Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-05-30
WOLVES IN THF WEST.
Big Gray Beasts Kin Thousands of
Cattle Every Year.
The stockmen Have been Killing
Them on, hut Their Numbers
Are increasing = Not the
Common Coyotes.


done in the near future TO prevent the
determination Of stock By the wolves.
This subject has been attracting more
attention annually from the stockmen
OF this and adjacent states for number
of years. Some figures have been gath
cred during the past year BY heavy own
ers in this part Of Nebraska. The result
is startling. II indicates clearly that
the loss from this source is Increasing
at a considerable rate IN spite OF every
thing stockmen have done in the past
to exterminate the pest Of wolves.
The largest herds 10 the state are to
be found near North Platte, Owen
Brothers have 10000 cattle in this terri
tory; Mark Hammonds has a bunch Of
$4,000 divided intS three ranch herds;
Abiton S. Serls, Of Chicago, has a big
ranch ten miles north, from which point
5000 cattle range, and Marshall Field
and other big Chicago citizens Of wealth
have large interests In this territory
A plan to estimate the loss from these
pests. based upon observations Of the
men connected with the ranches. was
developed year ago Secretary Church
has just finished a tabulation showing
exactly what the ranchmen of the west
may expect in time Indifferent methods
are not adopted In dealing with these
pests Of the prairie. Figures submitted
by these ranchmen show that IS per
per cent. Of the herds are lost from year
TO year, and nine per cent. Of this is at
tributed to the wolves.
The reports 10 the secretary show the
loss is Increasing at the rate Of five per
cent year; in fact, the reports Of
various foremen Of stock ranches in
northwest Nebraska assert that wolves
are becomingas greata menace to range
stock production as jack rabbits are to
agriculture IN Australia.
The reports estimate that about 10000
wolves are annually destroyed In the
territory embraced by the ranges in Ne.
braska. This is accomplished mostly
by poison administered by employees Of
the ranches. Some counties pay a
bounty OF five dollars a scalp, but this
is declared to be merely source Of
profit TO professional wolf hunters who
travel where they are the most plentiful
and then taking and shipping them to
the counties where the bounty is the
heaviest. The stockmeu see no relief
In this direction. In view Of the fact
that ranchmeu have been steadily de-
pending upon the annual destruction
wrought by poison without any ma
terial benefit, the reports agree that
other measures must be adopted.
During the past year all cowboys who
ride the range have been required 10
carry rides and shoot all wolves seen.
In this way large number have been
destroyed. This has caused some of the
foremen to propose that companies Of
sbarpshooters be employed by the stock
associations Of the west, whose business
IL shall be TO devote all their time to
riding the ranges in pairs and shooting
wolves. Incidentally they could be
utilized 10 map out dangerous places IN
the range where stock is lost, guard
against cattle rustling, and look after
damaged fences, and also report any
thing that is calculated to damage the
stock industry. This would be eNpen-
sive. but il would enable individual
companies to do their work with fewer
employees.
Another plan suggested is the employ
ment of number of great wolf dogs to
hunt the range in company with train
ers and run down and kin the pests.
This plan is not regarded with much
favor. The stoekmen Of this section
have repeatedly had offers of packs Of
Irish wolf hounds, which were guaran-
teed TO be able to catch and destroy any
wolf. however strong and wary, in a
vtrv little time. But the men who
know these pests best are not inclined
10 look with favor upon this scheme.
They assert that any wolf-hunting deg
that was ever bred would be killed IN
one season on the range around here II
be came in contact with few healthy
specimens Of the mountain wolf, such
as come into this range every fall and
remain during the winter. They are as
tough as pine knots and as ferocious as
tigers. They viii frequently fight men
alone. and in packs are really dangerous
to range riders.
Two Of these wolves will run down
and kill the strongest steer on the
range. They usually sneak up as close
to the punches of cattle as possible, and
then dash down on the herd scattering
as they approach Frequently a steer
is killed for every wolf in pack. They
are not conteuted to XIII for the salts
faction Of the warm blood they find to
drink.
The common coyotes Of the prairie,
which abound in great numbers all over
this part of the state, are not dangerous
to healthy cattle. They are not large
enough to drag down anything larger
than a sheep. but if a steer goes down
from any cause the coyotes will gather
in such number that he will be over
powered and eaten. hide and all. These
little fellows are not more than half as
large as the mountain wolves. and are
killed by the score with the poison sys-
TEN of the cowboys.
r. ,.-at...,..s. ,-s,,cfoffon will make