The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-03-25
WOLVES INCREASE IN CANADA.
Sportsmen Ask for a Bounty in Or
der 10 Snre The Deer


QUEBEC March 25-Wolves are rapid
~ increasing in many parts of the forest
lands of northern Canada This is unz
doubtedIy due to the large increase IN
the herds of deer throughout the country
As these have grown in numbers, so have
the wolves that live upon them
Fleeing from the ravages of the wolves
the deer have made their way toward the
settled parts Of the country, until in
many places they have become nuis-
ance to farmers, in whose fields OF oats
and other grain they often do consider
able damage. As the deer fee from the
wolves, the latter follow on. and so are
found much nearer TO civilization than
in years gone by
y wolf can go without food for GER
tain number of days, but he will then
run desperate risks in order to obtain
food Hunters say that eacf. wolf con-
sumes on an average thirty deer in the
course of Il year. Consequently there is
a loud demand for the payment by the
Government Of d bounty upon the heads
of these brutes.
In the Province vi Ontario there IS
small bounty for the killing of wolves. but
il is not large enough TO induce hunters
TO work for it. the natural cunning of the
wolf making il a difficult animal to trap
or kill The North American Fish and
Game Protective Association is at present
urging the Government of the Province
OF Quebec TO place a bounty OF at least
SO upon wolves. and the Government has
the matter under consideration.
The recommendation is based unnn the
belief that 81 would be a sufficient in
ducement 10 hunters to make a b:IsineSS
OF trapping or poisoning wolves. The
poisoning is effective when Strychnine is
used but II requires about two grains to
kill full-siZed wolf and as these animals
often travel long distance after being
poisoned the hunter frequently has his
trouble Tor his pains. since If snow has
recently fallen. he has very little chance.
of tracking his quarry
I Ia trapping of wolves IS quiet a science
and Is extremely difficult because the
wolves seem TO know nearly as much
about il as the trapper himself The ami
mai Is seldom deceived by the conceal
Heht OF a trap, and II he cannot safely
remove the bait without becoming entan-
gled ne VIII pass II by no matter how
hungry he may be.
During the latter part of the present
winter the number of deer slaughtered
by wolves has been very large on account
OF tne deep snow over which it is impos-
/ siDle for the deer to pass without sink
ing They thus become an easy prev
to their raVenOuS purSuerS
The superintendent of fish and game
( for the Province Of Quebec announced re
Gently that wolves have made their au-
pearance IN great numbers in the valley
OF the St Maurice. in the region north
OF Montreal and III other parts of the
province. causing great destruction
among the red deer. Ii is known also
that they are exceedingly numerous in
! the woods north of ottawa, and also
| on the Ontario side of the Ottawa River
The superintendent of the Algonquin Ma
ttOnal Park reports wolves to be very
| numerous there this year and declares
them the greatest enemy of the red deer.
He has had recourse to poison in some
cases deer having been killed and its
whole carcass poisoned They are coward
Il bTuteS. these northern grey wolves
and seldom attack human beings unless
they are themselves in considerable num-
beTS.