June 1765

An immense sculpture of a wolf looms over modern Saugues, France.

There were fewer attacks in June, about a dozen (still, an average of four per week!). The Beast took the lives of four—two male, two female: three children (one may have been a young teen), and a 45-year-old woman, with two decapitations. Three deaths occurred within two days, June 20 and 21. The Beast roved the areas of Auvers-Nozeyrolles, Saugues and Le Malzieu, and Venteuges. 

French functionaries had deemed it time for the d’Ennevals to step back and allow a third hunter to take over: King Louis XV’s own trusted gun-bearer and lieutenant of the hunt, 71-year-old François Antoine, who was joined by one of his sons and royal gamekeepers sent by various princes, among other assistants.  After a two-week journey to the Gévaudan area from court, Antoine (who was actually an acquaintance of the senior d’Enneval) hunted with the father and son on June 23 and met with Lafont to discuss his requirements and offer rewards for wolves killed, with greater monies for the Beast.