Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-09-13
IERocIoUS GRAY WOLVES.
formidable Creature of the Plains-Dan.
gerous Foe to Domestic Animals.

gerous Foe to Domestic Animals.
Lib Vincent, one Of Wyomings old
time COW punchers and now riding on
the Powder River ranges. says that
the gray wolves of his section are le-
gion in number 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 espe-
cially chosen for his wariness, speed
and endurance. To this captain these
gaunt and grizzled marauders yield an
implicit and answering obedience-a
If one of these wolf leaders is slain or
crippled his band at once amalgamates
with some other troop possessing a
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 geld
ings. Their attack is always strategi-
cal and systematic, one portion of thu
band assaulting from the front and
fastening on to shoulder, ear or muz-
zle, and thus giving the big, wild gray
dogs who are ever closing in from the
rear the objective opportunity of ham,
stringing the victim. Once 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 a
lusty steer or polished gelding as sad
souvenirs Of the raid Of a gray wolf
band.
The cattle herds are open and easy
prey to the bold canine bandits, the
cattle fleeing from the pursuers and
thus rendering individual attack easy
and successful. The horses, however,
with their superior intelligence, very
frequently beat off the wolves by
forming on the open ground an equine
square, with the mares and colts in
the centre, the gallant stations on the
corners, and the best and bravest geld
ings distributed in the outer lines of
defense. Not only do these equine
squares frequently beat off their as
sailants, 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 1t a stallion expe-
rienced in range life. He can smell a
wolf farther than he can see him, and
at his shrill and warning neigh the
herd rushes together and quickly
forms the protecting square. The
wolves fully appreciate this fact, and
instances have been known of q gray
band numbering scores of raiders trot-
ting leisurely around one of these en-
battled squares and then ceeking other
and easier prey.
The gray wolf reaches a weight Of
125 pounds, and boasts alike brain,
Drawn, noiseless, tireless foot, saw
age ferocity in. a given length of time
than any other known animal.
He is prolific breeder, eight or ten
pups being a not uncommon litter,
while there is Powder River instance
of thirty-five pups being slain as the
progeny of three wolf dams.
Up to six months old the gray wolf
pup is awkward and unwieldly, and it
is a favorite cowboy pastime of the
Powder River ranges to locate gray
wolf litter on the prairie and shoot
the pups from horseback as they
skulkingly roll and tumble from their
coverts in the grass and sagebrush.
Crack shots with the pistol have been
known to get pup with every bullet
from theirs shooters.-Rocky Mount
ain News.