The Forrest City times., 1904-04-22
KILLING COLORADO COYOTES
The Roundup Resorted To as the
Best Means of ExtermiGat-
ing the Pests.

-~SAsfNA III W AltH DVU huIStDltn
participated. resulting in the slaugh-
tei or about 20 coyotes. shows how
earnestly the ranchmen and cattlemen
CT this west are striving to rid them
selves of this old-time pest of the
prairies. says the New York Tribune.
lhese round-ups are held regularly III
Colorado and other western states. but
IN spite OF the slaughter of coyotes
the animals continue TO increase. kill
ing calves. robbing hen roosts ami
committing other depredations. Wy
omlng spends $4,000 a year in wolf
and coyote bounties. and vet II has
Just been announced that despite the
tremendous slaughter of the animals
III that state both wolves and coyotes
are actually on the increase
The roundup is probably the mos.
eHectlVe means of killing the coyotes.
ne animal is so wary that it can
rarely be brought within rifle shot by
the individual hunter. and il will sell
dom touch meat that has been poi
Sehed, because its remarkable sense OF
shet betrays the presence of man,
| ana consequently the only effective
way oi killing it is to form a huge
circle. many miles in circumference.
ana gradually close in, penning thu
ANIMALS in the center and killing
| them with clubs.
he annual coyote roundup near
Denver this year was probably the
most spectacular affair of its kind ever
| held- Besides the 500 horsemen who
| TOOK active part in it there were %
| women riders. A small army of sight
seers III carriages and farm wagons OF
| every description was on hand. ranch
ers Tor miles around having made the
occasion holiday. and special trains
| pelng run from Denver and other
! points 10 carry the crowds Huge
chuck wagons, borrowed from tho
| cattle outfits, We're taken along. load
! ed with coffee and sandwiches AMI
other eatables. After the chase was
over bonfires We're lighted on the
! PAINS and around these the hunters
ana spectators gathered and recounted
the events of the day
The preparations for the round-u,
began the night before The captain
OF the hunt directed the crews 20
ranchhouses forming an immense cir
Gle 80 miles in diameter BY SIX
O'Clock in the morning those crews
had left their respective ranchhouses
ana had arranged themselves in a
circle More than two hours was spent
| III looking after horses and strength
ening weak places in tho long line
The order 10 advance was given and
the circle quickly began 10 contract.
The riders, as they advanced. would
beat the sagebrush and now and then
! a coyote would be startled out of his
hiding place and would be driven by
horsemen and dogs toward the center.
Owing TO the heetness and adroitnes5
OF the coyotes many of them managed
to get through the line but at noon.
when the big circle had drawn within
mile Of the ravine where a white
flag on tall pole indicated the CEN
ter OF the grounds, il was estimated
that nifty coyotes had been rounded
up. These coyotes were all fresh and
full of fight. Now and then one would
make break through the lines. with
dogs IN hot pursuit, and a race would
result, testing the running and staying
qualities of the hounds. After several
coyotes had been run down in this
manner the captain waved a white
flag and the lines closed in for the
final struggle
Owing to the danger of using fire.
arms al such close quarters, no rifles.
rpunlyarc hot
the hunters. Stout clubs were WELD
ed, and as the hunters advanced on
foot the snarling coyotes in the CEN
ter of the circle were to be dubbed +,
death The death struggle was share
and decisive. The clubs in the hands
of the husky ranchers wrought speedy
execution, and about half of the coy
CITES fell victims either to the blude-
cons OF the hunters or the teeth Of the
dogs. This is a large percentage OF
killed. as generally not more than one
quarter of the coyotes in the final
circle lose their scalps
Several accidents took place in tho
course Of the hunt. One hunters
horse fell with him, the rider sustain.
ing a broken shoulder blade and thu
hEse's leg being broken. That horse
was shot, as were two others that
We're injured by stepping in badger
holes while their riders were urging
them after fleeing coyotes Another
horse broke his neck in a bad fall and
the rider was thrown into a barb-wire
fence, luckily escaping vi h nothing
but few scratches At two O'Clock.
after the roundup was ended and the
scalps were counted, the hunters gath
cred about the fires and partook of the
dinner. Prizes were awarded to the
finest horsewoman in the chase AMI
also to the owner of the finest grey
hounds. The women who took part
in the roundup were keenly alive to
the excitement of the day and gave
daring exhibition of horsewomanship
Jevelry of Dutch Women.
The headdress and coral jewelry of a
Dutch woman are usually heirlooms,