ANOTHER EASY WOLF HUNT 321 



but found no trace of blood. This, however, had 

 delayed us, and we got into camp just a little be- 

 fore dusk. I threw off the deer and saddle and 

 laid my rifle down alongside and hurried to go 

 and picket the horses. As I was walking along 

 with the lariat in my hand I pondered what sort 

 of a contrivance I would rig up that night for my 

 grouse thief. I had no suitable size steel trap for 

 a wolf, so I thought I would set a snare, which 

 was quickly made. Suddenly, within ten feet of 

 me, up started a coyote. I saw a whitish streak 

 going through the grass, and pulling my Colts 

 revolver I fired two shots, which I regretted im- 

 mediately afterwards, as the light was too dark 

 to shoot decently at such a fast moving target I 

 was sorry, too, because I had scared the animal 

 away, and thus lost my chance of getting it, as I 

 felt sure that it must have been my grouse thief 

 coming for more. 



When the weather was fine we always had our 

 meals outside the tents, near the camp fire, both 

 for comfort and cheerfulness. There was a. 

 good blaze to the fire on this particular nighty 

 shedding the light around for some distance. 

 Chancing to look towards the west side of the 

 gully I saw a large coyote sitting on his rump on 

 the edge of a small ridge. He was about fortjr 

 yards from us. Eeturning to the fire I pulled my 

 revolver. I took careful aim and fired. There 

 was a yell of pain and the whitish form went out 



