Bunting Down stork Killers. 



297 



recent success of a Biological Survey hunter in dispatching 

 the notorious " Custer wolf,'' as it had come to be known. 

 This animal had ranged in a territory about 40 by 65 miles 

 in extent in the vicinity of Custer, S. Dak. During the six 

 or seven years that he is known to have patrolled this terri- 

 tory stockmen who suffered from his depredations estimated 

 that he had killed at least $25,000 worth of cattle. His kill- 

 ings were particularly exasperating, owing to the number of 

 stock slaughtered at times when he appeared to go on a kill- 

 ing debauch, and to the savage mutilation of others — many 

 cows having been killed for the sole purpose of devouring 

 their unborn calves. Because of this and of the reputation 

 which the animal gained for supernatural cunning in eluding 

 hunters and avoiding skillfully placed traps and temptingly 

 prepared poison baits, unusual efforts had been made by 

 sportsmen to " get him." Stockmen, driven to desperation, 

 offered increasingly large bounties, until there was a price 

 of $500 on his head. Still he escaped. 



Some ranchers gave up hope and said they must board the 

 outlaw until he died a natural death. Others, more san- 

 guine, appealed to the local predatory animal inspector of 

 the Biological Survey for the detail of a hunter, and one of 

 the best trappers and shots in the service was sent on this 

 mission. During several weeks of hide and seek the wolf 

 displayed his uncanny cunning but finally placed his front 

 foot squarely in a trap baited with scent material obtained 

 from another notorious wolf that had been taken by the 

 predatory animal inspector at Split Rock, Wyo. As he 

 dashed away, the trap drag caught firmly on a tree, but the 

 swivel snapped. Dragging the heavy trap with him, the 

 wolf traveled a distance of 3 miles before the hunter, close on 

 his trail, got a shot at 300 yards and ended his career of de- 

 struction. Many wolves of similar cunning have been taken 

 by Biological Survey hunters, but this animal was one of 

 the most difficult to capture. 



The death of the Custer wolf was hailed with delight by 

 stockmen throughout the region where the depredations had 

 occurred, and has added impetus to a movement for coopera- 

 tion with the Department in order to meet more adequately 

 the needs of the live-stock industry. 



