The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-06-12
THE GRAY WOLF OF THE RANGES
A Dangerous Foe of Cattle Sheep and
Horses-Often Beaten by
Equine Strategy.

Equine Strategy.
Lib Vincent, one of Wyoming's old
time cowpunchers, and now riding on the
Powder river ranges. says that the gray
wolves OF his section are legion in num-
Der and as fearless as they are ferocious.
These gray and greedy scourges Of the
Powder river stock areas do their raiding
in bands ranging in numbers Of from six
to thirty, each band being organized and
disciplined under the leadership Of an old
dog wolf especially chosen for his wari-
ness, speed and endurance. To this cay
tain these gaunt and grizzly marauders
yield an implicit and answering Obed-
ience-a statement we'll evidenced from
the fact that If one Of these wolf leaders
Is slain or crippled his band at once
amalgamates with some other troop pos
sessing leader Of like capacity.
The age or size Of their quarry is Of
little moment with these wolves, as they
pull down and devour alike cows, calves,
steers. mares, colts and geldings. Their
attack is always strategical and system
attic. one portion of the band assaulting
from the front and fastening on to
shoulder. ear or muzzle, and thus giving
the big gray dogs who are ever closing
in from the rear the objective opportu-
fOAAS$
hamstrung it is all over with the quarry
and the entire band feasts at leisure. Mr..
Vincent has often seen on the Powder
river ranges the mere empty hide and
polished bones Of what was once lusty
| steer or vigorous gelding as sad souvenirs
| Of the raid of gray wolf band.
The cattle herds are open and easy prey
| to the bold canine bandits, the cattle fee
| ing from the pursuers and thus rendering
Individual attack easy and successful.
The horses, with their superior intelli-
| gence, very frequently beat off the wolves
by forming an the open ground an equine
| square, with the mares and colts In the
center. the gallant stations on the cor
ners and the best and bravest geldings
distributed on the outer lines of defence.
Not only do these equine squares FREE
| quently beat off their assailants, but they
sometimes rout the wild dogs entirely,
Staying numbers of them by striking.
| kicking and trampling.
This is an especial result when the
| horse herd has with it a stallion exper-
fenced in range life. He can smell a
wolf further than he can see one, and
at his shrill and warning neigh the herd
rushes together and quickly forms the
protecting square. The wolves fully ap-
preClato TINS IACL, anu luStdACcS nave
been known Of gray band numbering
scores of raiders trotting leisurely
around one of these embattled equine
squares and then seeking other and
easier prey.
The gray wolf reaches weight of 125
pounds, and boasts alike brain Drawn, a
noiseless and tireless foot, a savage fer
ocity and an Unsuitable appetite. 1t is
| said of him that he can run longer and
easier, eat oftener and more and display
more cunning and ferocity in given
| length of time than any other known
| animal.
He is a prolific breeder. eight or ten
pups being a not uncommon litter. while
there is a Powder river instance OF thir-
| ty-five pups being slain as the progeny OF
three gray wolf dams.
Up to six months old the gray wolf pup
is awkward and unwieldy, and it is IA
| vorite cowboy rastime of the Powder riv-
er ranges to locate a gray wolf litter on
| the prairie AMI shoot the pups from
horseback as they skulkingly roll and
tumble from their coverts in the grass
and sagebrush Crack shots with the piss
toll have been known to get pup with
every bullet from their six shooter
Denver News.