The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-01-22
O F F | c | A |
HUNTERS
BUSY
REPORT CONTAINS INTERESTING
AND VALUABLE DATA
stockmen In Hearty Sympathy With
Hunter Policy Of Forest Reserve,
Many Predatory Animals Killed

The district forest officials are in
receipt OF the current hunter reports
from the Ashley forest in northeastern
otah and the same contain some very
interesting figures as we'll as instruct
I've information regarding a branch Of
the forest service of which little is
generally known
Assistant Forester l.. F. Kniepp,
who is here from Washington, d. c..
and Assistant District Grazing Chief
A c. McKain of the local office, are
familiar with the forest service hunt
er and his duties, and gave out some
interesting facts In connection with
that individual and what he is daily
accomplishing in the solitude of his
surroundings.
There are 80 official hunters now
In the employ OF the forest service
who are actively engaged In the de-
struction of predatory animals, such as
wolves, coyotes. bear. bob cats, noun
tain lion and other beasts which prey
upon the stock of the range and are
annually responsible for heavy loss.
eS.
According to Naturalist Vernon
Bailey, of the biological survey. a
Wolf destroys upon an average of two
animals per week. In some sections,
usually colts or calves, either killing
them outright or maiming them so
that they are useless afterward. In all
stock regions it Is a common sight to
see domestic animal crippled for life
by having huge chunk of flesh torn
from Its flank or shoulder by the raw
enous fangs of wolf According to
Mr.. Bailey an active wolf costs
the stockmen of the district infested
about $50 per week In domesticated
animals, or In the neighborhood of
$1,000 year. A coyote preys upon
smaller things, sheep, chickens, etc,
and is accordingly charged with $100
per year for his keep Bob cats are
more dangerous than coyotes, but do
less damage than the large grey wolf.
With these facts in view, 1t is not
strange that stockmen are In hearty
sympathy with the hunter policy Of
the forest service. nor that they en-
acted lnnumerable protests against the
threatened withdrawal of a portion OF
the hunters a short while ago when
the funds available for that purpose
were somewhat depleted
In the report of Hunter Frank l..
Briedenstein of the Ashley forest Of
Utah, the direct benefit to the stock
men of that district is shown in big
figures. This man has destroyed more
than 400 predatory animals during the
months of October, November and De-
cember. His last report shows 73
coyotes trapped and killed. 10 rabcb
cats; 2 grey wolves and a large num-
destroyed by poison scattered over
the district but were not found and
recorded. The officials estimate that
the work of this single hunter has
proved a saving of at least $4,000 TO
the stockmen of that region this year
'Mr, Briedenstein is making good
record for himself" said Mr.. Kniepp
land the stockmen of that section ap-
preciate It, A few weeks ago he killed
strange animal which has not yet
been classified by either himself or
the oldest inhabitant thereabouts. It
was an animal considerably larger
than a gray wolf. its pelt being more
than five feet in length. The sides
and legs of the beast resembled a
coyote. but the feet were those of a
black Newfoundland dog. There was
also heavy strip of thick, curly black
hair down the back and the same
was also scattered over the body to
some extent fhe tail, however, was
neither dogs nor coyotes. being only
few inches In length and covered
with short hair The animal was
skinned with a view Of having 1t
mounted, and the pelt and skeleton
has been forwarded to the biological
survey for Identification and mount
ing. 1t attracted much comment from
everyone who examined it."