﻿20 
  COYOTES 
  IN 
  THEIR 
  ECONOMIC 
  RELATIONS. 
  

  

  Field 
  naturalists 
  of 
  the 
  Biological 
  Survey 
  usually 
  have 
  experienced 
  

   little 
  difficulty 
  in 
  securing 
  coyotes 
  in 
  traps. 
  A 
  No. 
  3 
  steel 
  trap 
  is 
  gen- 
  

   erally 
  used. 
  A 
  suitable 
  place 
  is 
  selected 
  along 
  a 
  narrow 
  path 
  or 
  trail 
  

   and 
  the 
  trap 
  sunk 
  in 
  the 
  ground 
  level 
  with 
  the 
  surface 
  and 
  concealed 
  

   with 
  fine 
  grass, 
  leaves, 
  or 
  other 
  material 
  that 
  will 
  harmonize 
  with 
  

   the 
  surroundings. 
  At 
  the 
  same 
  time 
  care 
  is 
  taken 
  that 
  the 
  material 
  

   used 
  shall 
  leave 
  the 
  jaws 
  of 
  the 
  trap 
  free 
  to 
  spring 
  clear 
  of 
  the 
  

   covering. 
  

  

  The 
  trap 
  should 
  be 
  fastened 
  to 
  a 
  bush 
  or 
  stake, 
  or 
  if 
  these 
  are 
  not 
  

   available, 
  to 
  a 
  clog. 
  For 
  the 
  last 
  a 
  pole 
  lying 
  on 
  the 
  ground 
  is 
  best, 
  

   since 
  it 
  may 
  be 
  utilized 
  without 
  moving 
  it 
  or 
  disturbing 
  the 
  sur- 
  

   roundings. 
  If 
  the 
  trap 
  is 
  anchored 
  to 
  a 
  bush 
  or 
  small 
  tree 
  the 
  chain 
  

   must 
  be 
  securely 
  fastened 
  with 
  snap 
  or 
  wire. 
  A 
  stout 
  stake 
  over 
  

   which 
  the 
  ring 
  will 
  not 
  slip, 
  driven 
  out 
  of 
  sight 
  into 
  the 
  ground, 
  is 
  

   better. 
  Every 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  trap 
  and 
  chain 
  is 
  covered, 
  and 
  the 
  ground 
  

   left 
  in 
  as 
  natural 
  and 
  undisturbed 
  condition 
  as 
  possible. 
  

  

  Any 
  kind 
  of 
  fresh 
  meat 
  will 
  do 
  for 
  bait 
  — 
  rabbits 
  and 
  other 
  small 
  

   rodents 
  are 
  often 
  used, 
  but 
  larger 
  baits 
  seem 
  to 
  be 
  more 
  attractive. 
  

   It 
  is 
  also 
  of 
  advantage 
  after 
  setting 
  the 
  trap 
  to 
  make 
  a 
  ' 
  drag 
  r 
  of 
  the 
  

   bait 
  for 
  a 
  quarter 
  to 
  a 
  half 
  mile, 
  at 
  the 
  end 
  of 
  a 
  rope 
  from 
  the 
  saddle 
  

   horn, 
  and 
  finally 
  to 
  fasten 
  it 
  to 
  a 
  bush 
  or 
  stake 
  close 
  to 
  the 
  trap, 
  or 
  cut 
  

   it 
  in 
  bits 
  and 
  scatter 
  all 
  around 
  the 
  trap 
  so 
  that 
  not 
  all 
  can 
  be 
  reached 
  

   by 
  the 
  coyote 
  without 
  walking 
  over 
  the 
  trap. 
  The 
  skill 
  of 
  the 
  trap- 
  

   per 
  and 
  the 
  situation 
  of 
  the 
  trap 
  will 
  determine 
  the 
  best 
  arrangement. 
  

   The 
  suspicion 
  of 
  the 
  coyote 
  is 
  lessened 
  apparently 
  after 
  following 
  the 
  

   bloody 
  trail 
  of 
  a 
  well-planned 
  drag. 
  

  

  Before 
  setting 
  the 
  traps 
  many 
  trappers 
  rub 
  their 
  feet 
  and 
  hands 
  

   on 
  a 
  skin 
  or 
  some 
  strong-smelling 
  meat 
  or 
  carcass 
  to 
  conceal 
  the 
  

   human 
  odor. 
  Oil 
  of 
  anise 
  or 
  rhodium 
  is 
  sometimes 
  used 
  for 
  the 
  same 
  

   purpose. 
  Any 
  strong 
  odor 
  is 
  likely 
  to 
  attract 
  the 
  attention 
  of 
  the 
  

   coyote 
  and 
  allay 
  suspicion. 
  Care 
  must 
  be 
  taken 
  not 
  to 
  spit 
  on 
  the 
  

   ground 
  or 
  kneel 
  or 
  throw 
  down 
  any 
  clothing 
  in 
  the 
  vicinity 
  of 
  the 
  

   trap. 
  A 
  good 
  plan 
  is 
  to 
  set 
  a 
  line 
  of 
  traps 
  and 
  leave 
  them 
  for 
  a 
  day 
  

   or 
  two. 
  and 
  then 
  go 
  the 
  rounds 
  with 
  a 
  horse 
  and 
  drag, 
  and 
  bait 
  the 
  

   traps 
  without 
  dismounting. 
  

  

  HUNTING. 
  

  

  Many 
  ranchmen 
  find 
  dogs 
  an 
  efficient 
  help 
  in 
  guarding 
  against 
  

   coyote 
  depredations. 
  For 
  this 
  purpose 
  the 
  small 
  varieties 
  are 
  useless, 
  

   since 
  the 
  coyotes 
  do 
  not 
  fear 
  them. 
  Beagles 
  and 
  larger 
  foxhounds 
  

   are 
  too 
  slow. 
  Staghounds, 
  Russian 
  wolfhounds, 
  greyhounds, 
  and 
  

   their 
  crosses 
  are 
  to 
  be 
  preferred; 
  and 
  at 
  least 
  three 
  are 
  needed 
  to 
  suc- 
  

   cessfully 
  chase 
  and 
  safely 
  kill 
  a 
  coyote. 
  These 
  dogs 
  soon 
  learn 
  to 
  

   hunt 
  wolves, 
  and 
  are 
  seldom 
  known 
  to 
  harm 
  sheep. 
  Ranches 
  on 
  

   which 
  they 
  are 
  kept 
  are 
  comparatively 
  free 
  from 
  depredations 
  of 
  wild 
  

  

  