380 MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF SHEEP 



is about 63 days. The litters number, say, from four to 

 eight each. 



Wolves usually hunt from sunset to sunrise, but in 

 some instances they search for prey in the daytime. They 

 live almost entirely on animal food. The smaller species 

 live largely on wild game, but they also prey upon 

 domestic fowl of all kinds, lambs and young swine. Of 

 wild game they prey upon such birds as quail, grouse, 

 wild ducks and the eggs of these at the breeding sea- 

 son, and such animals as mice, gophers, ground squirrels, 

 chipmunks, woodchucks, prairie dogs, rabbits and even 

 house cats. In addition to the above the large species 

 of coyotes prey upon sheep, goats, calves, and various 

 species of deer. In winter they will invade towns, getting 

 food from the ofifal of slaughterhouses and other sources. 

 Timber wolves prey upon such animals as sheep, goats, 

 hogs, calves, cattle and horses. They seldom attack 

 herded animals. 



Coyotes, when looking for their prey, are much prone 

 to hide behind bushes or in the long grass near to the 

 paths which the smaller wild animals frequently journey 

 over and pounce upon them when they are passing, ^^'hen 

 they attack domestic animals they of necessity have to 

 come more or less into the open. They will seize a lamb 

 or a young pig by the back and carry it away. When 

 preying upon mature sheep on the range they give chase 

 to the animal, tear out a piece of flesh, and then fre- 

 quently leave it, and likewise give chase to another. 

 When tired they make their night meal upon one of the 

 carcases. As many as a score of lambs have been killed 

 by a wolf in a single night. It has been claimed that one 

 family of wolves have been known to destroy live stock 

 worth not less than $3,000 in a single year. Frequently 

 they hunt alone, but sometimes in small bands. 



The losses to sheep owners incurred by wolves is 

 very large in the aggregate. It occurs not only in all the 

 range states, but in the states more or less adjacent to 



