St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-11-09
HIGH-PRiCGD COYOTES.
They Are Worth More Than Cat
tie Up in Northern California.


tie Up in Northern California.
Santa Rosa (Cal.) Democrat.
up in Mendocino county," says
Sheriff Standley, "a coyOte-any coyote
NANCY, scraggy or sneaklng, and mean
as he can be-is worth just $50. Now,
find me if you can the beSt-fed steer
that is led to the SHAMELESS that will
bring you anything like that figure.
Let me premise. however, by saying
that | would be willing to go into the
business Of raising coyotes if the ruling
rates for coyotes could be maintained.
''Do you know that the greatest loss
we Sheepmen suffer is from the depre-
datlon of this same sneaking, villainOus
varmint? Why, | have known one of
these peStiferOuS critters to get in
among band of sheep at night and kill
siXty-five lambs and ewes for the fun
of the thing. They seem to have some
of the instincts Of the shepherd dog in
them, and they will worry and chase
about in circle small bunch OF sheep
until the weaker fall from sheer eX-
haustlon. when they pounce upon the m
and bite into their skulls or tear open
their Threats. Mind you, after they
have satisfied their hunger their villain
Gus instinct SUill holds sway. and tn ey
continue the killing just for the fun of
the thing. [ have been in the bust
ness of sheep raising since 1874, and
L have suffered more or less from tue
depredations of the coyotes, California
lions and bears than ever from hard
winters or the Vaccinations of the men
who are continually striving to make
corner in wool. When the legislature
two years ago passed the act authorlz-
ing a bounty of So for every coyote
scalp handed IN to the county treasurer,
let me tell you the business of sheep
raising in my district at least was In
most precarlouS condition. There mad
been feeding on the ranges up there as
high as 100000 sheep. They had dWln-
died down to about 100000. Well, the
bounty seemed to incite the hunters to
renewed efforts, and there were many
who took to the hills and valleys. and
made the hunting of these murderOus
pests their sole avOcation. You will
say that at s. a scalp they had to do a
land Office business to amaSs any
amount of capital.
Let me explain. The coyote is one
of the most cunning pests that walks on
four legs. He does his business in the
dark, and will lead the best dog in the
country an all-day chase and then leave
him painting and worn out in the rear.
Besides this ne is pretty good analyti-
cal, and, knowing what is best for the
stOmach'S sake, he fights very shy of
p0lSop. Why. L know of man up in
my country who slaughtered two beeveS
last winter, sailed 'em down with the
finest quality of strychnine, laid 'em
out in the very hauntS of his intended
victims and awaited results. He is still
waiting, and is out the price of the
meat and don't know how many fat
lambs and ewes in the meantime.
You see, it is no easy thing to catch
coyote. and 50 it was found necessary
to offer extra inducements to those who
are willing to go hunting him. 1t was
decided to call meeting Of the sheep
men in our district, and it was then and
there decided to organize district club,
which included all the wool men within
radius of twenty-five miles. Each one
Of us agreed TO assess ourselves sum
pro rata to the number OF our herd for
each coyote killed within the district de-
Scribed. For instance, a man owning
band OF 10000 sheep would pay for each
coyote killed on the range the sum of
$40, while the man owning 1000 sheep
would pay but s.. And this is why |
say that IL coyote-auy coyotes worth
on our range at least sos, including the
bounty, for that has been the ruling
rate during the season just ended.
LAS have said, this opestiferous
prowler is one of the most cunning en-
emies we have to contend with, and,
though his scalp is of such value, you
would be surprised to learn how few of
them are obtained in season. His
working hours are nearly always by
night, and it is not OFTEN that one can
get good shot at him. Dogs are sell
dom able to run him down, and the
most of them are captured in stout steel
traps. [ do not think that over thirty
were taken on our range during the
past year, and yet the damage they i'll
t1icted upon the sheep men made every
sufferer glad and willing to pay ten
fold more than his pro rata for the
death certificate"