Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1893 — A REMARKABLE WOLF HUNT. [ARTICLE]

A REMARKABLE WOLF HUNT.

Editor Republicah:— Please allow me to speak through your paper about the wolves and our scalp bounty Jaws. I took some nice beef on Jan. 2nd, and a horse and buggy, and went up in Hanging Grove to Mr. Patrick Halligan’s, to try to induce some cunning old wolves, that had taken I tnrkeys from many families and geese and lambs from every farmer I met a’cibst. AnyhOw as many dolHr’s worthof poultry and lambs as would buy every wolf seal! in the. township at the present market price 8 I stayed four nights of Mr.Haliigan’ r and two at Mr. Gleason’s and fej nights at Mshiy Ltinuie’s. I stayed four days east of Monon, stayed three night’s at Samuel Parker’s, one of the jolliest old settlers in the township. Stayed one night at John Randle’s in Barkley. One night at El. Parkinson’s. I must say my bait was first class beef, and with nice pieces cut in bits, with tallow enough to cook it in, laid on the large bait with strychnine in the small pieces, was no inducement to a wolf at this time of the year, while rabbits and poultry are so tyI got wolves up and followed them for miles, twelve different days. Th*jy caught rabbits while I was after them every daj’. I saw eleven different wolves and I shot at six different ones. Put four buck shot in one and killed it dead, and as another got up at the same time, I gave it some shot that bled it some, but it got away alive. The next day I shot another with buckshot, as it was jumping u ditch when I shot. And it fell back in the ditch, rolled round a bit, crawled out, got up, took a look at me and left. I followed him. He was about one mile east of Henry Randle’s in Hanging Grove, I followed him west and south some 3 miles; then the next day from three miles south of Lee station to the R. R. south of Monon, and back around town, within two hundred yards of town to the wagon road north of town, and let him go. This was a hard trip for a boy of fifty years, to run a wolf on foot most of the time for two days. I was wonderfully tired on the second evening, when I left the trail, one and one-half miles northwest of Monon,, •a deep snow, at dusk, and had to walk back to where I had hitched my horse, about four miles.

As I walked back past a nice farm residence, west of Monon, on my road, I concluded to call for a lunch. I told the people my calling and my wants. The old gentleman got up off of the lounge and called on the old mother, sitting in the rocking ehair, for some bread. Said she ‘•there is not more than the boys will need when they come home.” The old man insisted for bread. She said “no.” I said no too, and thanked them and I found the road again soon. I walked to my horse, it was two and one-half miles southwest of Monon.

I was wet with sweat, weary, and I buttoned up my overcoat, climbed my pony, an'* did ride for Monon. Got my horse fed and supper and dried my clothes. Now this is my first wolf hunt since 1866. Some ten years before in 1856. I helped kill six wolves, and in 1857, 1 killed seven more; but they .can outwind me to-day. I tried bait with balls of tallow laid on beef, but the wolves get too many rabbitsand other live food; they do not eat dead animals only in spring or when poultry, game and lambs are sc rce, and won’t touch nice bait often. J , • I think my hunt will cause many other men to hunt wolves this winter, as is very necessary. I will mention a few families who lost poultry or lambs in my route: Mr, Scott, lost turkeys; Mr. Drake, turkeys; Robinson, lost chickens; Mr. Gleason, all their geesebut one; Ed. Parkison, turkeys; Os Moore, turkeys; Henry Randle, lambs; James T. Randle, lambs; Add Parkinson, lambs; and others.

The wolves have not been hunted or molested for so tong since large pastures have been fenced with wire, that they have got numerous and bold; and poultry, lambs, pigs, calves, and little children are in danger even in the door yard. Mr. James Parkinson told me that fonr grown wolves passed leasurely through their door yard, not five rods from the dwr. one behind the otlKhr, las tspring. I followed several within twenty roils of farm bowses. The scalp ought to be made 815 MM $lO, and hunters a right » cut wire fences when after wolves- In a short time they would do bat little damage. It B. Wilson. ic (Kt r .. *. * . »