The Washington herald., 1921-09-25
By William AthertOn Du Puy

Williams from getting a shot at the old
outlaw.
AT last, while still possessed Of the
idea Of obtaining a mate, created in
him BY the cleverness Of the trapper, the
Custer wolf put his foot between two jaws
Of steel and was caught. So great was his
vicious strength, however, that he broke thu
chain Of the trap, but he could not release
his foot from its grip. The hunter followed
him for miles and finally got long shot at
him which meant his destruction. This
gray, almost white, skin of this old wolf,
somewhat undersised for one of his kind, II
all that Is left Of the outlaw which for nine
years defed the cunning Of man and which
cost the cattlemen no less than $25 900 IL
animals destroyed
I was willing to admit that this was q
fairly good story of the wilds that this Gov
eminent ofiicial was telling. As he talked l
was studying him, attempting to determine
just what manner Of man this supervisor
Of Government hunters was, Just what
his probable origin and training. A dark,
incisive, quick acting, fast TALKING, man
was this director Of the hunters, q MAJ who
seemed to know his game and to be husel,
enthusiastic over it. He told me that he
grew up as farmer boy down in Iowa. he
had gone to the University Of that State.
had specialized in zoology, had studied ami.
mails from many angles, including investiss.
tional work in Italy. Then he became Stat.
noologist in North Dakota, lived for wear,
in the land of the wolves and coyotes. studied
the problems Of the range, fought the battles
from State standpoint which he ba. hen
hghting from national standpoint since
1916, when he came to washington. and
continued that work for the Bureau of Rio.
logical Survey Of the Department Of Arr.
culture.
"HoW great" asked, "is the los. suf-
fered by stockmen through N.
depredations' of these predatory anim.,.p,
1t is hard to get at the exact heures.n
said DIR. Bell, but it is placed somevb.,.
between twenty and thirty million doll,r,
year. j knew of a wolf in Colorado which
took a toll of $1,000 worth of cattle IN +.
single twelvemonth. In Texas two voIx..
killed seVcnty-two sheep valued at 50 each
In q period of two weeks. One wolf in N.v
Mexico killed twenty five head of cattle m
two months, while another was reported nv
stockmen in the same State to nave kiII.d
100 cattle valued at not less than s5ooO
during the six months preceding Its captur.
In wyoming two male wolves were killed
which, during one month, had DESTROYED $50
sheep and seven colts, twhile another had
chalked up q kill worth $4,000, and vet
another had brought down thirty head ~
cattle In single spring. Our county asri-
cultural agent in Colville, Utah, reported
that wolves had taken 20 per cent of tn.
years calf crop in that section. One wolf
killed in New Mexico was known to b.v.
dispatched twenty yearling steers, nine
calves, one COW, fifteen sheep and a valuable
sheep dog. In two weeks at Ozona. Texas.
two wolves killed seventy SIX sheep.
-Four coyotes, preying upon smaller live.
stock, killed fifteen pure -blooded rams in
two nights. In Morgan County, Utah. three
coyotes killed $500 worth of sheep in an
hour. Near Antonito, COL, sixrv...v.n
ewes. valued at $1,000. became separated
from the rest of the herd and within two
days the coyotes had consumed them all.
lone bobcat in Texas killed $500 worth
of Angora goats and another got fifty three
rams on a single ranch in q month.
"a grizzly bear in New Mexico Is known
to have been responsible for the death Of