Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-11-18
LObO WOLVES ARE
Chief SCOURGE
OF THE RANGE
Government investigator 10 Aid
Hunters, Trappers, Rangers
and Ranchers to Exterminate
Pest,

IBy Morning Journal Special LEASED Wirel
Washington. y. g, oNv. t5,-The
enormous losses suffered by stock
mon on the western cattle ranges and
the destruction Of game on forest re-
serves, private game preserves, south
ern plantations, large farms. and in
national parks through the depreda-
lions Of wolves. ave been the AUST
VI a. special investigation by the Bio
logical survey, in cooperation with
the forestry bureau. 10 ascertain the
best methods for destroying these
pests.
The chief object Of the report, ae
cording To- Chief Forester Graves, Is
to put into the hands Of every hun
ter. trapper. forest range and ranch
man directions for trapping. poison
ing and hunting wolves md finding
the dens OF the young. Should the
directions be rigidly followed IL Is be
lievcd that the wolves can be 80 re
duced IN number that their dopreda-
tions win cease TO he a serious mon
ace to the increase of stock and
game.
Prime wolf skins Mr.. Graves
said, are worth from "a to So each;
enough to induce trappers and enter
prising ranchmen to make an effort
to secure them If q reasonable degree
of success IS assured. stock owners
need little announcement 10 catch or
kill wolves on their own ranges, aud
IT Is believed that the Forest rangers
viii be able to keep down the IN
crease on the forest reserves. Their
complete determination on the west
ern ranges Is not, however, to be ex-
pected in the near future. and it Is
only by constant and concerted effort
that their number can be kept Town
sufficiently TO prevent serious depre-
The Biological survey I'm an ex;
haustivo report shows the wolves TO
he divided into two groups, the
smaller coyotes. or prairie wolves, of
the western United states, Mexico
and Southwestern Canada, comprising
several species and snb-species, and
the large gray. black or tim
her wolves distributed practically
throughout the whole of North Amer |
Tea from Florida and the tablcland
Of Mexico to the Arctic ocean,
These large wolves, commonly
called eloafcrs." or alobos.H include
az least half a dozen species or
geographic racesi comprising the
small dark gray or black wolf of
Florida aud the southeastern United
states. the red wolf Of southern
the hrindlcd wolf OF Mexico.
the Hight gray wolf of the central
plains region, the dark gray wolf Of
Canada, the almost white !
wolf Of northern Canada ana Alaska
and the large black or duskN wolf OF
he northwest coast region.
The stock Killed by wolves Is
mainly cattle. Calves ana yeorlings
are generally selected. but II these
ire not available. rvs and even full
steers ure killed. They arc
usually attacked from behind and 1T
,rally eaten alive. occasionally m
,uimal will escape the wolf with q
great piece torn our Of It's ham, whilo
he wolf goes n to catch ana Kill
mother. cattle So bitten die. hence
mnchmen claim that more cattle 7
Nillcd than eaten.
The actual number of cattle killed
ly wolves cannot he determined.
Comparatively few animals arc found
N cattlemcn ANA hunters when
teshh KILLED. II has been estimated
"a family of wolves will destroy
about S3.000 worth of stock on 2
arpe ranch per annum