WOLVES AND WOLF-HOUNDS- 



205 



and all the others were cut and exhausted. 

 But often the wolves were killed without his 

 aid. The first time the two biggest hounds 

 deer-hounds or wire-haired greyhounds 

 were tried, when they had been at the ranch 

 only three days, they performed such a feat. 

 A large wolf had killed and partially eaten a 

 sheep in a corral close to the ranch house, 

 and Porter started on the trail, and followed 

 him at a jog-trot nearly ten miles before the 

 hounds sighted him. Running but a few rods, 

 he turned viciously to bay, and the two great 

 greyhounds struck him like stones hurled from 

 a catapult, throwing him as they fastened on 

 his throat ; they held him down and strangled 

 him before he could rise, two other hounds 

 getting up just in time to help at the end of 

 the worry. 



Ordinarily, however, no two greyhounds or 

 deer-hounds are a match for a gray wolf, 

 but I have known of several instances in Col- 

 . orado, Wyoming, and Montana, in which three 

 strong veterans have killed one. The feat 

 can only be performed by big dogs of the 

 highest courage, who all act together, rush in 

 at top speed, and seize by the throat ; for the 

 strength of the quarry is such that otherwise 

 he will shake off the dogs, and then speedily 

 kill them by rabid snaps with his terribly 

 armed jaws. Where possible, half a dozen 

 dogs should be slipped at once, to minimize 

 the risk of injury to the pack ; unless this is 

 done, and unless the hunter helps the dogs in 

 the worry, accidents will be frequent, and an 



