Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-08-27


within coyote-proof fence
has been tried In Colorado. by
F. r. Taylor, OF Mancos, with
highly satisfactory results An ex-
pertinent begun by the l.. s. depart
ment Of agriculture on the Wallowa
national forest, in oregon, to dlscov-
er whether sheep could be advantage
ously pastured within such an en-
closure, led Mr. Taylor to give the
new method a trial The outcome
Is set forth In a letter 70 the de-
partment, as follows.
After reading the description OF
your coyote-proof fence in oregon, I
constructed fence TO enclose about
500 acres in the same manner. The
fence was constructed during the fall
OF 1905, and in the spring Of 1909
and 1910 1000 head OF ewes were
LANDED in this enclosure. In the
vcrnacular Of the herder, 100 per
cent Of the lambs we're saved. that
is. a lamb 10 each eve. and one
man did all the work. | think the
per cent OF the lambs would have
been higher. but one animal, presun-
ably a coyote. was inside when the
fence was constructed. Some of the
herders thought the animal was not
coyote but since coyote tracks
were found in several places I am OF
the opinion that II was. Whatever
the animal was II raised It's young
inside the enclosure"
Connecting his loss with the rapac-
ity Of this animal Mr.. TAYLOR SAYS;
"a great many Of the lambs were
killed and a small hole eaten behind
the foreleR and the remainder OF the
carcass was untouch ed on the land
outside the enclosure II required the
services OF three men and pack Of
hounds to care for 1000 ewes. and
only ab per cent Of the lambs we're
saved. This per cent could not have
been saved without the assistance OF
the hounds.
~ consider this fence splendid in
vestment since II easily pays for it.
self in three years. on the other
hand. II Is often difficult and some
times impossible 70 get men during
the lambing season For this rea-
son the money value Of the fence
can hardly be estimated"
The department OF agriculture en-
tered upon the experiment OF en-
closing sheen range within fence
which would turn stock destroying
animals I'm the belief that this
as stock and wages This belief has
been fully justified by the results.
The Oregon enclosure carried more
sheep than an equal area OF range
OF the same quality outside, produced
a heavier lamb crop, heavier sheep,
and more wool and at the same time
resulted in better condition OF the
range Itself These advantages are
due TO the different behavior OF sheep
pastured within such an enclosure
from that OF sheep herded In the
ordinary way.
When a band Of sheep moves about
in charge OF a herder. II must be
kept from scattering much. As
result much OF the forage is wasted
through tramplng, Within an en-
closure. however, the sheep soon
learn 20 spread out and shift for
themselves. Under these conditions
II IL not to be wondered at that
given area supports more sheep.
puts them In better condition, and
suffers less wear and tear. The sue
cess Of the new method, however, de-
ponds on the determination of all
dangerous animals within the enclo-
sure, and on the maintenance Of a
fence which will keep off outside at
tacks.
Mr.. TAYLOR believes that the wal
Iowa plan OF construction Is open TO
improvement in one particular. He
advocates placing barbed wire on
the ground before the woven wire Is
unrolled. and stapling II down II
expect TO build another enclosure soon"
his letter concludes. and Will have
barbed wire stretched around the en-
closure and have the men place their
foot on the wire and press II close to