The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-01-10
MANY MAD VOL vES-
They Are Rapidly Increasing Ep
the State of Texas
Efforts Being Made to Protect StocE
and People Who Are in Exposed

Efforts Being Made to Protect Stock
and People Who Are in Exposed
Places.
The ranchmen Of this section, says
a staff correspondent of The St.
Louis Globe-Democrat, are making g.
desperate effort to eradicate the
wolves which infest their pastures.
Notwithstanding the fight which has
been waged against them for many
years their numbers show an annual
increase. They srem to thrive with'
the settling up of the country. They
are not only a menace to the live
stock, but of late years rabies has
spread among them to an extent,
that is alarming.
Many instances are known of the
victim of one of these animals dying
of hydrophobia. Since the estab-
lishnent of a state hydrophobia in
stitute at Austin three years ago
more than hundred persons have
gone there for treatment Of mad
wolfe bites.
The wolves are Of the coyote spe-
cies. They skulk around at night
and kill young calves and make
away with lambs and kids. The last
Legislature passed a scalp bounty
law which carried an appropriation
of $100, 900 to pay for the scalps Of
coyotes and other wild animals,
which cause serious losses to the
stockman. Gov. Campbell vetoed
the measure.
Many of the ranchmen have hun
ters constantly employed to kill the
wolves wildcat and other depreda-
ting wild animals. This method Of
eradication is slow and very expen-
sive.
A few years ago Clement Bonter-
ant, an Englishman, purchased T.
ranch west Of here. He soon found
that the coyotes were carrying off
most Of his calves and lambs. He
employed Mexicans to capture half
dozen coyotes alive. He placed q
sheep bell upon each of these coy
otes and turned them loose
upon his ranch. It was Mr.. Bon
terant's theory that the belled coy
otes would frighten away all the
other coyotes Of the place. Instead
the belled coyotes attracted other
coyotes to them and in few days
leach belled coyote had q big flock Of
followers and these hordes of ami
mails were playing worse havoc thar
eyer before.
After many efforts the belled coy
otes were recaptured and the bells
removed from their necks.
Mr.. Bonterant then tried the e1-
perience of catching coyotes alive
and placing them in pen with man
gy dogs which he had brought from
San Antonio for that special pur-
pose. The coyotes soon contracted
the mango and were turned loose
That experiment worked with bet
ter success than the one which he
first tried. Nearly every coyote IN
southwest Texas is now afflicted
with the mango.
Mad wolves are such menace to,
this section TINT many ranchmen
have built corrals around their
homes as a means Of protection for
their wives and children against
attack by the animals. When affiict-
ed a coyote does not hesitate
to enter the open door of house or
go boldly into a camp where men
are sleeping and attack whomsoever
it happen to run across.
A few days ago a party of deer
hunters were sitting around camp
fire over on the Nueces river, The
night was dark and the air chilly.
The men were enjoying the comforts
of camp life when they suddenly
heard the growl of a coyote and be-
fore any one could grab up a gun
the animal walked into the circle Of
light and passed squarely through
the flames and Goals of the fire. It
then TUNED and started toward one
of the hunters. Before the mad an
imal could get to him the man man.
aged to get hold of his gun and kill
it.
The coyote when suffering from
an attack of hydrophobia will attack
and bite full grown cattle. The bite
produces rabies in the cattle and the
losses of livestock from this cause
are considerable. 1t is very dan
gerous to enter a pasture where
shere are cattle which are suffering
from hydrophobia The animals
charge everything in sight.
Tom Hubbard had gang of Mex
leans at work constructing a water
hole, or tank" as they are called,
on ranch near there recently. The
laborers lived in an open camp and
had taken no precaution to prevent
attacks from mad wolves.
One night they were lying asleep
upon the ground around the camp
fire when one of the mad wolves
made its appearance among
them. Two of them were sent to
the State Hydrophobia Institute,
where they were treated. The
other Mexican refused to take the
treatment and onthe ninth day after
being bitten died.