The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-11-07
o1tAEA,s WoLF KILLER.
Peter A. Watson Has Hunted II
PeskY Things Ten Years.

Peter A. Watson Has Hunted the
Pesky Things Ten Years.
From the Country Gentleman: Prob
ably the only remaining wild beast
hunter in Nebraska to-day. survival
of the pioneer days. is Peter A. Wat
son, OF Omaha, who has just dIsttn-
gulshed himself BY killing a great
gray wolf in a hand-to-hand struggle
with a small revolver as bis only wea-
pom.
Watson is a professional wolf hunter,
and his proves is recognized by the
Nebraska Live Stock Association.
which employs him annually on a sal
AIRY to slay wolves on the range and
thus protect young cattle. For ten
years Watson has been on the pay roll
Of this association and has killed an
average of 400 big gray wolves annual
ly. or late the catch has dropped
down IN less than zoo but for the first
few years Of his occupation as wolf
hunter for the association Watson
killed as high as 500 wolves. In his
pursuit he has ridden his horse through
the whole Of northwestern Nebraska
and has enjoyed many stirring adven-
lures. He Is the only man in the state
to-day who makes his living regularly
BY Staying Wild beasts. This class Of
men has been regularly disappearing
from this state driven further west by
the adyanc, Of civilization. Trapping
used to furnish occupation for large
number on the streams OF the western
part Of the state but all OF tina: nu-
mereus class al dare devils has been
swept further into the mountain fast
nesses 6y the farmea and stockman.
Probably Peter Watson viii not be able
to earn his salary many more years. 50
rapidly are the rerocious wolves d!sap-
pearing from western Nebraska
He is always ready to take the sad
die. and his methods of conducting
hunt Of determination are peculiarly
his own. Watson rides into the section
where the wolves are reported to be
killing young stock and. with his dogs.
joys along until wolf is sighted He
! carries powerful field glass and is
I constantly sweeping the surroundings
with It, In this way ne frequently sees
the wolves before they see him. ]! the
Z game is on and away Watson simply
notes carefully the general direction ia
ken; then he swings his pack around
behind a hill, drops out Of sight only to
reappear ahead OF the game. on to
which he rides with a rush Then the
I dogs take up the chase. The wolf sell
I dom holds out for more than a mile:
sometimes n particularly strong ami
NAL manages to run two miles before
| the hounds overhaul him. The pack
works together II they did not they
would not last long. as the average
gray wolf can kill In relays any pack
Of hounds that ever attacked him. FOR
the gray wolves Of the west are stron-
ger than any dog and their teeth are
! long and sharp. while their claws are
very dangerous weapons But when
the Watsou-ralned pack jumps on n
! wolf that Is the end Of him. They fight
together and seldom get more than a
scratch. They follow the wolf closely
! and attack him altogether. Such
I fight lasts but a minute OF two.
! Watson. In al his experience as
wolf hunter, has never found II neccs-
sary 10 aid his DOES m dispatchlns
wolves. In fact &; would be hard 10
tender service after Tie attack is
made. because OF the indIscrimlnate
mixture Of doEa and wolf on these
hunts the wolf slayer Is armed with
nothing but large revolver He hos
several times been forced TO use this
weapon In self-defenge, FOR while
I wolves when not pressed viii never at
tack man except in packs, and the
prairie gray wolf is not SO numerous rs
to form many packs In western Me-
( braska, occasionally hard.pressed
wolf VIII turn on his pursucr, as Ito
die facing his enemy.
! This was the case few days ngo
over IN Boxbuttc county. where Wat.
son was cxtcrminatlng biz gray wolves
! which had Killed and eaten several
I young hclfers. His pack had started
/ wolf and wac FAR IN advance ~ their
| master. whom suddenly a huge gray
wolf, which had evidently been asleep
! In the rank undcrbrush until disturbed
! by the wolf hunters horse, sprang
upon Watson. Tho animal buried his
claws into the side Of the horse and his
tangs sank deep into the riders leg
He was one OF the largest beasts OF
the kind Watson had over seen. and tho
suddenness Of the attack gave the an
iFanl distinct advantage. The at