poisoned meat is dragged TO some Isolated
point on n thG 70 range; The a%a meat meat Is o Gre f 2 de.
takes of it dies. But this simple method will
not work with the mountain wolves. These
ferocious animals approach a carcass carefully.
If It has not been touched by human hands for
days their keen scent warns them, and they
cowbo S2 h have Nst C. wear tar'R heavy " 's gloves 81 in h hand ID
ling the carcass. II the COW man does not
touch the carcass with his hands, but inserts
catch a few gray wolves, but these strong
beasts find it nearly as easy to spring into a
to tear a dead carcass to pieces; They love
the " rm blood 80 much that Y affords an
addition reason Why they pass the poisoned
tho immediate vicinity. When spring APP
proaches the packs, OF mountain wolves retire
age Is plentiful, only to return TO the ranges
as soon as cold weather sets in.
men in the West annually for the purpose OF
S %Siiip,giss. 'hs Ssar @n'% her1 l GS, So Stat wo'E ol S Sfs
come tog tn r. Within a radius OF fifty miles
from where these four Stat 8 join more than
PlOO,OOO hOElu u bIOCh ID u blioycu dunully
by wolves. This applies principally to cattle.
because there are lew sheep herds. and these
are on pri, ate stretches of range. Where the
herds are constantly under the care Of cowboys
1t is easy to keep the wolves at q distance,
but this Is an impossibility In the case Of hat
| tion OF cattle is Immediately after a storm OF
unusual severity. Then the cattle are usually
driven Off their homo range and the wolves are
unusually ferocious.
Foreman Henderson Clark of Thre Bar
ranch, in the extreme north " estcrn part of Ne
braska, says in his report Oh the damage from
the wolf evil:
'As an evidence of the strength and daring of
mountain wolves l recite the following expert
ence ! had with two gray wolves of great size
laLe last spring. l was searching for a small
bunch OF my cattle that had wandered into an
isolated section near the, South Dakota line.
! had seen a number Of big, gaunL wolves In
the foothills which skunk away swapping their
wfflS nav bn as aid | r not o Dyii ! ha tro a bsI,S'shooser
suddenly as | was riding through a small
draw where the grass was unusually rank and
underbrush thick. my horse gave a snort and
q bound and two enormous gray wolves sprang
from Tho cover at me. One actually grasped
my horse by the leg. while the other fastened
horse Weighed with fright and pain and, at