Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1911-11-08

and written by Fred Miner, who
was one of the auto party witness
ing the great desert massacre as re-
corded by him:
A desert tragedy, a fight to the
death between pack OF wolves
and a band of five deer, in which
one deer was slaughtered, was wit
messed last Saturday about ten miles
from Tonopah, on the read to Man
haitian, by a party composed of l..
k. Koontz, NJ. P. Randolph, VIM. J.
Mulcoy, c. f. Bachman, Munro S.
Brown and Fred l.. Miner The
men were enroute to Manhattan by
auto when Mr.. Mulcoy noticed
couple of animals which he at first
supposed to be antelope, running
over the desert about 400 yards be-
low the road. He called the atten-
ton of the rest of the party, who
Immediately became much interested
in the unusual sight of a couple
CT deer in such an unexpected place.
The two deer soon crossed the road
back of where the auto had now
been stopped, and within moment
TWO big "Loafer" wolves showed in
pursuit.
The chase became exciting, and
as the scene of action progressed,
a third deer and two more wolves
appeared about 200 yards behind
the first.
About half a mile from the auto
the first two wolves began to turn
their attention to the third deer
which was being pursued by the
other wolves, allowing the other
deer to fee unpursued temporarily
The third deer circled, and the
chase became maddening with speed
born of fear and the love of life
on the part of the prospective vic
Jim, and the thirst for blood by
the wolves.
On and on across the desert and
through the low sagebrush the chase
continued, but the wolves finally
closed in, the deer went up into
the air several feet as the tackle
was made and then came the real
battle for life and the death strug
gl..
This SPOT on the desert became a
cloud of dust in which could be
seen the deer and the wolves in
desperate battle, which lasted about
two minutes. In the meantime the
other deer were continuing their
Hight toward low range about a
mile further ahead, but when the
spectators again turned their atten
lion to them, they had been joined
by two other deer which had net
been seen heretofore.
Before the captured deer had
ceased its struggles, two of the
wolves abandoned the battle here
and resumed pursuit of the four
deer that were now fleeing toward
the mountains and swiftly putting
distance between themselves and
their pursuers. The spectators
watched this race until the partici-
pants were lost in a gulch in the
distance
The party then bethought of hur-
rying across the desert to where
two of the wolves were now feast
ing on the hot fresh flesh of their
victim, but it appeared impossible
to cross through the sagebrush
with the auto and it would have
made a long hike on foot, so the
project was abandoned, and the
wolves left to the enjoyment OF
their feast.
Unfortunately the only firearm the
party possessed was % caliber
Smith & Wesson target revolver
owned by Mr.. Koontz Had they
possessed rifle, it would have
been possible to have Killed the
wolves and saved the deer from
determination by the pack.
1t is believed that the deer were
scared up by the wolves in the
Kawich range, some forty miles
away from where the pursuit and
death struggle were witnessed, and
it is probable that the entire bunch
CT deer were finally overcome by
the wolves.
AS pathetic as was the unequal
battle, the incident had humorous
side, a lonesome coyote furnishing
the subject in that line. During
the chase coyote was noticed out
in the sagebrush between the auto
and the wolves. He was greatly
interested in the affair and doubt
less anxious to get into the game
but evidently as afraid of the wolves
as were the deer. he crouched be-
hind the sagebrush to keep hidden