to fall open in a horizontal position. Using the doors as spring- 

 boards, the dogs bail out in a yelping, rolling mass. In less time 

 than it takes to tell they have gained their legs and are off in pur- 

 suit of Bob and the coyote. 



Their quarry is a gray, wolf-like animal ranging in weight 

 from 35 to 50 pounds, and a formidable opponent on the defen- 

 sive. He preys on calves that have become separated from the 

 herd, and on sheep and poultry. His pelt is useless except as a 

 trophy, and in some states it will bring a small bounty leaving 

 little more to coyote hunting than the sport involved. 



Bob's weight and experience make him more than a match for 

 almost any coyote he reaches, and Ammon has seen the time that 

 he has finished off the animal before the rest of the pack arrived. 

 However, he recalls a hunt on which Bob was late in arriving. 

 Several less experienced dogs were having trouble with a tough 

 old marauder. Bob took one grab at the beast's throat, nipped 

 him over, and the hunt was ended. 



The hunt follows a well-organized pattern. On coming along- 

 side the coyote, the lead dog grabs a leg and trips the animal. The 

 rest of the dogs close in and the tussle is usually over in two 

 minutes. 



The length of the chase varies from three hundred yards to 

 two miles on clear ground, and has been known to last between 

 ten and twenty miles through deep snow or rough hills. Through 

 all of it, Ammon's V8 bounces along in the wake of the pack, 

 taking hills and gullies a tenderfoot wouldn't dream possible. 



Sometimes small airplanes are used to spot the animals, a wag- 

 gling of the wings indicating that a coyote has been jumped. One 

 such hunt was staged in country where two crafty old coyotes had 

 been killing calves. The plane soon found the two outlaws and 

 the first was killed after a chase of two miles. After a four-mile 

 run the second was added to Ammon's pile of trophies. 



The hounds vary from the type used in dog races to mixtures 

 of longer-haired wolfhounds. They are generally raised and 

 trained by the hunters, and a well-handled, experienced dog can 

 bring as much as $1,000. 



As able as the hounds are with coyotes, it's a different story 



