Pueblo chieftain., 1922-01-09


of range in the western states chiefly
Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Idaho,
Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, are
now being organized to poison wolves
and coyotes in the annual winter drive
conducted by the Biological survey,
United States Department of Agricul-
ture, and its cooperators among state
officials and stock growers Depreda-
tiOnS OF these pests among herds ana
f!ocks of the range country are cost
ing stockmen millions of dollars every
year. Reports to the department from
its agents in the field state that the
preliminaries have been about complet-
ed in some sections and are progress
ing rapidly in others, and that the
campaign, from Canada to Mexico, Will
soon be in full swing. These campaigns
are planned to secure maximum results
and at the same time provide all possi-
BILE safeguards to live stock, valuable
dogs and bearing animals.
Poison for the coyotes is put out
under the supervision of the depart
ment experts. The work is done with
careful discrimination. using thoroly
tested plans and methods, and whole
communities are organizd for the
effort. These local organizations often
embrace areas Of great size; for in
stance, one community alone in Idaho,
where the work is at present being
valley more than 100 miles long and
from 10 to 80 miles wide. In the south
ern portion Of that state poisoning OPP
erations will be organized from the
Oregon line to Wyoming.
1t is estimated that approximately
15O. 900 coyotes fell before the poison
campaigns during the past six years.
This estimate is regarded as conser-
vative; there is no possible means of
determining the exact number. For
|
is over stockmen discover the car
casses of the animals thus disposed of.
AS it is estimated that each coyote
destroys $50 worth of stock every year
the total damage thus averted. based
on a one year calculation, reaches the
| imposing aggregate of $500. 900. The
| work this year will be more extensive
and more thoroly organized than at
| any time in the past
Winter. when the stock comes in
| from the summer range, is the time
| selected for the strongest drive. Then
| 1t is that the coyote hungers. and the
summer pasture is free for the gov
| ernment agent to work without danger
to grazing stock. There are no sheep
| or cattle to fall victim to tn poison. no
sheep dogs to eat 1t and crawl away to
| dic-only tho four-footed bandits of
plain and mountain.
HOW THE POISON is PLACED
|
meat, cut in convenient size for COB
| bling up by hungry sheep killer.
| each tiny morsel with its portion OF
poison tucked safely away inside.
| tastelcss and effective! That is the
quantity for Nevada alone. Seventy-nve
thousand mouthfuls of meat and poison
for New Mcxicol One hundred and
nincty-two thousand for Arizona! Half
a million for Utah! Thus is the table
OF tho western pasture prepared Tor
| the sinking bandit who prowls and
prcys wherever he may, sulking by
| day and staying by night the finest
I and choicest OF the farmers lambs
and sheep and calves.
For wccks before the actual batting
| begins the stockmcn arc enlisted and
organized and taught the part they
must play. Each community has Its
own leaders in tho work. Associations
| OF stockmcn join In. Independent
ranchmcn and sheep owners help swell
the total. The cowpuncher gives IA
hand. The sheopherdcr locks up his
| dogs and helps out. Tho whole COM
| munity is modified preparatory TO
I spreading the message OF death
against the natural enemy OF the com
munity's economic life.
| Whom tho range and mountains are
entirely free of sheep and cattle tho
work is actually begun. Sometimes II is
\ necessary to train tho coyote into go-
\ ing for his food to certain free lunch
counters which later are converted into
| deathstands. so far as the coyote is
concerned. In these instances "A bait
| free from poison. generally fresh
meat. is planted. When tho coyotes are
accustomed TO come here for their food.
and the tracks in the mud or the snow
/ show that the pests are plentiful. the
/ approaches to the feeding station arc
provided with dclcctable poison sand
wichcs OF freshly killed meats. juicy
and inviting, just tho stzc TO Mt n
cruel mouth and slavcring jaws.
| These little sandwiches. cut about an
inch square and from a quarter to n
| half inch thick. arc planted in the
favorite paths which tho coyotes take
| in approaching the bait.
| Each of these morsels OF meat is
| sliced down the middle The poison is
| inserted and then the sandwich is
complete. Tho coyote tastes only the
meat and doesn't know that he has
I taken poison till message from his
interior department conveys the fatal
| tidings.
| Sometimes when a stand Is far up
/ mountainsido or in the high hills whore
I the snow comes early and stays late
| or in country which for any reason
| soon becomes inaccessible for tho
| stocSinen to visit, a quarter or n half