The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1898-09-17
The Wild Animals That Prey Upon the
Live Stock OF the Ranches Near the
Santa Rosa Mountains and the Ex-
element or Hunting Them.

! 40 FA0JOb Wds killed., along with three
OF his dogs, and other dogs were badly
wounded. The beast which did tn,
damage was male cougar, measuring
nearly six feet from nose to root OF
/ tail, and of massive build. showing ex-
traordinary strength. His light coal
told that he had reached great age
though his teeth and claws, which
were long and sharp beyond the com
mon, were in perfect condition. He
was not weighed, but the ranchmen be-
lieve that he would have gone over 200
pounds. His pelt, which was in ex-
cellent keeping, was so mauled by the
| dogs that it was not worth saving. The
head, however, was preserved and will
be mounted for Charles Maurice, man
ager of the Rincon, who was very fond
of the dead "Viejo."
During the fall, winter and spring
the Santa Rosa ranchmen have been
much annoyed by predatory wild
beasts, which have become so numer-
Gus and daring. The removal of form
er Gov. Romualdo Pacheco and the
death of Charles Greeff, two of the
most noted sportsmen of the region.
seemed to take the heart out of their
associates and for five years little hunt
ing has been done. The result has
been a steady and large increase in
beasts of prey and a consequent dam
age to the herds. It is impossible to
estimate the amount of loss inflicted
in the past years. Cougars, timber
wolves and even an occasional fagl1ar
have slain calves and colts by the
score. Many grown animals have fall
len victims. Under the present Next
can tariff COW is accounted to be
worth nearly 500 and each calf is
loss of So. Some effort has been made
to trap or poison the wolves. but it
has amounted to nothing. The timber
wolf of this section has grown too
wise for the trap or bait. Numerous
trials to still hunt the cougars and
wolves have proved of little avail, and
1t was decided that they must be run
down and exterminated with dogs.
The Rincon, Saaos, Salado and Val
enzuela ranches are joint owners of
the pack. Pablo Gonzales collected It
and travelled many hundred miles in
doing so. He cared nothing for the
breeding Of a dog. What he wanted
was size, nose and fight-particuIarly
fight. When he heard of a good dog
anywhere in the state of Coahuila. he
went after it and bought 1t, paying
as much as S., which. for
a dog in Mexico, is a fabulous price. |
His difficulty was increased by the fact
that he wanted hounds good for both |
cougar and wolf. 1t is easy enough to |
train dogs to run the cougar, or any
other member of the cat family. hut |
even the best show both fear and dis
gust when first laid on the trail Of the
timber wolf
Finally the old Mexican succeeded
n collecting remarkable pack. It
numbers, or did number last week,
twenty-five males and females. young
md old, trained some for panthers
md some for wolves, and of a univer-
ally fierce disposition. They were SO
'avage, in fact, that Pablo was the
'nly ranch hand who dared to go
.mong them or attempt to handle
hem, They were of all sorts of
'reeds, Newfoundlands, bull and
nastin crosses, and many of them
bowed the greyhound strain of
9th the smooth-coated and rough
cotch variety, than which, when
roperly seasoned, no drawer dog
J alive. The greyhound is much es
eemed by Santa Rosa hunters, not
My on account of his speed and bot
I'm, but because he is not afraid when
nee he has fieshed his fangs, and the
'rrible snap of his jaws is not sur
assed in power and effectiveness by
lat Of the wolf himself. The pride of
lie pack was dog from Torreon, an ]
1ormous, rangy, powerful fellow. ,
ears old, and yellow in color, with a
ack muzzle. He was what is known !
cally as beef dog" that is, he had !
zen trained to go straight at the most
wage steer, catch him by the nose. ;
row him, and hold him. This dog :
eighed 100 pounds, and the nose hold h
rs the only hold he knew. n
After several preliminary runs. on :
nich the dogs killed two wolves and h
e lynx, following the animals with a
eed and steadiness and making short y
'rk of them when brought to bay y
managers Of the four ranches in =,
rested, accompanied by dozen of a
cir cow-hands, Mexican and Texan, a