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partly because it is next to impossible to 

 keep hunting-dogs very long on the plains. 

 The only way to check in any degree the 

 ravages of the wolves is by the most liberal 

 use of strychnine, and the offal of any game 

 killed by a cattle-man is pretty sure to be 

 poisoned before being left, while the 

 " wolfer/' or professional wolf-killer strews 

 his bait everywhere. It thus comes about 

 that any dog who is in the habit of going 

 any distance from the house is almost sure 

 to run across and eat some of the poisoned 

 meat, the effect of which is certain death. 

 The only time I have ever shot sharp-tailed 

 prairie fowl over dogs was during a trip to 

 the eastward with my brother, which will be 

 described further on. Out on the plains 

 I have occasionally taken a morning with 

 the shot-gun after them, but more often 

 have either simply butchered them for the 

 pot, when out of meat, or else have killed a 

 few with the rifle when I happened to come 

 across them while after deer or antelope. 

 Occasions frequently arise, in living a 



