The Elbert County tribune., 1912-05-24

color. OF the other two one was all grey and
the other brownish with grey head and neck.
Both these were young wolves of about eighteen
months old The engineer, accompanied by
assistant with chain, returned to the spot next
morning and measured the exact distance from
his position at the sandrocks to the wolf ridge
as three hundred yards How Mr. FELTON, hap
pened to surprise recumbent wolf in daylight
can be explained by the characteristic of old
members of pack to take lively interest In
the gambols of the younger The old wolf
was doubtless pleasantly engaged in watching
the youngsters disporting themselves when he
unexpectedly became a target for the engineers
bullet.
Another similar surprise episode occurred ON
January 18th 1895, when | camped on Cedar
Creek, which runs into the Yellowstone near
Glendive. My companion following deer
tracks In the snow. when, turning a corner of the
badlands. he suddenly upon the back view
of big wolf seated upon its launches and SO
completely absorbed in watching nine young
wolves at play that 1t did not notice his approach
The hunter killed the unsuspecting animal with
a ball through the neck at close range but, lack
ing the deadly skill of Mr. Felton, he suffered the
rest of the lupne brood to escape. The carcase
OF this wolf (also paterfamias) was packed
whole to camp and found to weigh hundred
pounds.
Although naturally imid. the wolf makes a
most devoted mother. and will not hesitate to
risk her own life for her pups, more especially
when the latter are young. In the fall Of 1909
johnson. Ga member OF the wolf-destroying synd-
depredations of she-wolf and felt convinced
that her den was in tract of badands adjoining
his ranch After brief search he came upon
a number Of wolf tracks in a pool of water also
marks where playful wolf pups had worried the
sage brush and finally. close by the now unoccu-
pied den In which the lupine family had been
reared. Continuing his search for their present
abode. he suddenly caught sight of eight observ-
ant young wolves which. taking the alarm at
disappeared into washout His first i'm
pulse, to intercept them to get shot was
arrested by the sound of numerous short sharp
barks about third of mile away which he
readily recognized proceeding from their
mother and, leaving the pups to look after them
selves. he prepared to stalk the ravening brute
which had inflicted him incalculable damage
The wolf which could be seen approaching
upon high ground boldly lay down on a butte
and entertained her pursuer with an unceasing
concert Of barks and howls Johnson presumed
that the anxious parent becoming aware of his
presence in her domain, desired to draw his at
tention from her progeny to herself by this SEEM
ingly imprudent conduct. This being precisely
his own plan Of operations he began to ascend
one of the numerous washouts which wound In
sunken alleys about the vociferous animal. In
due course 1t his peasurable achievement to
survey his quarry's gaunt form through the Ly-
man sight at one hundred and fifty yards and
he is unerrng shot who seldom pulls a
trigger In vain he congratulated himself that
her days of rapine 1t is trite say
ing. however. that we should not count our chick