396 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA — EXPERIMENT STATION 



is the opinion of those who have made a study of this question that 

 the bounty system is not only vastly expensive and productive of 

 endless fraud, but that in no known ease has it given any general or 

 permanent relief. 



CO-OPERATIVE COYOTE CAMPAIGNS 



Two of the more ijrogressive counties of the state, both vitally 

 concerned with tlie coyote problem, are now carrying on cooperative 

 eoj'ote control work with the Federal Government through the Bio- 

 logical Survey, which agency is also carrj-iug on predatory animal 

 control work in seven otlier counties of the state. It is the author's 

 belief that the cooperative method is much superior to the bounty 

 sj-stem. In support of this opinion, it may be stated that the cooper- 

 ative method of handling the coyote problem has been recently 

 thoroughly tried out in Nevada. According to the biennial report 

 of the State Rabies Commission of Nevada for 1917-1918 this method 

 has been found to be much superior to the bounty system. Under 

 this plan the work is carried on upon a 50-50 basis. A competent 

 inspector of the Biological Survej^ has charge of all trappers in a given 

 district. The trappers are chosen from among the best coyote trap- 

 pers in the state and are paid a regular salary which varies according 

 to experience, success and equipment. They are not allowed to accept 

 bounties from any source and must turn in, properly prepared, all 

 skins taken by them. The pelts thus obtained are sold at public 

 auction and the money divided between the general fund of the county 

 and that of the United States Treasury, respectively. The trappers 

 are required to account for a reasonable number of predatory animals 

 each month and to trap where coyotes are kno\vn to be doing the 

 most damage. In many instances the fur practically pays the trap- 

 pers' wages. 



PREPARATION AND CARE OF COYOTE PELTS 



To be of greatest value in the fur market coj'ote pelts should be 

 prime (taken between December 1 and February 15) and prepared as 

 follows : 



1. The skin should be cased, not flat; that is, in skinning, the 

 opening cut should be made from the sole of the foot, down the back 

 of each hind leg to the base of the tail ; also the tail should be split 

 its whole length and the bone removed. 



2. All dirt, grease, cockle burs, blood clots and other foreign 

 substances should be washed or combed out of the fur. 



