St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-11-14
PAYING FOR COYOTES.
Fifty-Five Dollars the Price Of a
ScaIp From One of the Thieves.

F1ity-r1Ve DOiiarS Cuo frlCc CI d
scalp From One of the Thieves.
Santa Rosa Democrat.
up in Mendocino county," says
Sheriff Standley, "a coyote-any coyote,
NANCY. scraggy or sneakirg and mean
as he can be-is worth Just $50. Do you
know that the greatest loss that we
sheepmen suffer is from the depreda-
ton of this same sneaking. villalnous
varmint? Why. have known one of
these pestiferouS critters TO get in
among band of sheep at night and kill
sixty-fve lambs and ewes just for the
fun of the thing.
''They seem to have some of the in
stincts of the shepherd dog in them. and
they will worry and chase about in a
circle small bunch OF sheep until the
weaker fall from sheer exhaustion.
when they pounce upon them and bite
into their skull or tear open their
threats. Mind you, after they have
satisfied their hunger, their villainous
instincts still hold sway, and they con-
tinue the killing just for the fu n of the
thing. have been in the blu siness of
sheep raising since 1874. and l have
suffered more loss from the 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 authorizing bounty of
50 for every coyote scalp handed in to
the county treasurer, let me tell you the
business Of sheep raising, in my dis
trict at least, was in most precariOus
condition. There had been feeding on
the ranges up there as high as 100000
sheep. They had dwindled down to
about 100000. Well. the bounty seemed
to incite the hunters to renewed efforts.
and there were many VINO took to the
hills and valleys. and made the hunting
CT these murdernuS pests their sole avo-
cation. You will say that at IS 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 ail-day chase and then leave
him painting and worn out in the rear.
Besides this. he is pretty good analyt-
ical chemist, and knowing what is best
for the stOmach's sake, he fights very
shy of poison. Why, | know of man
up in my country who slaughtered two
DeeVeS last WINTER. Sdlteu 'tm uOWll
with the finest quality of strychnine,
laid 'em out i'll the very haunts of his
intended victims and awaited results.
He is still waiting. and is out the price
of the neat, and | don't know how
many fat lambs and ewes in the mean
time.
You see, it is no easy thing to catch
a coyote, and so it was found necessary
to offer extra inducements 10 those who
are willing to 90 hunting them. 1t was
decided to call meeting of the sheep
men in Our district. and it was then and
there decided to organize district cub,
which included ali the wool men within
q radius of twenty-five miles. Each one
Of us agreed to assess ourselves a sum
pro rata to the number Of our herd for
each coyote killed within the district
described. For instance, a man owning
a band of 10000 sheep would pay for
each coyote killed Oh the range the sum
Of $50, while the man owning 1000 sheep
would pay but s.. And this is why |
say that coyote any coyotes worth
on our range at least $50. including the
bounty. for that has been the ruling rate
during the season just ended"