Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-04-27
BEASTS OF PREY
ON RESERVE RANGES
Experts Devising Means to Protect
Cattle and Sheep from Them.

Wolves and mountain lions are Civ |
ing the stockmen good deal of trou'
BILE on the ranges and in several of the
national forest reserves. Vigorous
complaints have been made to the for
est service of the loss Of cattle and
sheep. particularly cattle, from this
cause. Protection is sought by the
stockmen, and the forest service, when
collects fee for the grazing permits,
has promptly assumed the task of find
ing and putting into effect practical
measures TO aid the cattle owners In
discriminating the destructive animals
The chief difficulty has been on the
Wind river division of the Yellow
stone reserve, in Wyoming. Some of
the livestock companies in the region
assert that the wolves are increasing
so rapidly that the future welfare OF
the cattle industry is in serious danger.
Among the proposals which these con-
ditfons have called forth are that a
bounty be offered for the animals de-
struction. The stockmen along the
northern boundary of the Gila reserve.
| in New Mexico, and in the Wichita
in Oklahoma, have suffered almost as
severely.
Last spring the government appoint
ed John Goff, the skillful hunter who
acted as guide to the President during
his hunting trip year agos as forest
ranger, and set him to hunting "lions"
in the Shoshone division of the Yellow
stone reserve, in Montana. Now that
the appeal from the stockmen on 9th
er reserves is so vigorous, especially for
the determination of the wolves, the
service has just sent an expert into the
field to study the wolf problem.
The man selected for this work is
recognized authority on the game and
other wild animals of the country, Mr..
Vernon Bailey, chief field naturalist
of the biological survey, from which
he has been temporarily transferred in
order to secure his services for this
important project.
The animals. which are causing so
much trouble to stockmen are common
in their native habitat, but are little
known to fasteners who have not
hunted them. The wolf is known in
the west as the "timber' wolf. Though
not large, it is powerful and quick
Not only does it kill calves and year
lings with ease, but it attacks and ov
ercomes full grown cattle. When after
, this larger prey it does not go for the
fastens it's teeth in the muscles of the
leg, hamstringing his victim, which
falls defenceless. But little Of the car
cass is usually devoured by the wolves
The "lion" is, of course, the cougar
and no true lion at all. Nevertheless
it is large and powerful beast, cap
able of playing havoc among the cattle
The wolves and lions are not classed il
the west as game .nimals, but are re
gar ed as pests and are commonl.
termed "varmints." Whenever the,
g are plentiful bounty is offered t.
/. encourage their determination. Despit
o this, they are still sufficiently numer
e Gus to work much harm, and 1t is sal
Il that in some localities they are on tn
4 increase.
o 1t is particularly notable that ther
Il has been so much complaint from tn
e Wichita reserve, which the Presiden
rs has set aside as game refuge. Th
IS wolves and cougars are the enemies c
Q. other wild animals, and the sportsman
ID who desires TO encourage America
g sport and to preserve American gam
10 can be counted on TO aid in the wor
ID of hunting them down. In any cas-
IL however, the lion and the wolf must
q. driven from the ranges. Interest
or larger and more substantial than thoi
is of the huntsman and trapper demar
es it, The great live stock industr
Mt which the forest service has pledge
itself to encourage in all legitima
directions, has had to pay heavy COS
in the loss of cattle, young and fu
grown. That those holding permi
IS may be assured the full enjoyment
their privilege unmolested, every etfo
re viii be made by the government to C
operate with the stoekmen in proteetii
i'm herds grazing on the reserves fro