The San Francisco call., 1907-02-10
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wilderness in midwinter. after
wolves. That Is the pictur-
e.aue and daring outing which
many American sportsmen are plan
ring. And the idea has taken like
wildhre.
The plans are very simple and COM
plete-on paper. But, as the men who
are getting I'D this affair admit, there
IS an element OF uncertainty about
several OF the items involved in this
hunt thst renders it wise 10 say that
tbese plans are subject TO change. For
conditions and not theories are liable
20 confront the daring sportsmen. Not
conditions brought about through any
xpecjal ferocity or forethought on the
part OF the wolves. but conditions OF
weather so entirely unlocked for that
the best laid plans O wolves and men
might gang aglee. Even the Weather
Bureau. supervised by ruling mon
arch, seems not TO be amenable TO
the conventional requirements. and
without the right kind of weather 1t
is dificult for anybody to say what
rowing pack OF wolves will do.
However, counting on ordinary and
customary conditions. this affair ought
70 be run of without hitch, for 1T is
in charge or some of the most ex-
perienoed wolf hunters. guides and out
door people on the continent. That
very fact makes IT doubly interesting.
When the hunting brains OF the coun-
try focus on q single event il would be
strange indeed for the thing to be
aught but brilliant success. Men are
interested in this hunt who have been
telling the innermost secrets Of wolf
nature for years. men who have shot
every wild creature that roarns four
continents. men who know every detail
OF game protection and propagation. 1t
does not seem possible that even ma
ture itself would dare to disappoint
these men when they seriously set oui
to get themselves mixed up in a fight
with a few hundred hungry wolves.
Here is the plan: Meet at the little
town OF Desbartes. Ontario. north Of
Lake Huron. this week. Bring with
you rife or shotgun. revolver. compass.
hunting knife Cstrons and sharp. two
suits of heavy woolen clothes, heavy
underwear. toilet articles and a good
pair of legs The remainder OF the
entire programme. from the nip o
Scotch at the end Of the day TO the
pack OF feroeious wolves themselves.
will be provided by the folks who are
getting up the hunt. This, iadeed. is
sport with luxury. All member of
the party has to DO is make the sppli
cation. sign 2 check for expenses and
be good.
Gathering of the Clans
When You arrive at this quaint.
little town you viii probably find near
~ a hundred sportsmen there before
YOU. for this thing has taken hold of
the lovers OF the steel barrels as moth
ing has in the last decade. You will
find decent, sensible accommodations.
too. in this quaint little Canadian town.
for # has a number of di~tins uishsd
~isitors during the summer montns ana
knows hcw . take care OF them.
n the ,rowd viii be gooG fui;avs
from ali sorts of places. Many Of
the leading American cities viii send
their cotcrie as well as the cities OF
Canada and there will be famous men
there. Ia the morning slelghs will be
taken for q drive over settlers and
lumber roads ten or twelve miles to
the north. There the sleighs will be
abandoned and sent back, while every
man OF the party essays to try the de-
lightful pastime of snowshoeing. Now
this is where, theoretically. the rub
comes in. Can the average citizen get
familiar, on short notice. with these
curious web feet2 From far parts of.
the laad this is the inquiry which is
coming in TO the experienced men who
are getting up this hunt. And in reply.
be it stated, beyond peradventure, that
Il can be done. The snowshoe is ore
Of the few tricks OF the Indian that the
white man can pick UP in mighty short
order. Half an hour will serve, under
competent instruction. to make slmost
any man fairly good snowshoer; good
enough, at least, to warrant his enter
ins on this outing. for the fact is en-
phssized that this is an outing. and not
r free for all race.
Three or four miles to the north on
snowshoes the guides pulling the
camping stun on toboggans, and you
viii come 10 the permanent camp. This
S will consist Of heavy tents. each ac-
commodating eight men and each sup
piled with good stove. The day after
starting in couples, q sportsman and
HIS guide. one armed with repeating
rife. the other with shotgun, will be
formed great circle around Island
Lake, so called because of the islands
IN g. Then will come the closing in,
in battue style, somewhat as they hunt
rabbits and coyotes in the Far West
There will be located on the islands of
the lake some OF the best shots in the
party. and as the circle narrows down
the wolves viii be shot by these men
on the islands OF by the members OF
the big circle. Probably. IL all goes