Wolf and Coyote Trapping Part 3

Width of heel pad of front foot WOLF. 1 1/2 to 2 inches COYOTE. 1 inch

Upper canine tooth--greatest diameter at base WOLF. 5/10 to 6/10 inch COYOTE. 3/10 to 4/10 inch

These characters will not always hold in Oklahoma and Texas east and south of the Staked Plains, where there is a small wolf in size between the Coyote and Lobo or Plains wolf.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Difference in Sizes of Noes, Heel Pads and Canine Teeth of Wolves and Coyotes.]

KEY TO WOLF, COYOTE AND FOX PUPS.

Wolf Pups.

Muzzle blackish at birth, fading in a month or 6 weeks to greyish.

Head greyish in decided contrast to black of back, nose and ears.

Ears black at tips, fading to greyish in a month or 6 weeks.

Tail black, fading to grey with black tip.

Coyote Pups.

Muzzle tawny, or yellowish brown, becoming more yellowish with age.

Head yellowish grey, not strongly contrasted with rest of body.

Ears dark brown at tips and back, soon fading to yellowish brown.

Tail black, fading to grey with black tip.

Red Fox Pups.

Muzzle blackish.

Head dusky with side of face light yellowish.

Ears large, nearly the whole back of ears bright black at all ages.

Eyes and ears relatively larger and nose pad smaller than in coyote or wolf.

Tail dusky, tip white at all ages.

Grey Fox Pups.

Muzzle blackish.

Head greyish, face back or eyes sharply pepper and salt grey.

Ears large, back of ears dusky at tip, fulvous at base.

Eyes and nose pad small.

Tail with tip black at all ages.

Kit Fox Pups.

Muzzle with blackish patch on each side.

Head and face tawny or yellowish brown.

Ears tawny without black backs or tips.

Eyes larger and nose pad smaller than in young coyote.

Tail with tip black at all ages.

KEY TO YOUNG CATS, c.o.o.nS AND BADGERS.

Young bobcats are much striped and spotted. Young cats of any kind can be distinguished by the short nose and round head.

Young c.o.o.ns have a broad black band across the face and eyes bordered above by a light band.

Young badgers have a white stripe between the eyes.

The bounty laws have always been a good thing for the trapper as they have helped much towards making his occupation a lucrative one, but, as before explained, it is doubtful if it has ever, in any marked degree, tended to decrease the numbers of predatory animals.

It is true that continued trapping will cause the numbers of wolves and coyotes to diminish, but would not the trapping be prosecuted practically the same, even if there were no bounties? We believe that it would, for if the bounty offered were any great incentive, there would be more trapping done during the summer when the furs were of no account.

Neither do we believe that it ever induces others, not trappers, to kill these animals, for they will kill them on every opportunity, bounty or no bounty. It is man's nature to kill, for he is the enemy of all animal life.

CHAPTER V.

HUNTING YOUNG WOLVES AND COYOTES.

Of the many methods of hunting and otherwise capturing wolves and coyotes, employed by the professional "wolfers" of the west, none is more remunerative than the hunting of the young animals during the spring season. While the fur of the adult animals is of little value at that time and that of the young is not worth saving, the bounty which is usually paid for wolf and coyote pups will fully compensate for all loss from that source. At that time of year (March, April and May) there is very little fur of any value, to be had but the wolf hunter can combine wolf trapping and the hunting of the parent animals with the killing of the young, and the large bounties paid by many of the states and the various provinces of Canada, will alone enable one to do a profitable business.

In those parts of our country where the extermination of the wolves and coyotes is necessary for the protection of stock and game and the authorities and stockmen co-operate for the destruction of predatory animals, the hunting of the young animals during the breeding season should be especially encouraged. In no other way can the number of wolves be so surely reduced. To those who are well acquainted with the habits of the wolf, their time of breeding and the most favored breeding grounds, this mode of hunting is very simple.

[Ill.u.s.tration: A Wyoming Wolf Den.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: A Near View of the Den.]

Wolves breed much earlier than is commonly supposed, even by stockmen who have resided for a considerable length of time in the wolf country. The majority of young wolves are born in March in the Western States and the young of the coyote make their appearance mainly in April, but occasional litters of both will appear in May, and grey wolves may be born at any time during the summer.

On the western cattle range, the dens of the wolf and coyote are located mainly in the valleys among the foothills of the mountain ranges and among the low mountains, but seldom at any great elevation. The steep side of a hill or canyon facing the south is the most favored location, and the rougher and more broken and brushy the ground, the better it suits the wolves for denning purposes. They especially like knolls, strewn with large boulders, from which the male parent can watch for the approach of enemies.

As before mentioned, the mode of hunting is very simple. All that is necessary is to look carefully over the breeding grounds until tracks are found and these should be followed to the den. It is safe to say that at that time of year, nine out of every ten tracks will lead to a den. On the northern portions of the range, there is almost certain to be good tracking snow during the early part of the breeding season, but even if the ground is bare it is not generally a difficult matter to trail the animals to the den. A track that has been made in the evening should be followed backwards and one made in the morning should be followed forwards, as the wolves do most of their hunting at night and return to the den in the early morning.

When the track can not be followed, if one can get the general course of it, the lay of the land will enable one, on many occasions, to locate the den.

Whenever the hunter hears of wolves, or their signs having been seen frequently, he should make a diligent search for the den. As the old mother wolf always goes to the nearest water to drink, the number of tracks at a watering place will often be a dead give-away and a careful search of the locality will usually result in the discovery of the den. As the den is approached, the tracks will become more numerous, and near by there will be well beaten trails. Where tracks are numerous one should keep watch for the male, sentinel wolf, as he will always be on the lookout somewhere near the den and his position will enable one to locate it more readily. As one approaches, the male animal will howl and endeavor to draw the hunter off in pursuit and thus prevent the finding of the den. Their tricks on such occasions show considerable intelligence.

When looking for dens on bare ground, a dog, if he understands the work is very useful. A fox hound that is well trained on fox is good, but if trained for this style of hunting especially, will be found to be better. Unless on the trail of a bachelor wolf, which by the way are occasionally found during the breeding season, the dog will readily trail the wolf to the den. It is best to go early in the morning as the trail will be fresher at that time and the dog is more apt to follow a fresh trail, therefore, more certain of locating the den. In all probability, one of the old wolves will attempt to draw the dog off for a mile or two, but in that case the mother will endeavor to return to her young. Sometimes they find it necessary to fight the dogs and try to keep them from approaching too near the den. Anyway the actions of the animals will show when they are in the vicinity of the den, which may then be readily located.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Young Wolf Pups at the Entrance of a Den.]

One hunter who uses a dog for this style of hunting says: "The kind of a dog needed is a good ranger, extra good cold trailer and an everlasting stayer. Then if he will only run a short distance after starting the wolf and come back and hunt the pups and then bark at them when found, you have a good dog that is worth a large price.

There are plenty of dogs that will hunt and trail wolves all right, but very few that will hunt the pups."

The den is usually a natural one; a hole worn in the rocks by the elements, or in washed out cavities in the hard ground of the bad lands. Down in the valleys they sometimes den in the ground, enlarging the burrow of a badger or other animal. The opening is, as a rule, large enough to allow one to enter and secure the pups, but sometimes it will be necessary to dig the den open. For dens in the rocks, which are too small to allow one to enter, the hunter should provide a hook, something on the order of a gaff hook such as is used by fishermen. The hook should be of fair size, very sharp, and should be attached to a handle about three or four feet in length. A famous western wolf hunter in speaking of his outfit says:

"I will say to the boys who intend to hunt pups, get two or three strong fish hooks and a strong cord and carry them in your pocket.

You can usually find a small stick or pole of some kind. When you find a den, tie your hooks on end of stick, wrapping cord very tight.

If you use two hooks, put one on each side of stick. Shove your stick in the den among the pups and turn or twist it and you will soon have a pup hooked. This works the best of anything I have ever tried; where pups are small. I have gotten many a bunch or pups this way, when my pick or shovel would be five or six miles away.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Hunter's Outfit.]

When the pups get too large and strong to pull out alive, I put a candle on the stick, shove it into the den and lay on my stomach.

With a 22 rifle I shoot the pups in the head and then they are easily pulled out with the fish hooks. I mean this for dens that cannot be dug out, as there are many of them in rock ledges and in holes in the solid rock. Instead of the candles mentioned by this hunter, some prefer to use a lantern and one "wolfer" uses a hunting lamp, attached to his hat. Some sort of firearm should be carried always. A revolver is good for use in the den, but a rifle is best outside.

[074 An Oklahoma Hunter with Young Coyotes Taken from Den.]

It is not often that the mother wolf will be found in the den, as she usually makes her escape before one comes near, but should she be found at home she should be disposed of first. There is no danger, whatever, from the adult wolves. One of our western friends in speaking of this says: "I never hesitate in entering a wolf den, even when I know the mother wolf is with her young, and have never known one to act vicious, but always sneaking and cowardly. A few years ago at the Cypress Hills in Canada I entered a den and took ten pups. The mother crawled as far from me as she could and never raised her head.