Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-01-17
NO. 8.
A WOLF HUNT.
An Extemporized Affair In a Minnesota
Forest

An EStemporlzeo Hnalr IN mlnneSota
| Forest.
| A few years ago. in the northern
part Of Minnesota, wolves often be-
came an intolerable nuisance during
the winter and reports Of numbers hav-
ing been seen led five Of us to conclude
that we needed little rest and rec
reation and that a wolf hunt would
fill the long felt want. The scene Of
action was on the Mississippi river
within fifty miles Of st. Anthony Falls,
al place where low bottom, covered
with trees and thick underbrush,
reached back from the river half
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 rolling, heavily timbered
country, the whole forming a most
beautiful retreat for wolves.
Not one Of the party owned dog
that would have been Of the slightest
use, and even II we 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 good collection for some gun
store window.
1t was a few days after New Years.
the thermometer registering deg. be-
low In the sun. when we reached the
edge Of the timber. Joe, who wore
pair of Indian snowshoes, and I, who
had pair of Norwegian skis, got along
very we'll, but Harry, who weighed
over 200 pounds, broke through the
crust at every step.
After holding a pow-wow we decided
to 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 centre, while Joe and I
kept in close to the cliff.
For perhaps an hour we silently
worked our way, when a shot from Bill
ly's express 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 belt After few words
we were about to return to our places
when Billy, with wild yell, began q
war dance, his hands behind him In
vain attempt to get rid Of his game.
Billy's owl was far from dead, having
been only stunned, and on coming to
had sunk his claws deep into the near
est 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 we'll as we could
for laughing we released him from his
game.
1t was past l o'clock when we sat
down to lunch at the spring where we
had arranged to meet-that is we all
sat down except Billy, who preferred
standing, for reasons best known to
himself. Afterward we climbed the
bluff. Harry was sent 10 the far side
of the timber-it being deemed advisa-
BILE to have him at as great range
as possible, for general safety-next to
him came George, then Billy, Joe and
1 keeping near to the edge Of the cliff,
so as to be able to keep an eye on the
bottoms below. We had covered per-
haps two miles, when Joe held up his
hand and crept cautiously to the edge.
The next moment there was crunch,
and over he went with whoop. Run
ming forward, was just in time to see
a dark body, that seemed to be mostly
arms and legs, revolving in a cloud Of
snow, plunge out Of sight In drift at
the foot Of a steep slide Of seventy-five
or a hundred feet, where the snow,
blowing over the top Of the BLUM, had
filled in level. A heavy crust forming,
1t made a smooth chute, without
break from top to bottom. Had 1t kill
ed him / believe 1 must have laughed;
but the next instant the laugh was the
other way, for my feet slipped ana
away l went, shooting along in Joe's
track. 1t was a swift rush, the snow
flying into my face and down my neck,
as 1 covered more ground in a given
time than I ever did before or ever
want to again. Then came a leap into
the air-I felt as though fell miles
and spread eagle-fashion, I dived ker-
chug into what seemed fathoms Of
snow, but proved to be only about one.
Almost smothered, paved my way
out, to be greeted with loud yells OF
laughter by Joe, who had already ex-
tricated himself, and Harry, who, tired
of tramping alone, had come up In time
to see me perform what he termed
some very graceful gymnastics, he even
having the nerve to beg me to do 1t
over.
About 4 o'clock, Harry, Joe and
stopped to rest in the bottom of a lit
tle coulee, sitting down on the side Of
a road that led out into the bottoms.
We had not seen either Of the other TWO
since lunch, though we had heard Bill
ly's rifle once or twice.
While we sat there lamenting 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 rifle. 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 three grayish wolves sprang past
Joe and me and dashed plumb into
him, rolling him over and over in the
snow. Before they reached the mouth
of the coulee Joe and I fired and had
the satisfaction Of seeing one turn end
over-end and drop.
George and Billy soon came up, each
bringing a wolf. George had first seen
the wolves crossing the coulee further
up: his shot turned them down the
road. where, as they passed Billy, ne
dropped one. Joe and I divided hon
ors on the third, for we had both shot