126 AN AMERICAN HUNTER 



gars fairly swarmed in the early nineties, while up to that 

 time the big gray wolves were almost or entirely un- 

 known. Then they began to come in, and increased 

 steadily in numbers, while the cougars diminished, so 

 that by the winter of 1902-3 they much outnumbered 

 the big cats, and committed great ravages among the 

 stock. The settlers were at their wits' ends how to deal 

 with the pests. At last a trapper came in, a shiftless fel- 

 low, but extraordinarily proficient in his work. He had 

 some kind of scent, the secret of which he would not re- 

 veal, which seemed to drive the wolves nearly crazy with 

 desire. In one winter in the neighborhood of the Key- 

 stone Ranch he trapped forty-two big gray wolves; 

 they still outnumber the cougars, which in that neigh- 

 borhood have been nearly killed out, but they are no 

 longer abundant. 



At present wolves are decreasing in numbers all over 

 Colorado, as they are in Montana, Wyoming, and the 

 Dakotas. In some localities traps have been found 

 most effective; in others, poison; and in yet others, 

 hounds. I am inclined to think that where they have 

 been pursued in one manner for a long time any new 

 method will at first prove more efficacious. After a very 

 few wolves have been poisoned or trapped, the survivors 

 become so wary that only a master in the art can do any- 

 thing with them, while there are always a few wolves 

 which cannot be persuaded to touch a bait save under 

 wholly exceptional circumstances. From association 

 with the old she wolves the cubs learn as soon as they 

 are able to walk to avoid man's traces in every way, and 



