278 ANXUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Wyo., a mountain lion was killed in the sprino^ of 1919 which was 

 known to have destroj^ecl $1,000 worth of live stock last October 

 and to have killed a number of cattle durini^ the winter. This was a 

 much-hunted and battle-scarred animal which had been wounded 

 a number of times by private hunters. Another moimtain lion taken 

 in April had killed seven colts during the spring. In the same State 

 a pair of wolves were killed the female by a Government hunter 

 and the male by a private hunter which had destroyed more than 

 $2,500 worth of stock during the preceding year. The owner of a 

 ranch near Mertzon, Tex., reported that in less than three months 

 his losses amounted to nearly 300 sheep, valued at $3,200, caused by 

 6 coyotes which one of our hunters captured during July. In 

 western Colorado, in an area about 75 miles in diameter which was 

 poisoned two successive years, through cooperation between local 

 stocli growers and the bureau, sheep owners reported formerly a loss 

 of about 25 sheep a day throughout the season, but the destruction of 

 predatory animals has been so thorough that at present the losses 

 are nominal, and sheep are reported to range freely, sometimes un- 

 attended for several days in succession, without loss. In New Mexico 

 the wolves, which were estimated to number between 300 and 400 at 

 the time the campaign began there, have been reduced to less than 

 30 individuals, and this number is being steadily decreased by the 

 persistent campaign against them. These remaining wolves are 

 mainly experienced adults, causing annual losses of live stock 

 amounting to about $2,000 each. In southern New Mexico the stock 

 of wolves is constantly renewed by stragglers from the mountains 

 of northern Chihuahua. In addition to the ravages from the native 

 predatory animals, live stock in parts of Texas, Arizona, and other 

 States suffer from depredations by dogs which have gone wild and 

 have taken up the predatory life of wolves. In some places the 

 dogs join the wolves, and the half-breed offspring increase the packs. 



RODENT CONTROL. 



As in the previous fiscal years, the war emergency need for in* 

 creasing the food output caused the bureau to concentrate its cam- 

 paign against injurious rodents about farm areas. As heretofore, 

 the effectiveness of this work was greatly increased by the coopera- 

 tion of the States Eelations Service of the Department of Agri- 

 culture and of the extension services of State agricultural colleges. 

 The county-agent organization of the latter, in greatly enlarging 

 the educational campaign, brought about a public appreciation of 

 the enormous losses from the depredations of rodents and secured 

 the cooperation of the farmers on a large scale. As a consequence 

 the most vigorous and successful drive yet made was conducted 

 against the myriads of prairie dogs, jack rabbits, field mice, and 

 other rodent pests which seriously decreased the output of grain, 

 alfalfa fields, and orchards and lessened the value of truck and 

 garden crops, as well as of forage on the stock ranges throughout 

 the West. 



Cooperative campaigns with local organizations and individuals 

 were conducted in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, 

 Kansas, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North 

 Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and 



