Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-12-22
ANNUAL WOLF DRIVE.
How the Winnebagoes Round Up
the Predatory Animals in
Jackson County.

Black River Falls, Wis, Dec 49,
Especial. THE annual wolf hunt, one
of the most exciting and profitable efforts
of the Winnebago Indians, will take place
in the near future. The wolf hunt, or
drive, as it is sometimes called, has been
resorted to by the early settlers in most
of the communities of the timbered dis
tricts of Wisconsin, at some time or 9TH
er, to rid the nei ghbOrhOod of the trou-
blesOme pests; but sucn exciting adven-
lures are seldom encountered near COM
munities have been settled for nearly half
a century. Yet in Jackson county such
scenes can be witnessed during the holi-
day hunt
Jackson county, owing to the vast
amount of unoccupied land, affords a good
retreat for the big timber wolves, and
from the days of the earliest settler, it
has been the natural haunts Of wild ami
mails of various kinds. Furthermore,
wolf culture is a business not foreign to
some of the old timers, who reside among
the hills and plains of isolated and outly-
ing districts and make business of catch
ing wolves for what is in it. The In
dams will never kill a she-wolf when it
can be avoided. He willingly valves the
$40 bounty and the value of the pelt, as
he knows full well she is the goose that
lays the golden egg, so to speak-to the
Poor Lo is a shrewd man Of business
in his line; he has been known by varl-
GUS devices to migrate an entire pack OF
wolves from counties where little or no
bounty is paid, to counties which pay lib
orally for the determination of the var
minis"
The dismal howl of the wolf is sweet
music to the ear of the Winnebago; it
means an abundance for his squaw and
little ones and a wild, exciting chase for
the hunters of the band.
The night preceding the big wolf hunt
is a notable one in the Indian village.
Amid feasting common to their mode of
life the council is held and all details gov
erning the chase for the morrow are ar
ranged. Each man knows his position
from the rude map which is drawn In
outlines among the ashes of the fireplace
in the lodge of the hunter who will be the
guiding spirit of the hunt.
The feasting is continued until late
hour, but the first gray streak of dawn
in the east finds the camp astr; one tap
on the big drum and all is hustle and
excitement. The braves fall in line and
with several scores of yelping dogs the
start is made The best marksmen of
the tribe are established at points of van
tage along the line of the drive; the main
body swings out on both TANKS, frequent
ly making line two miles in length.
The drives are now started and pande-
mOnium reignS III the forest or among
the hills and bluffs, as the case may be.
The extreme ends of the line advancing
more rapidly than the center in their
wild onward rush, and soon the bag IS
formed Should the wolves happen to
have dens in that vicinity they are driven
to cover by the dogs and are guarded by
the younger Indians and squaws, who fol-
low in the wake of the drive to render as
sistance in the way of watching the dens
to see that none escape while the big
drive is still in progress.
AS the circle of shouting hunters closes
up. the most intense excitement prevails;
amid the yeping of small army of dogs,
the shooting and blood-curdling yells of
the Indians which echo through the forest
or among the hills, the now frightened
wolves rush hither and thither, sometimes
showing signs of their savage nature
of the animal kind. Yet few, if any,
escape a well-planned hunt, and other
kinds of game, caught in the roundup,
shares a common fate.
Should the hunt prove q successful one,
a dance and feast follows. The orator
of the band recOunts the story of the
hunt to the decrepit braves of other days,
bestowing on each lucky hunter the praise
he deserves. The dance ends the days
excitement, when, bedecked in their fan
tastic CARDS. the savage nature Of the
civilized Indian shines forth in all its
hideousness. In their wild orgies, they
act out the days doings, living over the
stirring scenes of the eventfIl chase.
Should the weather be favorable, the
annual hunt will take place between
Christmas and New Years this season, but
the vicinity of the drive mas not been
determined.