The record-union., 1899-07-10
DEVIL -WOLF'S LITTER.
HYDR1D PACK RAIDED COLO
RADIO SHEEP RANCHES.

HYBRID PACK RA1DED COLO
RADIO SHEEP RANCHES
ORspring Of = She WOLF aud d
Shepherd Dog Made
Trouble.
..It was in 1879. the year after my
coming to Colorado, while was learn
ing the sheep business at the Rush
Creek Ranch. that first heard of the
devil-wolf's litter" said L. q. Austey,
who was for some years a ranchman
in Colorado and Utah. II was riding
in the dusk of the evening from the
home ranch to sheep camp when my
horse pricked up his ears and quick
ened his pace of his own accord. No
ticing that he was uneasy, looked
about to find out what had alarmed
him, and saw what took to be a large
yellow dog skulking along after me
about 100 yards in the rear. Thinking
that he had strayed from some camp
or. wagon outfit, ] whistled to him. At
this he stopped, cooked his ears and
stood gazing at. me, but would come
no nearer. Then, as rode on, he fol-
lowed me as before, keeping at the
same distance away, until was with
in sight of the light in the sheep camp.
when he vanished in the darkness.
Twice hailed and tried to call the ami
NAL to me, but each time he stopped
and waited until started on. At these
times, sitting on his launches, the,
creature looked so much like wolf
that I should have taken him for one
had it not been for his color and the
fact of his following me in the way
he did. 1t was not to be wondered at
that a lost dog should be shy of
stranger, but what I could not under
stand was the fear shown by my horse.
who would have bolted away from the
creature If I had given him free rein.
At the sheep camp where stopped for
supper spoke of the strange dog that
had followed me. The two shepherds,
who were new in the country, had no
light to throw on the subject, but Cray,
an old hunter who was staying that
night at the camp, asked.
"'Was it a big, wolhsh lookin' crit
ter with shaggy, yellow coat?'
II said that it was.
8" Tt kept just so near-wouldn't go
away or come closer-just tagged on
behind, keepin' you in view?' Cray
continued.
That's right answered. You've
described the beast to a dot. Now,
whose dog is it?' s.a-
1T isn't a dog-and it isn't q wolf.
It's 'twixt and between the two and
wuss than either. the hunter said. It's
no good news TO- sheep owners that
the devil-wolf's litter has struck into
these parts again
After SO much said I, Of course, had
to have the whole story of the devil
wolf and her progeny. and Cray, who
had hunted the country in buffalo days,
had plenty to tell. This wolf was a
notorious sheep killer, and had haunt
ed the ranches between Rush Creek
and the Republican River for years,
and as she drew other wolves after her
and brought forth litter Of hungry
whelps yearly, she had laid heavy
tax on the sheep ranchmen. No hunter
could get within rifle range Of her,
traps or poisoned baits so her career
among her enemies had been long
one. The name Of ell demohio-the de-
mon-which the Mexican shepherds
gave her, became in the mouths of the
American ranchmen the devil-wolf,'
and the beasts cunning and boldness
justified the title. The story Of the
devil-wolf's family began with the-dis-
appearance Of a valuable collie dog
from a sheep camp on the creek about
three years before my coming to the
ranch The collie, one of the highly
priced lemon colored variety. in the
pairing time of the wolves was en-
ticed by a shewolf from the camp one
night, and his romance had ended in
tragedy-at least it was so supposed,
for he never came back. Some months
after this a cowboy, riding the range,
reported that he had seen the devil
wolf playing with seven young wolves
on the prairie and that every one of
the whelps was yellow. He was chaffed
and laughed at by his hearers, but he
stuck to his story, and in course Of
time it's truth was confirmed by others
who saw the same oddly tinted wolf
family. hts $500 ~
ct was not long before the ranch-
men along Rush Creek began to- get
unpleasant reminders Of the presence
of the devil-wolf's litter. These dog
wolves developed great appetite for
mutton; and in their depredations on
the ranches they showed a ferceness
and cunning exceeding these traits in
their mother. Instead of separating
and going their different ways, as
members of a wolf litter commonly. do
on gaining their growth, they stayed
together, and the mother remained
with them for two years at least, when
she disappeared for good. no one ever
knew when or how She had taught
them her tricks, and with the superior
isagacity derived from the collie strain
they improved on her lessons.
up to the time Of the appearance of
the dog wolves the Colorado sheepmen
had suffered but little damage from
wild animals Wolves particularly had
given the Shepherds camps wide
berth, and the low rail fence around a.
sheep corral was a: barrier that they
were afraid to leap The devil-wolfs
litter, while taking every ;precaution
against traps or ambush, would Invade
the corrals and the very camps them
selves when they could safely do So
Those who had seen them work said
that they always feeonnoitered the
ground before making a foray, and that
one of their number acted as sentinel
while the others slaughtered sheep. To-
ward domestic dogs they hadA pecu-
liar malice. Hounds that were put after
them they led on in chase until they
x1fY A---