The Socorro chieftain., 1907-04-27
WOLVES AND COYOTES
An Interesting Circular Issued by
United States Department Of
Agriculture,
HOW TO DESTROY THE PESTS
Full Directions AS to Trapping,
Preparation OF Scents, and
Placing of Traps

The following, taken from ir-
cular No. IS Just issued BY the
Bureau of Biological Survey of
the Department of Agriculture
may prove to be both int resting
and profitable to the Stoc.Smeu
of Socorro county:
TRAPPING.
For wolves the best No. 4
double spring trap with heavy
welder or special wolf chain
should be used. If the trap is
to be fastened to stationary
object, the chain should have a
swivel at each end. If to a drag,
one swivel next to the trap is
enough. Always use a drag if
possible. The best is a stone of
30 or 40 pounds weight,
to which the chain is securely
wired. A long oval stone is
best. A piece of telegraph wire
or smooth fence wire 5 or 3 feet
long should be passed around one
end of the stone; then doubled
through the trap ring, with
a twist to hold the ring in the
middle; then around the other
end of the stone and back on the
opposite side to connect with the
first hook. If properly fastened,
a jerk on the trap tends to draw
together and tighten the loops,
and the spring of the connecting
wire prevents a sudden jar that
might break trap or chain. If
an oval stone is not at hand, a
triangular or square stone may be
used by passing the wire over
the three or four sides and Sc
curely connecting it above and
below.
If no stones are to be had and
it is necessary to stake the traps,
twisted iron stakes that can be
driven below the surface of the
ground should be used. They
should be of good iron straps, at
least 1S inches long. three-quart-
ers of an inch wide, and three
sixteenths of an inch thick,
turned over at the top into a P
shaped loop TO connect with the
ring of the trap chain.
When possible, place the trap
between two tufts of grass or
weeds, so it can b. readily APP
preached from one side only.
Bury the stone, chain, and trap
out of sight, with the trap near
est to the runway where the
wolves follow a trail or road,
cross narrow pass, or visit a
carcass. The trap should be
flush with the surface of the
ground and the jaws and pan
covered with piece of paper
to keep the earth from clogging
under the pan. Fine earth
should then be sprinkled over
the paper until all traces of trap
and paper are concealed. The
surface of the ground and sur
roundings should appear as near
ly as possible undisturbed. The
dust may be given q natural APP
= pearance by sprinkling it with
water. Touching the ground or
other objects with the hands,
splitting near the trap, or in any
way leaving trace of human
odors near by should be avoided,
Old, well-Scented gloves should
be worn, and little of the scent
used for the traps should be
rubbed on the shoe soles A
piece of old cowhide may bt
used to stand on and to pile the
loose earth on while burying the
drag and trap.
For coyotes use the best No. Z
double spring trap, unless in a
wolf country, where it is better
to use trap strong enough tC
hold a wolf. In setting the trap
use the same method and bait as
for wolves, but the traps may b,
staked or fastened to a station
AIRY object with more safety.
USE OF SCENTS.
Success in trapping depend.
largely on the use of a seem
that will attract wolves ant
coyotes to the traps and keel
them tramping and paving there
until caught. Meat bait alon,
is of little use and often, indeed
scares the animals away. o.
the many scents and combina.
tions tested the fetid bait ha,
proved most successful.