The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-03-25
(By MRS. NJ. e. PLAssMANN)

80 A4&0s - 4e /
a JEWS comes from Alberta that
M trapping in that vicinity-the
~ neighborhood of Peace River
is not so good as usual due to the
large number of timber wolves.
These are travelling in bands, and are
becoming very bold. Undoubtedly
there are always wolves in that re-
gion, but they have never before, to
the best knowledge of my informant,
come close to the settlements.
While there have been few reliable |
stories, if any, of men being attacked by
wolves in America, statistics show that
over 100 persons were killed by them in
Russia during one year, that of 1879. Wolf
nature is the same the world over. If they
are dangerous to human beings in Russia,
why NAV they not be in America? The
answer to this question must be given by
some one better verSed in the way of
wolves than 1. One thing is evident, the
Alberta trappers do not care to take any
chances of being run down and devOured
while investigating their trap lines, by a
pack of these fierce animals Consequently
furs may advance in price next season.
Shortly after hearing of the Alberta
wolves, Montana papers carried the story
of a wolf in the Little Belt mountains,
which was creating havoc among the hOcks
and herds thereabOut. 1t is said to have
caused a loss to the stOckmen Of the cOun-
try between Sage and Otter creeks, of from
@1sUUu To b<,UUU ANNUALLY NluG cdLLtG nave
fallen victims recently to this bandit of the
wilds. some of them three year Olds. The
report adds that this year a young wolf,
or a coyote, is travelling with the outlaw.
Wolves in the Little Belts were not un-
common a few years ago. When my home
was in the Monarch canyon, my youngest
daughter, then a child, was riding her
Shetland pony from Belt Park. She was
alone, and when near the point where the
Belt Park road Joined that in the canyon,
she saw two dogs, as she thought. close
TO where she must soon pass. She felt no
fear but her pony did, and expressed its
feelings audibly as 1t came abreast of the
two animals by the wayside. The child
to calm the fright Of her pony. dismOunt-
ed and started towards the pair, thinking
to pet them. AS she approached, one re-
treated; but the other stood his ground
Snarling viciOusly. Suddenly realizing tina
they were wolves my daughter sprang tC
the back of her pony, which needed nj
urging to make its best speed homeward
Another wolf incident came to my per
s0nal knowledge several years later, whel
| was visiting at a ranch on Dry Wolf
where the 0ubaw wolf now roamS. A maj
living on an adjoining ranch spent the da,
in town, returning home late at night. A
he passed through a gate onto his owl
land, he reported later, a couple of timbe
wolves suddenly appearing close at han,
caused his horses to run away. He wa
thrown from his wagon and badly injured
although he managed to reach his house
He did not claim that the wolves follows
him, as they generally do people in Rus
sian stories, yet they may have done So
for he was not in n mental condition t
notice much of what trauspired after hi
horses took fright.
The letter / received from Alberta speci
fed timber wolves, as did the rancher q
Dry Wolf, and this awakened my %curiosit
to learn how timber wolves differed froI
the common variety. No one l interrogate
could give me any information on the sui
ject, although they had long resided /
Montana, where the animal made his hon
as it also did in Canada.
Not satisfied with negative replies,
went TO that fount of knowledge, the Pull
Tic Library, convinced that | should gai
there what I desired. After consulting
number of volumes of natural history III
successfully, l stated my difficulty to
casual visitor, who was familiar with IL
library. He, no more than /, could d,
scribe a timber wolf. nor state how
acquired its name-but he meant to fir
out, not on his own account, as he ":
not especially interested in any kind
wolves, but in order to aid me in n
search.
In about five minutes he appeared wit
a work by William Z. HOrnaday. In it
found mention of timber wolves, and ali
much about wolves in general. Of whiC
most persons, like myself, are ignorant.
All naturalists are of one mind concer-