THE WOLF QUESTION. 



2 95 



FROM THE YELLOWSTONE DISTRICT. 



Miles City, Mont. 



Editor Recreation: I note with interest 

 Mr. Thompson's questions, in July Recre- 

 ation, touching the wolf question, and they 

 should bring many responses from the 

 rangemen of this country. 



ist. I have just returned from a 2 months' 

 buckboard trip, visiting the various round- 

 ups working in the Powder, Tongue and 

 Yellowstone river country. I regret I did 

 not have copies of July Recreation with 

 me, for distribution, for everywhere the 

 wolf question was being discussed and fresh 

 tales of ravages of wolves and coyotes were 

 being recited. 



2d. Gray wolves are decidedly trouble- 

 some here. Within a few miles of town, in 

 almost any direction, they are known to 

 pull down and destroy colts and calves. 

 Numerous instances are also noted of their 

 killing yearlings, and 2 year olds, within 

 sight of the ranch door and often inside the 

 pasture fences. 



3d. The wolves destroy cattle, horses and 

 sheep, though colts and calves are their 

 preference. Yearling calves are not cared 

 for by the range cows and must fight for 

 themselves; so, if cut off from the herd, are 

 soon pulled down and killed. 



4th. It would be extremely difficult to es- 

 timate the damage wolves do. Every 

 ranch has its bands of horses and cattle, 

 called " ranch stock " — stock that is seen 

 every day and that ranges near by, or in 

 pastures — milch cows, work and saddle 

 horses, young bulls and valuable brood 

 mares. 



I know of many instances in which, this 

 season, the wolves have destroyed 25 to 40 

 per cent, of the increase, and numerous 

 grown animals, from among such stock. 



If this be true what must the losses 

 amount to among range animals that are 

 only seen once or twice a year, and that dur- 

 ing the round-up seasons? So serious has 

 this condition become that many of our 

 small ranchman are going out of the busi- 

 ness 



While with one round-up outfit recently, 

 I visited a wolf den, in the Badlands, where 

 the day before the cow-boys had shot 2 old 

 wolves and had killed 11 half grown pups. 

 A ranchman took me there to show me how 

 these pests locate their dens, near together, 

 and to give me a practical demonstration as 

 to the amount of food the wolves bring for 

 their whelps to discuss at their leisure. 

 There were remnants of not less than 25 

 colts and calves strewn about the ledge 

 where these savage beasts made their home. 



5th. I have never known wolves to harm 

 a person ; but I shall not soon forget a jour- 

 ney I made, on foot, one January night, 

 some 15 years ago, between here and the 

 Redwater. My horse got away with my 

 gun, saddle and overcoat. I had 12 miles 



to go to where I expected to overtake him. 

 Just at dusk a wolf appeared, only a few 

 rods ahead, in the trail. He lifted up his 

 voice and was soon joined by 2 of his kin. 

 They seemed to know I was unarmed — save 

 for a butcher knife — and that I was tired 

 and footsore. They soon had plenty of 

 company and were, at times, much nearer 

 to me than was comfortable, before I took 

 refuge in an abandoned camp, where I 

 awaited daylight. 



I am therefore certain that wolves, when 

 hungry and in numbers, will harm a lone 

 foot passenger, plenty. 



6th. Wolves and coyotes are increasing 

 rapidly here. They were not so numerous 

 20 years ago, when the last of the Ameri- 

 can bison were being exterminated, for 

 their hides and horns. 



7th. I have never heard of or seen any- 

 thing to lead me to the conclusion that 

 wolves signal to one another across coun- 

 try, other than vocally. The howl of a gray 

 wolf can be heard a long distance. 



I once knew an old she wolf to carry a tal- 

 low ball — containing a big dose of strych- 

 nine — 4 to 6 miles, laying it down in the 

 snow every now and again, while she bayed, 

 loud and long. She was joined by 2 full 

 grown males, at different points. The trio 

 travelled a mile together and then each ate 

 enough of the bait (the ball was only an 

 inch and a half in diameter) to kill, as was 

 evidenced by the 3 bodies, found the next 

 morning within 50 feet of each other. They 

 must have known it was loaded but it would 

 seem the temptation to eat was so strong 

 they finally concluded to take the chances. 

 They played for small stakes and lost. 



8th. I have never measured a gray wolf, 

 but I know they grow large enough, and 

 are strong enough, to drag a colt or a calf 

 many miles, over the roughest country. 



9th. Yes, the coyote is a sneak thief and 

 an unmitigated nuisance. He lives mostly 

 on prairie dogs and the remains of animals 

 left by wolves. 



10th. It appears to me the only way to rid 

 the country of wolves is to offer a bounty 

 of $5 or more, for pelts, and to provide 

 funds to cash the certificates. This will set 

 every practical wolfer at work. 



Some cattle outfits keep packs of hounds 

 and kill some wolves in that way. Only a 

 few of the largest operators can bear the ex- 

 pense of that kind of sport. The old time 

 wolfer, who locates the den and bags the 

 whole outfit has the only practical scheme 

 for reducing their numbers, perceptibly. 

 Wolfers will not work — and it requires 

 mighty hard work, and hard riding, to kill 

 wolves — for a $2 or $3 bounty. Then to 

 take a certificate that there is no available 

 appropriation to pay, and that bankers and 

 brokers will discount 25 to 40 per cent., if 

 they handle it at all, is poor pay. 



L. A. Huffman. 



