Wolves and Wolf Nature 



the settlement of America the wolf has been 

 pursued with guns, traps and poison, it is 

 certain that no blow ever befel the race so 

 severe as the extermination of the buffalo. 

 Their natural prey gone, the wolves also in 

 great measure disappeared. Probably they 

 scattered out in search of food, and starved in 

 great numbers. Those that survived were 

 then forced to turn their attention to the 

 herds of the stockmen, which furnished them 

 an easy prey. They began to increase, and 

 for years their depredations have resulted in 

 very heavy loss to raisers of horses and cattle 

 on the Northern plains. 



As a rule, they do not attack the herds 

 when alarmed and closely bunched together ; 

 but, prowling around the outskirts, they try 

 to cut off the young stock, which is most 

 easily killed. Sometimes, however, a small 

 bunch of wolves may round up a little bunch 

 of cattle, which stand in a close circle, their 

 heads outward, prepared for the attack. After 

 circling about them for a short time, two or 

 three wolves will dash at the bunch, and if 

 they can scatter the animals, it is the work 

 of an instant only to pull down a yearling or 

 kill two or three calves. Sometimes a single 



159 



