THE WOLF QUESTION. 



297 



wolves kill 3 or 4 head of stock in a short 

 time, and they would undoubtedly have 

 clone much more damage had we not 

 tracked them to their den and caught the 

 young ones. Then we set a trap in the den 

 and in 2 or 3 days the old female was caught. 

 I think the dog left, as we were not both- 

 ered any more for some time. In this 

 county they kill at least 5 per cent, of the 

 small ranchmen's stock each year, and there 

 is no telling what per cent, of range stock 

 they do destroy; but considerably more 

 than 5 per cent., in my opinion. 



5th. No, I never knew of a gray wolf 

 killing a person, but I have known of their 

 chasing people 2 or 3 different times. I be- 

 lieve they would kill a man, when starving, 

 and when there are a lot of the wolves to- 

 gether. 



6th. Wolves are increasing rapidly. If 

 they increase here for the next 5 years as 

 they have in the past 5, they will take all 

 the profit of the stock business. 



7th. No; I don't believe they tell one an- 

 other what parts of the country are danger- 

 ous: but they do signal one another when 

 they want help to attack something that is 

 too large for one wolf. Their howl can be 

 heard a long distance; from 5 to 10 miles, 

 according to the condition of the air. 



8th. Absurd as it may seem, I never 

 measured or weighed a wolf, in my life. We 

 have a skin mounted, as a rug, that meas- 

 ures 76 inches from tip of nose to tip of tail. 

 The feet have been cut off, and as near as 

 I can judge, it would have measured about 

 50 inches from tip to tip of fore paws, when 

 stretched out, and the hind legs measure 

 about 52 or 54 inches, in the same way. 

 This wolf would have weighed over 100 

 pounds; but as I did not weigh him, I will 

 not attempt to give a very close guess. 



9th. The coyote is undoubtedly a nui- 

 sance to the sheepman, but does not harm 

 cattle or horses much. 



10th. The best means of ridding the coun- 

 try of wolves is undoubtedly the bounty 

 scheme, as a good bounty will set a great 

 many people to hunting them; but the 

 bounty must be paid all over the wolf in- 

 fested territory. It will do no good to hunt 

 them in one section and let them thrive in 

 another. 



As we are much interested in the wolf 

 question, I shall be glad to furnish you any 

 information in my power, at any time. 

 While I have killed a number of wolves, I 

 have never given the matter close attention 

 until of late. They now seriously threaten 

 our business. I have procured 5 hound 

 pups, gray hound and stag hound, mixed; 

 and intend running the wolves with them. 

 I do not know how it will work, as I have 

 never had any experience; but next year I 

 can tell something about it, for I intend to 

 give the matter personal attention and to 

 get the best results possible. 



Geo. B. McClellan, Red Bank, Wyo. 



FROM DEER LODGE COUNTY, MONTANA. 



Woodworth, Mont. 



Editor Recreation: I have not much to 

 say on the wolf question, from personal 

 knowledge, as I have never seen a wolf 

 kill a domestic animal; though I know 

 they do kill sheep at every chance — even 

 while the herder is with them. When I was 

 on the buffalo range I have seen as many 

 as 100 gray wolves in a drove, all traveling 

 together. They did not need to kill game, 

 at that time, for there was plenty of it al- 

 ready killed. 



In those days if one could get the wolves 

 hungry they would take poison freely; but 

 they have grown too smart now; and it is 

 almost impossible to get a wolf of any kind 

 to take a bait. 



They are very hard to trap. They will 

 discover a trap where a fox will walk into 

 it, and the wolf is too wild to make a success 

 of shooting. The only way I have found 

 to be successful is to have a good pack of 

 dogs and run the wolves down. 



I will answer all your questions, to the 

 best of my ability. You want facts, and not 

 hearsay. 



1. Woodworth, Montana — in a timbered 

 country. 



2. There are a number of gray wolves 

 here, but they kill nothing but deer — mostly 

 white tail. 



3. I have not heard of their killing any 

 stock in this vicinity. 



4. I do not think the gray wolf does any 

 damage to stock, in this county, though the 

 stockmen complain of the coyotes killing 

 calves, out on the open range. 



5. No; that is all done in newspaper of- 

 fices. 



6. They are holding their own, to all 

 appearances. 



7. No; I do not believe they have any 

 such signals; though, to my certain knowl- 

 edge, gray wolves can call others to a feast. 

 Coyotes have signs that will warn others 

 to keep away from a poisoned carcass. Af- 

 ter one has visited it no others will go near 

 it. 



8. The largest wolf I ever saw, dead, 

 weighed 105 pounds. I did not make any 

 measurement. 



9. A pair of coyotes will do more harm 

 in one night, in a sheep herd, than all the 

 gophers will do in a year, in any county in 

 this State. 



10. The best way, to my thinking, to 

 get rid of the wolves and coyotes, is to pay 

 bounty enough to make it worth while for 

 hunters to spend their time after them. 

 Then they will soon disappear. 



M. P. Dunham. 



I will esteem it a personal favor if you 

 will send me the names and addresses of all 

 the sportsmen you know, who are not yet 

 readers of Recreation. 



