Wolf Sculps

 WOLF SCULPS 

          In the early days there were bounties paid for killing wolves as the wolf was feared and a dreaded menace to early settlers.  The term “Wolf Sculps” (in my opinion) means wolf scalps. Wolves were such a problem the County Court paid as much as $1.50, or more, per scalp.  The Kentucky General Assembly in 1795 passed an act offering a bounty of three shillings for the head of each wolf under six months old and eight shillings for the head of each wolf over six months old.  The Wolf Bounty Law immediately became very popular and the early settlers devoted much of their time to hunting wolves for the sake of the bounties. On December 21, 1837, an act was passed raising the bounty to six dollars per scalp. An act of March, 1847 lowered the bounty to three dollars per scalp, and placed a bounty of fifty cents per head on wildcats.  By the late 1800s the wolf population has been reduced so much that it was no longer a problem. 

          The following document is found in the library of historical manuscripts at Western Kentucky University. 

I Do hearby Certify that John Fergusson of Ohio County Person appeared Before Me this Six Day of November 1804. and Made Oath that he was Entrusted with Two Certificates the one for John Galloway for two grown wolf Sculps Dated this present Year and Granted by David Glen the Other Certificate for Zachariah Galloway for two grown wolf Sculps Dated 1803 and Granted by David Glen and that as he the Said Fergusson lost the Said Certificate/ on his way to Hartford Given under My hand this Date above. 

Thomas Mosely      

          The following short article discusses this subject regarding Mulenberg County.  “The early pioneer dealt with many wild animals that no longer live in Kentucky. Wolves were animals that were a particular danger to pioneer families. The desire to exterminate wolves resulted in a war on wolves that lasted as long as there were any to be killed. Any one producing the head of a wolf before a justice of the peace, stating under oath when and where he killed the animal, was granted a certificate to that effect. These certificates, upon presentation to the sheriff, were paid for at the rate of two dollar and a half for wolves over six months of age and one dollar for those under that age. [From Otto A Rothert, A History of Muhlenberg County, pp. 115-116, John P. Morton & Company, 1913.] These "wolf sculp" can frequently be found in bundled loose papers in courthouses. This one was reported by Otto Rothert in A History of Muhlenberg County, p. 116.” 

"March 4th, 1800. This day came Jacob Wiley before me, one of the Justices of the Peace of Muhlenberg County and brought a wolfs head, which appears over the age two years and took the oath prescribed by law. Given under my hand.

Isaac Davis" 

Source: Longhunter, Volume 24, Issue 3, Summer 2001 and Issue 1, Winter 2001. A publication of the Southern Kentucky Genealogical Society