The independent., 1907-03-28


know that it is practically impossible
to poison coyote, that the bowling
denizen Of the plains, no matter how
unpromising dietic possibilities might
, be, is sure TO pass up the most tempt
ing piece of meat that has a bit of
strychnine or other deadly drug in it?
Why is it? you ask. Well, / wish l
knew. OF this / am certain-it isn't
because the coyote is above the intel
ligence of other mongrel breeds, for
In some things he is even duller than
sheep, but this ! do know-you can't
poison one Of the creatures if you try
a week.
Henry Grayson, up to a short time
ago engaged in buying stock for the
Cuban government, occupied a COM
Portable dhair in the broad corridor of
the Grunewald hotel one night last
week and told stories for the benefit of
the group around him.
II lived for years in the plains
country of nothern and western
Texas" Mr.. Grayson took up his
narrative when his auditors had set
tied themselves to hear all that was
coming. AND in that time I had ann
pie opportunity TO study the charac-
teristics of the coyote and other mean
beasts as we'll
Just a little south of the famous
Llano Estacado country, in the heart
Of what was at that time fine cattle
district, friend Of mine, an English
man named Strange, had a fine ranch,
and in the summer and fall of 1898 /
was guest at the ranch for several
months. | know Texas and a greater
portion. of the west like book; in
far L ixrl,t hot
of the section and was well ac-
quainted with every phase of life as
one encounters it in the region Of the
setting sun, when / went to Strange's,
but it was at the Engishman s. ranch
that / became thoroughly familiar
with Mr. Coyote
THAT whole region was literally
overrun with coyotes They roved in
packs on the plains, even In broad
daylight, sometimes detaching from
the herd a young steer and devouring
him before the boys could ride up to
disperse them. They slipped through
the wire fences into the Enclosures
during the night, helped themselves to
mutton and pork and were altogether
the biggest nuisance that the ranch
men had to contend with-even worse
than rattlesnakes, which swarmed
about the place menace to every
living thing.
Strange had a big pack Of dogs,
dogs Of a queer breed, large and fero-
cious. that appeared half wolves them
selves, and he used these beasts to
guard his yards and pens at night.
The dogs were kept working over
time. and certainly did their duty to
the best of their ability; but the coy
otes had way of fooling them that
made raids easy.
THE yards where the sheep and
hogs were kept, you must under
stand, were a considerable distance
from the main building and a good
bit off from the quarters of the cow
boys-quite bad arrangement-and
the coyotes could make their descent
and get away before the men had
time to saddle UP and get after them
with guns and clubs
Although as l said before, the
creature is not gifted with any great
intelligence in the way that one might
notice readily, he is certainly a past
master at cunning and trickery, and l
think could give his distant relative,
the fox, some pointers on underhand, !
lowdown subterfuge. The way those |
prairie wolves fooled those faithful !
dogs was simply awful and the dogs
bunco game and never did tumble to
the fact that they were in the meshes
of as smooth confidence scheme as
was ever worked.
"phat wire fence, while ii kept the |
sheep and the pigs close. was a pipe |
for the coyotes. They could wriggle |
through the meshes as easily as a |
snake glides through the swamp |
grass. and the watchdogs were smart /
enough to>do the same trick. Well, as
one of the Mexicans on the place told l
me. the coyotes worked their shell |
game on the unsophisticated bow /
vows about as follows In the dark
OF the night. when everybody, was
abed. the hungry pack would come |
stalking through the long prairie grass
and pause at a place in the fence |
where the wire strands were weakest.
The dogs scenting them out, would
come Looping 10 the fence, the whole
bunch. eight OF them. growing and
barking furiously and anxious to get