WOLF DAYS IN PENNSYLVANIA. 77 



day hunting wolves, only by hunting for a den where 

 they have their young. The writer only knew of 

 three wolves being shot by hunters while in pursuit 

 of game, unless they were hunting for a wolf den, 

 and then it is not one time in a dozen that the hunter 

 wnll see one of the old wolves. So you can see the 

 chance of a hunter getting a shot at a wolf is a good 

 way apart and far between. We were acquainted with 

 a good many of the old hunters in four or five coun- 

 ties, and not one in ten of them ever saw a wolf while 

 hunting or trapping, except the wolf was in a trap. 

 Our method of hunting wolves was to train a dog to 

 follow the trail of wolves on bare ground ; then, in 

 the. month of May, go into a locality where wolves 

 have been killing sheep. If we could get the trail the 

 first morning after the killing the dog would follow 

 the trail nearly as fast as we cared to walk, but if the 

 trail was a day or two old, we might not be able to 

 keep the trail for 100 rods in a whole day. In a case 

 of this kind we could consult our compass and note the 

 course as nearly as possible, provided these wolves 

 traveled in a straight direction, but if they traveled in 

 any direction to hit every every laurel patch or jungle, 

 we dropped that trail quick, for wolves that are rear- 

 ing young will go as straight to their den, after getting 

 a good meal of mutton, as a bee will fly to his tree 

 after getting all the honey he can carry. If you have 

 a good dog and can get a fresh trail of wolves going to 

 their den, you are sure to find the den, but you may 

 not find a wolf after all, for if the den is in a ledge 



