SHEEP 



377 



tirely. His scent was very keen and his ability to distinguish be- 

 tween the forward track and the back track was seldom at fault. 



The Trail. Any animals that came to the fence during the 

 night could be trailed on the following day if the track was reached 

 before the dew entirely evaporated. When the hounds "picked up" 

 a trail, the hunter endeavored to find out what kind of animal had 

 passed and what had been its attitude toward the fence. Occasion- 

 ally the dogs would follow a hot track for miles from the pasture. 

 On such occasions the fence inspection was completed, but a com- 

 plete record of animals could not be secured without the hounds. 

 Many trails around the fence were missed in this way. 



The following, compiled from the daily reports of the hunter, 

 shows the number and kind of animals actually observed and the 

 efficiency of the coyote-proof fence as a protection against them. 



Efficiency of the Fence. 



a Killed near pasture: no attempt to go through fence. 



b Apparently no attempt to go through fence. . 



c Six taken near pasture; three were cubs not killed. 



Attitude of Animals Toward the Fence. Coyotes. From one 

 to five coyotes were recorded for each of eighty days out of the ninety 

 days of test. Many times they were on every side of the pasture in 

 one night, and occasionally one would follow the fence line for 5 or 

 6 miles. Seven were shot or trapped along the line between June 22 

 and September 25, yet not one passed through, over, or under tho 

 fence during the experimental period. However, when the fence was 

 repaired in May there was some indication of attempts by coyotes 

 to scratch under the wire. The animals were those that had gone 

 in on the deep snow and had found themselves inclosed when the 

 snow melted. Apparently they considered it a trap and began work- 

 ing to get out. In one place there was evidence of one having tried to 

 scratch under in five places within a space of 3 rods. Where the final 

 effort was made the hole was somewhat larger than the others, and 

 there was a good deal of fur left on the bottom barbed wire. Evi- 

 dently the animal had succeeded in forcing his way through. Later, 

 during the experimental period, June 22 to September 29, there was 

 evidence of one having attempted to scratch under from the outside, 

 but a pole nailed securely to the bottom wire on the inside was an 

 effective barrier, and the coyote turned away. This data, added to 

 observations on the depth to which coyotes often dig to find field 

 mice, leads to the belief that they can dig under such a fence. 

 Should they do so, an extra wire placed on the ground on the inside 

 face of the fence posts would, in all likelihood, keep them out. A 



