The Washington herald., 1908-01-05
A HUNT FOR WOLVES
Thrilling Sport with Tenn
perature Eight Below.
FIERCE BATTLE IN THE SNOW
Zig Gray Animals Appear Unex-
peetediy, I'm Bottom of CouIee, After
Huntsmen, Tired and DisappOint-
ed, Give Up the Prospect of Game.
Three Fan to the Crack of Rifles.

A few years ago, in the northern part of
Minnesota, wolves often became an in
toierable nuisance during the winter, and
reports of numbers having been seen led
five of us to conclude that we needed a
little rest and recreation. and that wolf
hunt would iii the long-feIt want. The
scene Of action was on the Mississippi
River within fifty miles of St Anthony
Falls, at a place where a low bottom,
covered with trees and thick underbrush.
reached back from the river half a mile
to the cliff From the rocky face Of the
cliff. almost perpendicular in places,
sprang trees and bushes. finding root in
the many cracks and creVices For miles
back from the top of the cliff lay a roll
ing heavily timbered country, the whole
forming a most beautiful retreat for
wolves. says a writer in Forest and
Stream.
Not one Of the party owned dog that
would have been of the slightest use, and
even if he had possessed one not one had
the least idea of how to hunt wolves
with or without dogs. The various arms
Of the crowd would have made a good
collection for some gun-store window.
II was a few days after New Years,
the thermometer registering 5 degrees be-
low in the sun. when we reached the edge
Of the timber Joe. who wore pair of
Indian snowshOes. and I. who had a pair
Of Norwegian skis. got along very well.
but Harry. who weighed over 200 pounds,
broke through the crust at every step
After holding a powwow. we decided 10
work down the bottom till dinner time.
then back up through the timber above
Giving my skis to Harry, he and George
followed the river bank, Billy took the
center. while Joe and I kept IN close TO
the cliff.
For perhaps an hour We silently worked
our way. when a shot from Biliys ex-
press put us all on the qui vive Hearing
no whistle-the signal agreed upon in
case one of us saw wolves-and being
only too glad Of something TO relieve the
monotony we all hurried over TO Billy
and found him fastening a fine specimen
of the horned owl to the back of his telt
After few words. we were about 10 re-
turn 10 our places when Billy. with
wild yell, began a war dance. his hands
behind him In a vain attempt TO get rid
Of his game. Billy's owl was far from
dead. having been only stunned. and on
coming 10 had sunk his claws deep into
the nearest flesh. Every time the bird
swung against Billy's legs he would peck
at his calves. Billy letting out a wilder
howl at each nip As well as We could
for laughing we released him from his
game.
II was past O'Clock when we sat down
to lunch at the spring where we had ar
ranged TO meet-that is. we all sat down
except Billy. who preferred standing. for
reasons best known to himself. After
ward we climbed the bluff Harry was
sent TO the far side Of the timber-it
being deemed advisable TO have him at
as great a range as possible, for general
safety-neXt 20 him came George, then
Billy, Joe and ! keeping near 70 the edge
of the cliff, so as 10 be able to keep an
eye on the bottoms below. We had COW
cred perhaps two miles. when Joe held
up his hand and eFept cautiously 10 the
edge. The next moment there was a
crunch and over he went with a WhoOp.
Running forward, I was just In time 20
see a dark body, that seemed 70 be most
ly arms and legs, revolving in a cloud of
snow plunge out OF sight in a drift at
the foot OF a steep slide Of seventy-f1ve
or a hundred feet, where the snow, blow
ing over the top OF the bluff, had filled
in level.
A heavy crust forming. it made
smooth chute, without a break from top
to bottom. Had il killed him be-
lieve I must have laughed; but the
next instant the laugh was the other
way, for my feet slipped and away l
went, shooting along In Joe's track. 1t
was swift rush, the snow flying into
my face and down my neck, as 1 covered
more ground in a given time than ! ever
did before or ever want to again. Then
came a leap into the air-I felt as though
1 fell miles-and spread eagle-fashion, 1
dived ker-chug into what seemed fathOms
OF snow. but proved to be only about one.
Almost smOthered, I paved my way out,
to be greeted with loud yells Of laughter
by Joe. who had already extricated him
self, and Harry, who tired Of tramplng
alone, had come up in time TO see me
perform what he termed some very grace
1 Nl 3 lildSAiESs Ut even idFllE the nerve
to beg Of me TO do it over.
About o'clock Harry, Joe, and
stopped to rest in the bottom OF a little
coulee, sitting down on the side of road
that led out into the bottoms. We had
not seen either of the other two since
lunch. though We had heard Bllys rife
once or twice.
While we sat there iamenting the lack
of wolves and game in general we heard
the peculiar bang" OF Georges goose
gun. then in a minute came the crack OF
Billy's rife. We all started to our feet
as a swift patter came down the road.
Large bodies move slowly, and Harry had
hardly got on his feet when tfiree grayish
wolves sprang past Joe and me and
dashed plump into him, rolling him over
and over In the snow. Before they
reached the mouth Of the coulee Joe and
fired and had the satisfaction OF seeing
one turn end-OveT-end and drop
George and Billy soon came up each
bringing a wolf. George had first seen
the wolves crossing the couIee further
up; his shot turned them down the road,
where, as they passed Billy, he dropped
one. Joe and ] divided honOrs on the
third, for we had both shot at and hit
the same wolf
That night as we steamed back TO the
city with our three wOlfskns every one
was perfectly satisfied with the days fun
except Harry, who had not pulled the
trigger once, for which we chorused. let
us be duly thankful"
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.
When Cain his brother Abel slew
Did God the scafoid place in view?
When Moses killed the Master proud,