The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-27
WOLF HUNTERS FORM
A REGULAR TRUST
Have a Scheme by Which They
Fleece the Sheep Raisers of
Dunn County, Wis.

"The steel trust is not in it with the
in my state" said a Menomonie, Wis,
man at the Merchants last evening.
when I left home Wednesday the
county commissioners were putting in
their third day on the question OF
whether to withdraw the $40 bounty or
leave it stand, and I understand the
matter has not yet been decided.
MANY thousands of sheep are owned
by farmers in the county, and. the
wolves that infest the region are con-
tinual menace. Thousands of dollars
have been paid by the state and county
for their determination, but the wolves
are just as plentiful and raveneus as
of old. This fact, it is said, is due to
the methods followed by the profess
sional wolf hunters combine, as 1t is
called, which practically carries off all
the rewards paid out for scalps.
Hunters Have Monopoly.
"These hunters have followed the
business for years, and they alone
know the lairs of the beasts, and, with
the aid of dogs, some of which have
been brought from abroad at heavy
expense, these fellows can go out and
bring in. dozen each in a week where
farmer could not find one in a month.
The farmers are we'll satisfied to leave
the work of exterminating the wolves
to the professional hunters if they
would go about the task with that pur-
pose, but experience of several years
has disclosed the fact that the hunters
have an understanding among them
selves which amounts to a trust agree
ment, and they are working the bust
-.
a good living with little work. Just one
point in the bounty record proves this,
and that is that in the past five years,
although hundreds of bounty fees have
been paid, not over half a dozen ScalpS
of female wolves have been presented,
for the above reason that to kill off the
females would cut off the source of
supply.
1.-THE professional hunters are rails
ing wolves while the farmers are rails
ing sheep, and at the present stage of
affairs they have the more profitable
industry.
Even Demand Extra Bounty.
s'In some sections the hunters have
become SO independent that they will
not go after wolves unless the farmers
put up an additional bounty of $40
for each wolf killed. This with the
state bounty, makes $40 for each wolf,
and at this price the hunters easily
make 500 each week when they
feel disposed to cut into their, wolf,
preserves. z
"a year ago the county commissionT
ers decided to take off the bounty, but
the sheep raisers raised such a pros.
test that the reward was allowed to-
stand. e
when I left Menomonie the county
commits ciOnarc nnncidopin0 fha
advisability of doubling the bounty
for female wolves, but 1t would not do
any good. The hunters prefer to let
the female alone, as on her depends
the continuation of the industry. AS
to withdrawing the bounty altogether
the farmers up my way will not stand,
for it, as their sheep represent heavy
investment. They know frauds are
being perpetrated, but they dare not
interfere. They must have some pro-
lection, and the hunters are holding
down the wolves to an extent that
gives them fighting chance. ~
Some hunters have been perpetrat-,
ing frauds upon the county and state
by ingenious methods for getting dod-i
BILE bOunties on each wolf, and also by
substituting scalps Of cats and rabbits
for young wolf scalps. Many times a
litter Of young wolves, just born, can
be successfully supplemented by young
rabbits. At $40 head baby wolves
become valuable live stock, and there
is a strong incentive to propagate
them, or at least to aid in their null
duplication.
Puts on a New Scalp.
Under the law the carcass Of the
wolf is first submitted to the chair
man of the town board, who, after GER
tifying that the hunter is entitled to
the bounty, sends him to the county
treasurer with the scalp which has
been removed in his presence. The
scalp is the hunters warrant, and the
bounty is paid on it's presentation.
But the hunter is allowed to remove
the carcass, and often he deity patch
es on another scalp, presents the car
cass again and draws another bounty.
"ThiS is a state law provision, and
will stand until repealed by the legis-
lature. In Minnesota, I understand, the
carcass and scalp must be destroyed In
the presence of a county official, and
while this would head off some of the
fraud, 1t would not bring about ex-
termination of the wolves, which is
the purpose of the bounty law
"To the sheepmen this is a serious
problem, for the general taxpayer will
not continue to put up fat bounty to
the hunters combine, and If theswolves
are not killed off, the sheep business
will have to be given up. It's an odd
situation, and rather humorous when
%1,s l;c%1, L.,