The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-02-14
Rounding Up Wolves.

Wolves and coyotes have again descend
ed on the fold OF Nebraska. Scarcity of
feed on the western ranges. owing to the
short growth OF grass and the conse-
quent diminution OF the herds and fiocks
together with the increasing warfare that
has been waged against these outlaws of
the west, has driven them nearer to
civilization this winter than they have
come In many years.
At one time the coyote was an object
almost as familiar on the Nebraska land
scape as the prairie dog or the jack rab-
bit Those were the days when the ante
lope abounded, and the Jack rabbits and
similar creatures were plentiful. so that
the sneaking varmlnts had little trouble
in getting food and consequently -four
ished. Civilization is fatal to all such,
and with the recession of the frontier the
western representatives OF the genus canis
in its pristine state have also receded and
well nigh disappeared. Unrelenting war
fare has been waged against them for
many years by the stock raisers, and
sudden death has lurked in the least sus-
pected places for the marauding members
of the wolf tribe Poison and traps,
springs and guns are limited in their pos
sibilities, though and have their draw
backs in usage as well, so the tribe of
Lobo and 'Cita have not pershed from
the face OF the earth. But determination
Is the sentence pronounced against them
and the effort TO carry out the sentence
is never relaxed. So, when the wolf ven-
lures back nearer to civilization than it's
outposts conditions on the range must be
unfavorable TO an extreme.
Whatever the cause, wolves and coyotes
are plentiful I'm Nebraska this winter.
where they have been little more than a
memory for many years. Farmers do
not relish this propinquity. Ordinary
methods OF dealing with these pests have
proved inefficient. The offer of a bounty
has served frequently to encourage an
industry hardly likely 10 become popular,
although decidedly profitable to those en-
gagged I'm II.
Where the bounty Is certain men have
been known TO breed wolves for the pur-
pose of selling their scalps TO the county.
This. with the price received for their
pelts from furriers. made the business
one of considerable profit. But the cold
disapproval Of the public, backed up by
the law. has had a deterrent effect, and
the practical abolition OF the bounty has
also operated TO discourage the breeding
| OF wolves. only few years ago bunch
! OF enterprising cow punchers gathered
| up some hundreds of wolf scalps on the
/ ranges of Montana and Wyoming and
| shipped them to Eastern Nebraska and
! Western Iowa, where several county
| treasurers were cheated before the fraud
| was discovered. What was a popular
! sport in the early days OF the state has
! now been revived. and grand wolf drives
/ are being organized and carried on in
counties where they have not been known
| for many years.
One OF the most primitive methods OF
! hunting Is that form which adopts what
| the Highland Scotch called the "tinchel,"
that is. a Gordon of men surrounding
! specified area and gradually drawing 10
| common centre. driving thereto all the
| animals caught within tn slowly narrow
| ing circle. This practice has lost none OF
| its efficacy. When the Nebraska farmer
| decides on a ''wolf drive" notice is given
| 20 all residing within the area TO be
/ beaten over, usually a space about twen-
/ ~ miles square. Every able-bodied man
and boy Joins, for the fun OF the thing
! Is ample repayment 10 any one who has
tinge OF red blood in his veins Captains
! are chosen 90 control the sides. always
| four, for the territory Is marked I'm a
! square, and the beaters approach along
| it's four sides. Ample precautions are
taken TO secure the safety OF all cou-
| cerned from anything but unavoidable ac-
|
allowed. rifles and revolvers being too
dangerous In some cases even the shot
| gun is tabooed. the killing being done
| with clubs.
| on the day appointed the sides set out
| The Catains agree as 10 the point where
| the columns shall converge. and then the
aides arc charged each with his duties.
! and the hunt begins I'm earnest Slowly,
steadily, the lines move toward the place
| OF meeting. which IL OF necessity an open
! meadow. or field, driving everything be-
| fore them. As the area Is cut down small
/ mails becomes greater and greater, and
| the alarm that first started them becomes
| an actual terror Prairie chickens. quail
| and other game. birds rabbits. and the
like, flee In wild dismay from the ap-
| proach OF the human walls while the
wolves. seeming 20 realize the trap in
4 which they are caught dash back and
| forth I'm search OF shelter or a place TO
| escape. ANY which may try to break
| through the Gordon are shot as they run.
| Finally all are huddled down together
! I'm the field where the drive H. 10 end
| Around each of the four sides stands n
| solid wall OF men and boys, armed with
| cvCry weapon with which "A wolf may be
| killed. and yet which Is not essentially
| dangerous To the users or their compan-
| ions. Here the dogs are brought into
| play. These arc generally strong hounds
| who can rTTtfy cope with n wolf I'm open
| fight When the dogs are set 10 work
1 the wolves are In their extremity, some
| Of fear and others OF desperation Some
will rush wildly 10 one side or the other
OF the square that has crushed them only
| derment in the centre. 10 be pulled down
| BY the dogs. No matter what their choice
| death r. their portion. Sundown OF the
homeward bound. each satisfied that from
/ "a dozen 90 twenty more or his four
l footed toes have died.-Omaha Bee.