1911: Forest Ranger Goes After Wolf With...Wait, What?

In late November, 1911, an unarmed US Forest Service Ranger R.D. McDonald was going about his duties in the Tongue River basin. Upon inspecting beaver traps, he discovered one was missing. But that wasn't all. He saw wolf tracks scattered across the snow and set off to find the culprit on skis.

After skiing for a mile, give or take, McDonald found the wolf, with the beaver trap "fast to his leg." The ranger took after the "immense animal" with only his ski pole a' la Liam Neeson in The Grey. 

The duel to the death ended with the wolf "stretched out in the snow as dead as he could ever be." McDonald put up the wolf's pelt at his cabin in Woodrock.

Though McDonald seemingly brushed off the incident, the Sheridan Post writer begged to differ, explaining "A timber wold at bay under ordinary circumstances is bad enough, but one enraged with pain and fighting for his life is an even worse proposition to tackle."

From the December 1, 1911 issue of the Sheridan Post.
Click to enlarge.