In 1891 the New Ulm Weekly reported that wolves had become troublesome. Sheep owners were especially concerned. On this date in 1899, the Oakes Republican reported the sighting of a gray wolf north of the Great Northern railway line. A party of men out with their dogs spotted the wolf and took up the chase, which kept up until the wolf reached the river. The dogs lost time in the crossing, but the wolf didn’t. At that point the men cut their losses, admitting that the wolf had outsmarted them.