Catch 'Em Alive Jack: The Life and Adventures of an American Pioneer

Best known for catching wolves alive with his bare hands, John R. Abernathy (1876-1941) was born to Scottish ancestors in Texas. Raised in the burgeoning railroad town of Sweetwater, Abernathy considered himself a true son of the Wild West. In his amazing life he worked as a U.S. marshal, sheriff, Secret Service agent, and wildcat oil driller. But it was the accidental discovery of a bold means of catching wolves alive that made Abernathy famous and drew the attention of President Theodore Roosevelt. By forcing his hand deep enough into a wolf's mouth, he could stun the creature long enough to capture it, a service for which he was paid fifty dollars by eager ranchers.

This Bison Books edition brings Abernathy's vivid account of his life into print for the first time since its original publication in 1936.

Kermit Roosevelt (1889-1943) hunted big game with his father, President Theodore Roosevelt, and served in World War I and World War II. Jon T. Coleman is an assistant professor of history at Notre Dame and the author of Vicious: Wolves and Men in America.

Library Journal

The Wild West sprouted a wide array of characters who could be a lawman one day and a prospector the next. Abernathy fit that profile: he served as a U.S. marshal and sheriff, a secret service agent, and an oil driller. He came to notoriety, however, for accidentally discovering a distinctive way to capture wolves alive by shoving his hand down their throats (I'm not kidding), which somehow stunned the animals. This trick caught the attention of Teddy Roosevelt, and the two became friends. Abernathy recorded his adventures for posterity in 1936. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kermit Roosevelt (1889–1943) hunted big game with his father, President Theodore Roosevelt, and served in World War I and World War II. Jon T. Coleman is an assistant professor of history at Notre Dame and the author of Vicious: Wolves and Men in America.