The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1902-10-10
Catching the willy Coyote.
Crook County Journal.

Crook County Journal.
Lake county, Oregon, claims the best
trapper in the Pacific Northwest. Prior
to the passage OF the coyote bounty law
he had made success in trapping, and
after the passage OF the law be reaped
harvest.
When the law first passed the rush to
the 'desert" in the interior OF the state
was something similar to the Klondike
rush. and there we're about as many dis
appointed persons returning few weeks
later in proportion to the number en-
gagged in the business as there were dis
appointed Klondikers.
The Lake county trapper's name ls
Hammersley. He was born and reared
in Lake county and has been engaged in
trapping ever since he was large enough
to spring trap. Befo he was Il years
old he had caught thousands of coyotes
and hundreds Of marten and wildcats,
and had caught few mountain lions.
He had been engaged in the business
from love and for profit, and many times
he had gone alone into the canyons OF
the mountains bordering the desert, in
early fall and not been seen until
the following spring, when he ap
peared with large number of valuable
hides and furs as result of his winters
work. These he sold in San Francisco
and New York at good prices and man
aged to make good living in this way.
His reputation grew until the sheep
men EMPLOYED him on an annual salary
to trap for coyotes. He was engaged in
this when the bounty law went into Ell"
feet, and then began working for HIM
self
When the law first went into effect
and the rush was made to the desert by
amateurs it made the experienced trap
per smile to hear them talk about what
thew could do. Gamblers and hangers
on generally about the interior towns
ioined in the rush, and there were a
number OF professional men who went
Just to take a profitable outing; Still,
they were all telling what they could do.
Some Of the parties consisting OF four or
! five men returned after months outing
with from three to five "scalps," which
had cost them several hundred dollars
in the way OF supplies consisting of am
munition, guns, provisions, camping
outfits, ETC., not counting the time they
had pnt in and the hardships they had
undergone. Hammersley cleaned up
$500 the first month, and he reaped a
harvest as long as the coyotes were
plentiful
In an interview the trapper gave out
some very valuable information to his
discouraged competitors, for he knew
that they would never seriously interfere
with his trade. In batting trap it was
customary with the inexperienced to
place the bait on plate located central
" in the flaws" OF the trap when
opened, SO that when the coyote shonld
begin to gnaw at the bait he would set
the trap off and get caught by the nose
But the amateurs found that they dlo
not catch any coyotes. The onl y ones
thew procured were those poisoned
Under the trapper's rules, he did no'
bait any traps. He had done this IL
early trapping and found it did not sue
ceed. He would bait his traps thus
; conceal all but the bait under the loose
earth or under grass or trash, and upof
} his return he would find neither bait
: nor COYOTE. But he found that TN
ground had been carefully examined bl
the suspicious coyote first, as he tount
: that he had walked around the bait TO
! long time until he had made hlmsel
thoroughly acquainted with the stu
alton and had surmised the danger
Then he had cautiously begun dlggins
from a distant point, removing the sol
for several inches in depth as he came
: and when he reached the trap he would
after uncovering it, carefully remove TN
morsel left there for him from the unde
side, doing it so carefully as-never t
4 throw the trap.
2 The trapper was engaged in the busi
ness because he prided in It and expect
e ed a livelihood from it. lie had had n.
: no such trouble in catching other am
2 mails and he did not see why he shoui'
not catch the coyote in traps. lie KEEP
irving with like results until he iinall
formed a plan to outwit Mr. Coyote
He drove stake in the ground ana tie'
the bait to this, covering II as ne ma
the trap with trash or grass. Then n
: : concealed several traps in a circuit oi
few feet from the bait and covered thes
over lightly. When the coyote came h
4 began his usual promenade arouni
: the bait. but he dld not make man
; trims before he stepped into one OF tn
concealed traps and it had him fast b
the leg.
: trapping and has since made the grea'
: est success of any person in that sectio
Z Of the country. While the state pay
him 80 for each scalp, he sells the hide
!. for a good price besides, and by TN
Q means reaps a rich harvest from the il
" dustrv