The National tribune., 1905-12-28
KILLING WOLVES FOR BOUNTY
"oifer Jim and His Work on the WyO-
ming Ranges-Hfs Secret for Conceal
ing the Scent of the Trap-Dixadvan-
tnEes In Use Of POisOns-COyOte Boun-
Denver Republican,

A meeting of stockmen was held in
the Big Horn Basin of Wyoming the
other day, to consider the question of
increasing the bounty on wolves. These
animals have been increasing SO rapid
~ IN northern Wyoming in recent years
that it is said they are killing calves and
carrying off sheep in broad daylight
Wyoming pays a bounty of IS a head
on wolves, but this is not enough to
pay for the trouble of killing them.
The stockmen propose to subscribe a
fund, increasing the wolf bounty to $40
scalp, and this, it is anticipated, will
set the ''wolfers" at work again Kidding
the range of it's greatest pest.
In Montana, which pays heavy wolf
bounty, there are several wofers SO
expert that they are known all over the
Northwest. On the Grow Indian Res
eTvation, in the southwestern part of
the State, are two wolferS who are
probably the most skilled of their class.
One of them is Lee Parish, and the
other is known simply as Jim. OF the
two Jim is probably the more skilled.
He Is able to catch wolves when, in the
vernacular of the country, there amt
anything but coyote tracks in sight,
His outfit is up to date in every par
tIcular. The traps form Jim's most eff
fective way of disposing of wolves A
trap may be skilful1y planted near a
bait" but unless the odor is killed the
chances are the wolf will keep at a safe
distance from the lure. A coyote may
be caught in the trap, but not wolf,
Tor the more savage of these prairie
marauders is also the most shrewd
Until l found a secret compound"
said Jim the Wolfer, Il used to poison
the wolves. / have lost thousands of
dollars by having the wolves eat the
poison, and then get away and die
where / couldn't find the bodies. There
IL n hnf wi nat L.
to kill a wolf right away. He has a
chance to make a run for it, and then
1t is up to you to find the body and get
your pelt. / tried all the poisons that
man ever invented, l guess, but nothing
would get Mr.. Wolf in an instant.
80 1 tried fixing up my traps. !
tiled all sorts Of methods of burying
them, but that wouldn't work, as a
wolf can smell trap far underground.
Then l thought of getting something
that would kill that smell of steel. So
| worked and worked, and finally 1 got
it. Now just smear it over my traps,
and plant them, and Mr.. Wolf, If he
happens to be in the neighborhood Of
the bait, blunders into the steel and his
pelt is mine
Next to trapping the wolves comes
trailing them to their dens, and Staying
them literally in their own castles.
Il don't take any firearms into the
it would kill you to fire a revolver in a
little place like that. / take a hatchet,
to enlarge the sides of the den as l go
along, and l carry a long rod to kill
the wolf. If Mr.. Wolf shows fight /
simply jam that rod down his throat.
and then finish him with the Ratchet.
Sometimes if 1 forget the rod l just
jam the Ratchet down the VOLTS jaws
until can get in a good blow with it.
But a wolf hardly ever shows fight, un-
less it is to snap at you once or twice.
Generally there is a little recess at the
end of the den, and the wolf will stick
it's head in this. Thinks If it's head is
hidden it is safe, I guess. Well, / just
reach into the den when I have got to
the end of the passage, and grab the
wolf by the hind leg and yank it out
and kill it. Or maybe I tie rope to
it's hind leg, If it is a big fellow, and
then pull it back up to the mouth of the
den and shoot it,
Jim is noted as the best shot in
southern Montana. He carries a heavy
old-style Winchester and similarly