66 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY 
to overcome the rapidity of its flight, I beg leave to differ, 
and, in doing so, I am well aware I oppose myself to the 
practice of many a good shot, whom custom and prejudice 
have confirmed in old habits. There are many ways, 
nevertheless of accomplishing the same end — what one 
would adopt, another rejects — and, after much experience, 
strengthened by the observations of others, I have found 
that more depends on quickness of eye in covering the 
bird, and a simultaneous touch of the trigger, than in any 
rule, as to distance, laid down by your correspondent. 
The great mistake with many, which leads them to adopt 
your correspondent’s mode, is, that at the time of pulling 
the trigger, they stop the swing of the gun, and thus shoot 
behind the bird, whilst if the swing of the gun was kept 
up in a ratio corresponding with the flight of the bird, and 
trigger pulled when fairly covered, the result would ever 
be found effective, if within killing distance. When flint- 
guns were in general use, the necessity of shooting in 
advance was more obvious, as often times a considerable 
interval elapsed from the pull of trigger to the discharge of 
the gun; but, since the introduction of the percussion prin- 
ciple, the discharge and effect are so simultaneous, that a 
good eye and obedient hand are now only necessary. 
With regard to the effect of shot, when “ heard to strike,” 
I would also take the liberty of dissenting; the very cir- 
cumstance of the shot being heard to strike, is convincing 
to my mind of a want of sufficient force to penetrate. This 
may be illustrated by discharging the contents of a shot- 
gun against a board fence, at a moderate distance: if the 
striking of the shot can be heard, it will be found on exami- 
nation of the fence, that their force has been ineffectual: 
but if, on the other hand, the action of the shot has been 
silent, their power will be evidenced by the fact of their 
penetration, in every part of the wood: it is the resistance 
of the shot by the object, that causes their action to be 
heard, and in no instance will they be found to be fatal, 
when this is the case. f 
By giving the foregoing observations a place in the Cabi- 
net, you will oblige a 
Jan. 31, 1831. SPORTSMAN. 
AN EXTRAORDINARY WOLF HUNT. 
In the winter of 1815, I was called on with Capt. W 
by a neighbour, who had, the evening previous, seven sheep 
killed, by a Wolf, to assist him in the destruction of this 
animal. 
We were then residents of the village Deposit, in the 
county of Delaware, state of New York, about one hun- 
dred and fifty miles north of Philadelphia, and near the 
Pennsylvania line, and having the character of sportsmen, 
we were often called upon for like excursions, and priding 
ourselves as such, we never suffered any huntsmen of our 
neighbourhood to excel us in the chase, nor to take the 
lead when it depended on our individual exertions, having 
assisted in the destruction of many bears, wolves, and 
panthers, we were well known through the whole county, 
which was ninety miles in length. 
In engaging in the above enterprise, we were aware 
that we had difficulties to encounter of no ordinary cast, 
and knowing that many of our most experienced huntsmen 
had been in pursuit of this same Wolf repeatedly, without 
success, we were ambitious to excel, and, accordingly, 
entered into our engagement, with a determination to kill 
him. 
It is worthy of remark, that this Wolf was well known 
through the whole county for ten or twelve years, from 
the circumstance of having lost three toes off his left fore 
foot, by a steel trap, consequently, his track being different 
from those of other wolves, he commonly went by the 
name of the “ three-legged Wolf. ” The depredations com- 
mitted by this animal were wonderful, as there was scarcely 
a farm-house in the county that he had not visited, and 
made havoc among their sheep, frequently destroying four- 
teen in a single night; every thing which could be devised 
for his destruction, was employed, but proved fruitless; he 
had grown wise by experience, so that he avoided every 
thing likely to entrap him, and had become so familiar 
with the chase, as to elude his pursuers with the greatest 
ease. About three weeks previous to our chase, this Wolf 
entered the premises of Judge Pine, at Walton, and killed 
for him nine sheep in one night; word was sent down at 
that time with an invitation for us to join them that day in 
order to destroy him. But knowing there were many pro- 
fessed hunters in that place, we sent word by the express, 
that “ they must guard their own sheep, and if he came to 
us we would guard ours.” Accordingly, three of their 
ablest hunters went in pursuit of him, and after a circuitous 
chase of three days, gave it up, and left him within ten 
miles of the place where they first started, and the very 
night after, the Wolf killed three sheep for one of the men 
who was chasing him the previous day; this circumstance I 
discouraged them, and they relinquished the chase altoge- 
ther. It is well known amongst hunters, that a Wolf can 
withstand the utmost fatigue when he can find means to 
satisfy his hunger, and no human power can tire him down, 
but keep a Wolf constantly on the run, and out of the reach 
of food, he soon tires, because, being of exceeding ravenous 
disposition, his hunger returns quickly, and the means of 
satisfying being kept out of his reach, he will grow weaker 
and more weak, until they will give up with exhaustion; 
