When pressed by hunger it will undoubtedly sometimes seize a coyote,tear it in pieces and devour it,although during most of the year the two animals live in perfect harmony.I once myself,while out in the deep snow,came across the remains of a coyote that had been killed in this manner.Wolves are also very fond of the flesh of dogs,and if they get a chance promptly kill and eat any dog they can master--and there are but few that they cannot.Nevertheless,I have been told of one instance in which a wolf struck up an extraordinary friendship with a strayed dog,and the two lived and hunted together for many months,being frequently seen by the settlers of the locality.This occurred near Thompson's Falls,Montana.
Usually wolves are found singly,in pairs,or in family parties,each having a large beat over which it regularly hunts,and also at times shifting its ground and travelling immense distances in order to take up a temporary abode in some new locality--for they are great wanderers.It is only under stress of severe weather that they band together in packs.They prefer to creep on their prey and seize it by a sudden pounce,but,unlike the cougar,they also run it down in fair chase.Their slouching,tireless gallop enables them often to overtake deer,antelope,or other quarry;though under favorable circumstances,especially if near a lake,the latter frequently escape.Whether wolves run cunning I do not know;but I think they must,for coyotes certainly do.A coyote cannot run down a jack-rabbit;but two or three working together will often catch one.Once I saw three start a jack,which ran right away from them;but they spread out,and followed.
Pretty soon the jack turned slightly,and ran near one of the outside ones,saw it,became much frightened,and turned at right angles,so as soon to nearly run into the other outside one,which had kept straight on.This happened several times,and then the confused jack lay down under a sage-bush and was seized.So I have seen two coyotes attempting to get at a newly dropped antelope kid.One would make a feint of attack,and lure the dam into a rush at him,while the other stole round to get at the kid.The dam,as always with these spirited little prong-bucks,made a good fight,and kept the assailants at bay;yet I think they would have succeeded in the end,had I not interfered.Coyotes are bold and cunning in raiding the settler's barn-yards for lambs and hens;and they have an especial liking for tame cats.If there are coyotes in the neighborhood a cat which gets into the habit of wandering from home is surely lost.
Though,I have never known wolves to attack a man,yet in the wilder portion of the far Northwest I have heard them come around camp very close,growling so savagely as to make one almost reluctant to leave the camp fire and go out into the darkness unarmed.Once I was camped in the fall near a lonely little lake in the mountains,by the edge of quite a broad stream.Soon after nightfall three or four wolves came around camp and kept me awake by their sinister and dismal howling.
Two or three times they came so close to the fire that I could hear them snap their jaws and growl,and at one time I positively thought that they intended to try to get into camp,so excited were they by the smell of the fresh meat.After a while they stopped howling;and then all was silent for an hour or so.I let the fire go out and was turning into bed when I suddenly heard some animal of considerable size come down to the stream nearly opposite me and begin to splash across,first wading,then swimming.It was pitch dark and I could not possibly see,but I felt sure it was a wolf.However after coming half-way over it changed its mind and swam back to the opposite bank;nor did I see or hear anything more of the night marauders.
Five or six times on the plains or on my ranch I have had shots at wolves,always obtained by accident and always,I regret to say,missed.Often the wolf when seen was running at full speed for cover,or else was so far off that though motionless my shots went wide of it.But once have I with my own rifle killed a wolf,and this was while travelling with a pack train in the mountains.We had been making considerable noise,and I never understood how an animal so wary permitted our near approach.He did,nevertheless,and just as we came to a little stream which we were to ford I saw him get on a dead log some thirty yards distant and walk slowly off with his eyes turned toward us.The first shot smashed his shoulders and brought him down.
The wolf is one of the animals which can only be hunted successfully with dogs.Most dogs however do not take at all kindly to the pursuit.
