,transcriber's ,note ,text emphasis displayed as ,italic ,text4 ,u4,s4 ,,department ,,of ,,agriculture ,,biological ,,survey--,,bulletin ,no4 #bj ,c4 ,,hart ,,merriam1 ,chief ,,coyotes ,,in ,,their ,,economic ,,relations ,,by ,,david ,e4 ,,lantz ,assistant1 ,biological ,survey ,illustration ,,washington ,,government ,,printing ,,office #aije ,,letter ,,of ,,transmittal ,u4 ,s4 ,department of ,agriculture1 ,biological ,survey1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,march #bc1 #aije4 ,sir3 ,i have the honor to transmit herewith for publication as ,bulletin ,no4 #bj of the ,biological ,survey a report on ,coyotes in their ,economic ,relations1 prepared by ,david ,e4 ,lantz1 assistant4 ,the subject is of immediate importance to the sheep industry of the ,west1 where the wasteful method of sheep herding prevails4 ,if in the range country sheep can be fenced with coyote-proof fencing at moderate cost1 as seems probable1 herding may be done away with and the sustaining capacity of the lands thereby greatly increased4 ,respectfully1 ,c4 ,hart ,merriam1 ,chief1 ,biological ,survey1 ,hon4 ,james ,wilson1 ,secretary of ,agriculture4 ,,contents4 ,page4 ,introduction #g ,abundance of coyotes #h ,coyotes in ,kansas #i ,general habits of coyotes #aj ,food habits of coyotes #aa ,beneficial habits #ab ,injurious habits #ac ,game destroyed by coyotes #ad ,depredations on farm animals #ad ,the coyote's relation to the sheep industry #af ,means of destruction #ah ,poisoning #ah ,trapping #ai ,hunting #bj ,bounties #bb ,protection against coyotes #bc ,investigations concerning coyote-proof fencing #bd ,,coyotes ,,in ,,their ,,economic ,,relations ,,introduction4 ,the small prairie wolves of the western and southwestern parts of ,north ,america are generally known by the ,spanish name 'coyote4' ,this serves to distinguish them from the larger gray or dusky wolves that occur in many portions of the same range4 ,intermediate in size between the foxes and the larger wolves1 yet varying greatly in this respect with the different species1 the coyotes are outwardly characterized by a sharp-pointed muzzle1 upright ears1 and a moderately long1 bushy tail4 ,the pelage is full1 especially in winter4 ,the usual color is a dirty gray1 with more or less reddish tinge about the head1 neck1 and legs1 and black hairs showing about the shoulders and on the back4 ,the extent of the red and the black varies much with the different species4 ,coyotes are generally distributed from the central ,mississippi ,valley to the ,pacific coast and from ,costa ,rica on the south to the plains of the ,athabasca on the north4,a ,in this extensive range about a dozen species have been thus far recognized4,b ,four of these are restricted to ,mexico and ,central ,america4 ,of the eight forms that occur in the ,united ,states1 it may be remarked that their ranges and relations to each other have not been fully determined4 ,much material is yet needed before anyone can write with exact knowledge of their distribution4 ,footnote ,a3 ,edward ,a4 ,preble informs the writer that the coyote has been captured at ,fort ,smith1 northern ,athabasca 7#fj north latitude71 and on ,nelson ,river in northeastern ,british ,columbia 7#ei north latitude74 ,footnote ,b3 ,the following is a list of the forms3 #a4 ,canis latrans ,say4 ,type from ,council ,bluffs1 ,iowa4 #b4 ,c4 nebracensis ,merriam4 ,type from ,johnstown4 ,nebraska4 #c4 ,c4 lestes ,merriam4 ,type from ,toyabe ,mountains4 ,nevada4 #d4 ,c4 frustror ,woodhouse4 ,type from ,fort ,gibson1 ,indian ,territory4 #e4 ,c4 mearnsi ,merriam4 ,type from ,quitobaquita1 ,arizona4 #f4 ,c4 estor ,merriam4 ,type from ,san ,juan ,river1 ,utah4 #g4 ,c4 cagottis ,,ii4 ,smith4 ,type from ,rio ,frio1 ,mexico4 #h4 ,c4 ochropus ,escholtz4 ,san ,joaquin ,valley1 ,california4 #i4 ,c4 peninsul ,merriam4 ,type from ,santa ,anita4 ,lower ,california1 ,mexico4 #aj4 ,c4 microdon ,merriam4 ,type from ,mier4 ,tamaulipas4 ,mexico4 #aa4 ,c4 vigilis ,merriam4 ,type from ,manzanillo4 ,colima1 ,mexico4 #ab4 ,c4 goldmani ,merriam4 ,type from ,san ,vicente4 ,chiapas1 ,mexico4 ,a group in which there is so much variation in size must also present considerable diversity of habits4 ,the larger forms1 like ,c4 latrans1 are1 of course1 the more injurious to the live-stock interests4 ,smaller species1 like ,c4 estor and microdon1 confine themselves in their food more to the smaller wild mammals and thus do much less damage4 ,yet it is not the intention in this preliminary bulletin to consider the species separately4 ,indeed1 no such detailed study of their habits has yet been made4 ,the present paper deals with the group as a whole1 and is confined to a discussion of the economic relations of coyotes in general to our agricultural interests4 ,in the matter of fencing to protect sheep and poultry against coyote depredations1 the ,biological ,survey has made some preliminary investigations1 and has formulated plans for more extensive experiments in the near future4 ,in the meantime it is hoped that farmers and ranchmen throughout the ,west who have had personal experience of the efficiency of various forms of fence as a protection against coyotes and other wild animals will write the ,biological ,survey fully as to such experience4 ,,abundance ,,of ,,coyotes4 ,coyotes are abundant in most parts of their range1 except the extreme north and the more thickly populated regions where waste lands are scarce4 ,it is1 however1 on the plains of the western part of the ,united ,states that they come most closely in contact with the advancing tide of settlement4 ,the establishment of pioneer homes throughout the country has always resulted in restricting the numbers of the larger wolves1 which have gradually become extinct over large areas in the eastern and middle parts of the ,united ,states where they were formerly abundant4 ,not so with the coyote4 ,except in a few thickly settled regions1 it has thrived upon civilization and is practically as numerous as it was before settlements began4 ,indeed1 in many parts of the ,west coyotes are said to be increasing in spite of a constant warfare against them4 ,the introduction of domestic birds and mammals has provided the coyotes with an additional food supply always available and entirely precluding any danger of starvation4 ,then1 too1 the animals are far too suspicious to be easily destroyed by the use of traps or poisons4 ,old hunters of the ,plains have informed the writer that while it was comparatively easy to poison large numbers of the gray wolf1 the coyote was not an easy victim and usually avoided both the baited traps and the poisoned buffalo carcasses4 ,the plains east of the ,rocky ,mountains and the higher plateaus of the ,great ,basin west of the mountains are especially adapted to the wants of the coyote4 ,cultivated areas are far apart3 stock ranges are extensive2 tall grasses1 weeds1 cactuses1 and sagebrush afford excellent hiding places2 rabbits1 prairie dogs1 ground squirrels1 and other small animals are plentiful2 and1 when these natural resources of the country fail1 sheep and young calves furnish abundant food4 ,in nearly all the ,western ,states the efforts of ranchmen to destroy the coyote have been supplemented by laws authorizing the payment of bounties from public funds4 ,some of these laws have been in operation for a score of years or even more and1 except locally1 no diminution in the general numbers of the animals has resulted4 ,in some parts of ,mexico where the natives have for many years practiced systematic poisoning1 the coyote is becoming rare1 but in most sections of its range it is either increasing or no substantial decrease has been observed4 ,,coyotes ,,in ,,kansas4 ,the ,state of ,kansas1 where settlements are comparatively old and where man's warfare against the coyote has been long continued1 affords an excellent illustration of the animal's ability to maintain its numbers under seemingly adverse circumstances4 ,most of the counties of the ,state have for many years paid bounties for killing coyotes1 and conditions have been reached where there is little fluctuation in the total amount paid from year to year4 ,the returns of the animals killed for the fiscal twelve months from ,july #a1 #aijc1 to ,june #cj1 #aijd1 show that nearly #bj1jjj scalps were presented for bounty in the ,state4 ,the following is a table1 by counties1 of the number of coyotes on which bounties were paid during the year above specified4 ,of the #aa missing counties1 #aj--;,cherokee4 ,comanche4 ,finney4 ,grant1 ,haskell1 ,kearney1 ,morton1 ,seward1 ,stevens1 and ,wyandotte--paid no bounties1 and #a1 ,doniphan1 made no report4 ,the bounty in all cases is #a for each animal killed4 ,number of coyotes on which bounties were paid in ,kansas from ,july #a1 #aijc1 to ,june #cj4 #aijd4 ,county4 ,number ,county4 ,number ,county4 ,number of coyotes4 of coyotes4 of coyotes4 ,allen #gc ,harper #dd ,phillips #djj ,anderson #abi ,harvey #ii ,pottawatomie #cbi ,atchison #dh ,hodgeman #gd ,pratt #bdb ,barber #fcc ,jackson #hf ,rawlins #bbc ,barton #aji ,jefferson #id ,reno #ahd ,bourbon #aeg ,jewell #ajf ,republic #eb ,brown #gj ,johnson #fb ,rice #ij ,butler #ahf ,kingman #beg ,riley #bjf ,chase #cdc ,kiowa #dgg ,rooks #bhj ,chautauqua #dea ,labette #acg ,rush #add ,cheyenne #ehe ,lane #afd ,russell #beh ,clark #dfj ,leavenworth #ef ,saline #ahf ,clay #ajd ,lincoln #aje ,scott #aic ,cloud #db ,linn #age ,sedgwick #bbc ,coffey #aei ,logan #cbi ,shawnee #fi ,cowley #cbe ,lyon #aig ,sheridan #cjf ,crawford #ea ,marion #aff ,sherman #bia ,decatur #bdj ,marshall #cjd ,smith #acc ,dickinson #ade ,mc,pherson #baj ,stafford #adb ,douglas #ii ,meade #bbd ,stanton #ahh ,edwards #bij ,miami #if ,sumner #dja ,elk #bab ,mitchell #ajj ,thomas #ahe ,ellis #bdh ,montgomery #adh ,trego #dcj ,ellsworth #aic ,morris #agf ,wabaunsee #agj ,ford #ejj ,nemaha #eh ,wallace #bei ,franklin #aeb ,neosho #ih ,washington #bjj ,geary #ajb ,ness #bgc ,wichita #cjg ,gove #cee ,norton #bbg ,wilson #baj ,graham #bic ,osage #agc ,woodson #aae ,greeley,c #aag ,osborne #bdh ,greenwood #ccf ,ottawa #fa ,total #ai1aeb ,hamilton #bge ,pawnee #bcj ,footnote ,c3 six months4 ,the experience in ,kansas is not exceptional4 ,it may be duplicated in a dozen other ,western ,states and in some of the ,british provinces4 ,it is probable that the united efforts of the people are keeping the coyotes in check1 and that1 were these efforts relaxed1 the animals would be far more abundant2 but the coyotes are still so menacing to certain interests that the subject requires careful investigation to determine what more may be done to improve present conditions4 ,,general ,,habits ,,of ,,coyotes4 ,the various forms of the coyote seem each to conform to particular faunal areas4 ,they inhabit all the life zones1 from the ,lower ,boreal1 through the ,transition1 the ,upper and ,lower ,sonoran1 and the semi-arid parts of the ,tropical4 ,in the northern part of its range ,c4 latrans has a migratory movement southward in winter and north ward in the spring1 probably caused by the limited food supply of the northern wilds1 and varying in degree with the severity of the seasons4 ,a similar movement of other species in the western part of the ,united ,states from the higher mountain areas to the valleys has been noticed4 ,in summer the mountain species range above timber line4 ,the coyotes are noted for their peculiar prolonged howling4 ,a single animal is capable of a performance which impresses the uninformed hearer as the concert of a dozen1 and when several join in the medley the resulting noise is indescribable4 ,they are silent during the day1 but may be heard at any time between sunset and sunrise4 ,coyotes breed but once a year4 ,the mating season is late in ,january or early in ,february4 ,the period of gestation is probably that of the whole genus ,canis1 which is given by ,owen as about sixty-three days4 ,the young are produced in dens1 and number from four to eight or even more4 ,the dens are usually enlarged from those made by badgers or smaller animals and are often among rocks or in washed-out places along banks of streams4 ,probably at times they are made entirely by the coyotes4 ,they are rarely far below the surface1 but sometimes of considerable extent and with two or more openings4 ,little attempt is made to provide nests for the young4 ,in the ,central ,west these are born early in ,april and usually may be heard in the dens during ,may4 ,in ,june they come out to play around the mouths of the burrows1 which are finally deserted during ,july4 ,by ,august #a1 the young are left by the parents to shift for themselves4 ,in the earlier descriptions1 the prairie wolves were usually said to hunt in packs4 ,lewis and ,clark1 ,say4 ,richardson1 and others so reported1 but the ,prince of ,wied met them only singly4 ,it is probable that they hunt in numbers only when the quarry is large1 as in the ease of deer and antelope2 but as many as three have been known to pursue a single jack rabbit4 ,,food ,,habits ,,of ,,coyotes4 ,the food of coyotes has been a subject of investigation by the field naturalists of the ,biological ,survey1 whenever opportunity offered4 ,a number of stomach examinations have been made in the field3 but trapped animals are often found with empty stomachs4 ,in the case of a number of the species nothing definite is known of the food4 ,the stomachs examined contained mainly animal matter1 but in two cases vegetable remains were found4 ,one examined by ,vernon ,bailey contained a quantity of ripe cultivated plums3 and ,william ,lloyd found a coyote that had eaten mesquite beans4 ,in northern ,arizona ,doctor ,merriam saw a coyote eating a watermelon1 and a correspondent al ,russell1 ,kans41 says that they sometimes cat ripe melons4 ,in ,california they cat peaches1 apricots1 grapes1 and other fruits4 ,they cat also juniper berries1 manzanita berries1 and the fruit of the prickly pear 7,opuntia74 ,only one case of insect-eating has been observed by the ,biological ,survey4 ,the same animal that had eaten plums had in its stomach the remains of a large cricket 7,stenopelmatus fasciatus74 ,coyotes feed greedily upon all kinds of animal food4 ,this ranges from the larger hoofed mammals to the smallest rodents1 and includes also birds1 reptiles1 fish1 and crustaceans4 ,three horned toads 7,phrynosoma7 were found in the stomach of a specimen killed ,june #c1 #ahih1 in ,big ,smoky ,valley4 ,nevada1 by ,vernon ,bailey4 ,on the low tropical coast of eastern ,mexico and ,texas members of the ,biological ,survey have often seen coyotes searching the beach for crabs1 fish1 and turtle eggs4 ,,beneficial ,,habits4 ,among the mammals included in the food of the coyotes are many injurious species2 and1 so far as their food is confined to these1 the animals are decidedly beneficial to the farming interests of the country4 ,the destruction of rabbits1 both large and small species1 is of great advantage1 especially on the plains and in the cultivated valleys1 where their depredations are keenly felt by the settlers4 ,the various species of jack rabbit have often been observed as included in the coyotes' fare1 and the smaller rabbits are also habitually eaten4 ,the coyotes usually catch the rabbits by lying in wait behind bushes and bunches of grass near their paths and pouncing upon them as they pass4 ,sometimes they have been known to hunt jack rabbits in company4 ,while a single coyote would not be able to run down a jack rabbit1 by hunting together1 taking turns in the drive1 and by taking advantage of the tendency of the hare to run in a circle1 they are able to capture it4 ,eye witnesses to such a performance state that they do not fight over the division of the rabbit's carcass1 but that all obtain a share4 ,the constant warfare of many coyotes upon these rodents has much to do in keeping down the numbers2 and the abundance of rabbits in some sections of the ,west has been largely attributed to a local decrease in the number of coyotes1 caused by an unusual activity against them which had been stimulated by high bounties4 ,prairie dogs 7,cynomys ludovicianus and other species7 are also a staple coyote food4 ,the coyote captures them by hiding behind clumps of weeds or bunches of grass at some distance from the burrows4 ,when the unsuspecting rodent1 in feeding1 approaches near enough1 a few leaps enable the coyote to secure it4 ,the grass in a prairie dog 'town' is usually cropped very short1 and all tall-growing weeds are cut down4 ,sometimes a weed is permitted to grow to maturity on the cone-like mound sit the mouth of a burrow4 ,only three species of weeds have been seen so growing by the writer--the horse nettle 7,solanum rostratum71 the ,mexican poppy 7,argemone71 and a ,euphorbia 7,euphorbia marginata74 ,these afford shade to the animals1 but do not obstruct the view4 ,all other weeds1 and even cultivated crops1 are cut down to prevent the unseen approach of an enemy4 ,when the cultivated crop is some rapid-growing or dense one which they can not clear away1 they abandon the land rather than stay to be devoured4 ,but clearing the prairie dog town of weeds is not sufficient to baffle the coyote4 ,in the absence of hiding places he takes to new methods of hunting4 ,j4 ,h4 ,gaut1 of the ,biological ,survey1 records his observations in a prairie dog town in ,new ,mexico3 ,the coyote started at one end of the town and ran at lightning speed in a straight line until he cut off one from its burrow4 ,when the prairie dog saw that it could not get to its hole1 it stopped and began to kick until the coyote caught it and killed it in very much the same way that a dog kills a rat4 ,besides rabbits and prairie dogs1 the food of the coyote is known to include the following mammals3 ,rice rats 7,oryzomys71 kangaroo rats 7,dipodomys and ,perodipus71 wood rats 7,neotoma71 ground squirrels 7,ammospermophilus1 ,callospermophilus1 and ,spermophilus71 woodchucks 7,marmota71 voles 7,microtus71 pocket gophers 7,thomomys71 chipmunks 7,eutamias71 and pocket mice 7,perognathus74 ,all of these are more or less harmful1 and the coyote performs an important service in preying upon them4 ,the service is not an occasional or a spasmodic one1 but lasts throughout the year and throughout the life of the coyote4 ,when the number of animals taking part in the work is considered1 the enormous importance of its bearing in maintaining the 'balance of nature' becomes apparent4 ,the coyote is useful also as a scavenger4 ,in the prairie country1 especially in winter1 it comes into towns at night searching for garbage thrown into the alleys4 ,here it finds remnants of meat from the table1 offal from game1 and similar prizes4 ,when hungry it will reject no animal food1 not even carrion4 ,the slaughterhouses near the towns are favorite feeding places1 and the animals are often shot there by moonlight4 ,on the ranges they soon consume dead horses and cattle4 ,leaving the bones clean4 ,,injurious ,,habits4 ,coyotes have been known to capture some of the wild animals that assist man in his warfare' against insects and rodent pests4 ,among them are the weasels4 ,in ,august1 #aijc1 a member of the ,biological ,survey met a coyote carrying a weasel in the ,pecos ,river ,mountains of ,new ,mexico at an altitude of #aa1fjj feet4 ,the coyote1 frightened1 dropped its prey and ran off4 ,the various kinds of skunks also are probably captured and eaten4 ,,game ,,destroyed ,,by ,,coyotes4 ,coyotes destroy considerable game4 ,birds that roost and nest on the ground are frequent victims4 ,quail1 grouse1 and wild ducks are caught on the nest1 and both birds and eggs are eaten4 ,wild ducks and geese1 when wounded and unable to fly1 may be found along the banks of streams and ponds1 and the coyotes regularly patrol the shores in search of them4 ,in ,oklahoma ,i found fresh coyote tracks each morning on the grassy borders of a large artificial pond4 ,ducks resorted there in considerable flocks1 and ,i several times found that they had been eaten by coyotes1 as evidenced by tracks of the animals and feathers of the birds4 ,like the larger wolves1 the prairie wolf kills deer and antelope4 ,in hunting these they always go in packs of two or more and take turns in the chase4 ,they know that their prey runs in large circles1 and at intervals individuals drop out of the pursuit and1 crossing a chord of the circle1 lie in wait until the quarry passes near them again4 ,in this way the wolves keep fresh until the pursued animal is exhausted1 but all of them are 'in at the death4' ,the present scarcity of these large game animals gives few opportunities for such chases1 but on the plains they were formerly of frequent occurrence4 ,,depredations ,,on ,,farm ,,animals4 ,the coyote is widely and unfavorably known as a destroyer of domestic animals4 ,its depredations upon these indicate a marked change of habit since the first settlement of the ,west4 ,previously its food was restricted to the wild animals1 including young buffalo1 antelope1 and deer4 ,the destruction of the larger game by man may partly account for the change to farm animals as a diet1 but it is probable that the quality of the introduced food had much to do with the coyote's preference for it4 ,the coyote kills hens1 ducks1 geese1 and turkeys4 ,its usual method of capturing them in daytime is to lurk behind weeds or bushes until the fowls come within reach4 ,turkeys1 which range far afield in search of grasshoppers and other insects1 are frequent victims4 ,at night the coyote captures poultry from the roost1 provided the door of the henhouse is left open4 ,a correspondent of the ,biological ,survey wrote from ,rexburg1 ,idaho1 that one neighbor had lost #fj chickens and another #cj in one night1 taken by coyotes4 ,another correspondent1 in ,mayer1 ,ariz41 writes3 ,have lost about #ajj chickens by coyotes4 ,with the exception of killing chickens1 ,i believe them to be beneficial in keeping down the rabbit pest4 ,in approaching ranch buildings either by day or by night the coyote conies from the leeward side and with great caution4 ,once satisfied that no danger lurks in the shadows1 it becomes exceedingly hold4 ,george ,a4 ,coleman1 formerly a member of the ,biological ,survey1 wrote from ,london1 ,nemaha ,county1 ,nebr43 ,depredations by wolves here upon henroosts and pigpens are of frequent occurrence4 ,i have observed them several times4 ,they come with a dash into the yard1 take a chicken by the neck1 and are gone before anyone can stop them4 ,in the same way they visit the pigpens and take the young pigs away from the mother4 ,in one instance they made way with eight #f-weeks-old pigs in one night4 ,at another time two of them attacked a pig which would have weighed #ge pounds1 and had they not been stopped by dog's would probably have killed it4 ,few of the mammals of the farm are exempt from coyote raids4 ,even house cats1 roaming far from home in search of rodents or birds1 become victims4 ,a correspondent of ,forest and ,stream1 writing from ,shirley ,basin1 ,wyo41 ,october #g1 #ahif1 says3 ,i live on a ranch1 and we are somewhat troubled by field mice and mountain rats1 and so we must keep cats4 ,we have them1 but we do not keep them long1 because they are caught by coyotes4 ,within a few months ,i have lost four cats in this way4 ,the coyote has been known to kill the young of most farm animals--colts1 calves1 pigs1 lambs1 and goats4 ,colts are seldom killed1 because the dam can usually protect them4 ,calves are taken only when the mother cow is feeding at a distance or has gone for water4 ,the coyotes lie watching in the grass until this opportunity comes4 ,sometimes older animals are killed4 ,ranchmen in ,oklahoma told the writer that in winter yearling cattle in good condition are sometimes killed by coyotes4 ,to accomplish this two or more of them must hunt together1 and get the victim separated from the herd4 ,capt4 ,p4 ,m4 ,thorne1 writing to the ,biological ,survey from ,fort ,lyon1 ,colo44 ,january #d1 #ahhg1 says3 ,old cattlemen who have lived here nearly all their lives agree in saying that the coyotes kill cattle1 even full-grown ones4 ,they say that they have seen them at their work1 which is done in packs2 they surround an animal and keep up a constant nipping at its legs until it falls from weakness and loss of blood4 ,in ,july4 #ahic1 at ,farmington1 ,utah1 ,vernon ,bailey saw two coyotes chasing calves and yearlings about a pasture1 evidently trying to separate one from the lot4 ,he notes that in ,june4 #ahhi1 at ,st4 ,thomas1 ,nev41 coyotes killed a hog that weighed about #ajj pounds4 ,,the ,,coyote',s ,,relation ,,to ,,the ,,sheep ,,industry4 ,the coyote is especially notorious as an enemy of the sheep industry4 ,in many parts of the ,west sheep raising has greatly languished because of the depredations of wild animals upon the flocks4 ,while some of the injury is caused by the larger wolves1 mountain lions1 bears1 and lynxes1 the coyotes are by far the most formidable enemy4 ,they are not only more abundant than the other animals mentioned1 but they are present throughout the year1 and their depredations are a steady drain upon the resources of the flock owner1 comparable in extent to the losses caused by worthless dogs in many parts of the country4,d ,footnote ,d3 ,in #ahja the loss from dogs was placed at #aeb1jcd in ,ohio and #bjj1jjj in ,missouri4 7,sheep ,industry in the ,united ,states4 ,u4 ,s4 ,dept of ,agric1 #ahib47 ,dr4 ,e4 ,a4 ,c4 ,foster1 writing from ,russell1 ,kans41 in #ahhg1 said3 ,of mammals1 the prairie wolf is perhaps the most troublesome4 ,it is constantly preying upon sheep and lambs2 so much so that sheep can not be left alone without some of them falling a prey to this animal4 ,should the herder be absent or out of view1 the wolf makes a dash into the flock and usually secures a lamb4 ,william ,lloyd1 writing from ,paint ,rock1 ,concho ,county1 ,tex41 said3 ,in ,january4 #ahhf1 coyotes killed over #cj sheep near ,fort ,stockton1 and in ,march about #bj at ,toyah1 ,tex4 ,charles ,w4 ,richmond1 in #ahhh1 wrote to the ,survey from ,gallatin ,county4 ,mont41 relating the following incident3 ,while we were camped near ,bozeman a flock of some #d1jjj sheep were driven by1 and night overtook them on some foothills south of ,bozeman4 ,during the night a flock of coyotes entered the ranks and the sheep stampeded4 ,many ran over some bluffs1 and next morning sheep1 dead and dying1 were several feet deep at the foot of the bluffs4 ,nearly #ejj were counted in the pile1 and for several days afterwards sheep1 with lacerated ears and torn flanks1 wandered into barnyards in the vicinity4 ,the total number lost must have been heavy4 ,in parts of the ,southwest sheep growers have estimated their losses from wild animals as equal to #bj percent of the flock4 ,the average loss reported from several ,states is #e percent4 ,in nearly all the ,states west of the ,mississippi the industry has declined in the past two years1 and one of the principal causes given is losses from coyotes4 ,at present the industry thrives only in sections where the local conditions permit the herding of sheep in large flocks--a system highly injurious to the pasturage4 ,it is evident that the wealth of any ,state could be materially increased if it were possible everywhere to keep small flocks of sheep1 ,flocks increase rapidly under favorable conditions and good management1 and the cost of keeping them is small when herders can be dispensed with4 ,the double product1 wool and million1 usually places the profit of handling them above that of cuttle or horses4 ,the gains also come oftener1 since sheep mature in a year1 while cattle and horse require three4 ,vernon ,bailey1 chief field naturalist of the ,biological ,survey1 writing from ,seguin1 ,tex41 under date of ,november #h1 #aijd1 says3 ,no sheep are kept in tins part of ,texas1 and in talking with several intelligent farmers ,i find that the reason invariably given is the abundance of coyotes4 ,the region is occupied by small farms1 mainly #hj to #ejj acres1 on which cotton1 corn1 sorghum1 and vegetables are the principal crops4 ,there are few if any large stock ranches1 but each farm has its pastures for horses and cattle4 ,these pastures are the wild land covered with scattered mosquito1 post oak1 and patches of chaparral and cactus4 ,the native grasses are abundant and of excellent quality1 and in this mild climate furnish good feed throughout the year4 ,many of the pastures are not half eaten down1 and the dead and dry vegetation becomes a nuisance4 ,after harvest cattle and horses are usually turned into cotton and grain fields1 where they do good work in cleaning up grass and weeds in the field and along the borders4 ,still there is abundance of feed constantly going to waste1 and a small flock of sheep could be kept with great profit and no expense on almost every farm4 ,fifty to two hundred sheep on a farm would at once make this part of ,texas the most important woolgrowing section of the ,state4 ,other advantages to be gained would be keeping down the cactus and chaparral1 which are inclined to spread and occupy much of the ground1 keeping the edges of pastures and fields cleaned up so that they would not harbor a host of predaceous insects and rodents in close proximity to growing crops1 and furnishing to the farmers and small towns a supply of fresh meat other than chicken4 ,in this warm climate beef is rarely available1 except in the larger towns4 ,the advantages of introducing sheep into this part of the country are acknowledged by the farmers1 and there seems to be no reason why it has not been done1 except that coyotes are common1 large1 and fond of mutton4 ,similar conditions prevail in many parts of the ,west and over large areas4 ,while a dozen years ago the low price of wool was an important factor in causing farmers to abandon sheep raising1 in recent years the prices have been excellent4 ,fine washed wool was quoted in the ,new ,york market ,february #f1 #aije1 at #cb4ce cents per pound and in ,st4 ,louis on the same date at #dj4da cents per pound4 ,the price of tub-washed wool at ,st4 ,louis was at no time during #aijd less than #cj cents per pound4 ,unwashed wool ranged from #ae to #ca cents during most of the year4 ,yet the number of sheep in the ,united ,states is now decreasing4 ,montana1 with an area of #adf1jjj square miles1 leads the ,states in the number of sheep kept1 which is #e1fch1ieg4;,e ,england1 with an area of #ej1hfg square miles1 has about five times as many as ,montana4 ,in ,montana sheep are herded in immense flocks2 in ,england every landowner and farmer keeps a small flock4 ,footnote ,e3 ,crop ,reporter1 ,u4 ,s4 ,dept4 ,agric4 ,february1 #aije4 ,it is evident that the discouraging condition of the sheep industry in the ,united ,states is not due to a lack of favorable climate nor to the absence of suitable pasturage4 ,neither is it due to low prices of wool and mutton4 ,indeed1 in our markets mutton is coming to be more and more in favor1 and this growing demand may be one of the causes for the present drain upon the flocks and the decrease in their numbers2 but the chief discouragement of the industry undoubtedly lies in the depredations of worthless dogs and coyotes4 ,the dog question is a serious one1 especially in thickly settled parts of the country1 but the evil is best remedied by a resort to taxation4 ,the tax on dogs should be sufficiently high to put most of the worthless ones out of existence4 ,,means ,,of ,,destruction4 ,the coyote problem is a serious one4 ,various methods of dealing with it have been in vogue since coyotes first began to like mutton4 ,none of the methods have been entirely satisfactory1 and some are signal failures4 ,all of them combined have resulted in a partial check on the increase of coyotes in most parts of their range4 ,poison has probably killed the greatest number of adult animals1 and in some parts of ,mexico has almost destroyed some of the species1 but no such success has attended its use in the ,united ,states4 ,,poisoning4 ,strychnine has always been a favorite weapon of hunters for wolf pelts and bounties4 ,a half century ago hunters on the prairies killed the buffalo for its pelt1 and added to their income by killing the wolves that followed the daily slaughter4 ,a little strychnine inserted in the skinned carcass of a buffalo enabled them to secure many pelts of the gray wolf and occasionally one of the coyote2 but not often the latter3 he was regarded as much too shrewd to be taken by ordinary methods of poisoning4 ,resides1 the pelt was small and not sufficiently valuable in comparison to warrant special efforts to secure it4 ,even in #ahai ,thomas ,say1 who first gave a scientific name to a coyote1 found this animal more abundant than the gray wolf4,f ,yet the number killed for their pelts has never been great4 ,footnote ,f3 ,long's ,expedition to the ,rocky ,mountains1 p4 #afh1 #ahbc4 ,as an illustration of the coyote's shrewdness in avoiding poisoned bails1 a farmer in ,oklahoma gave the writer the following experience3 ,after butchering some hogs he poisoned a hogskin and left it with other offal for a coyote that nightly prowled about his premises4 ,in the morning everything but the poisoned skin had been cleared away4 ,he left it two more nights1 but it remained untouched4 ,thinking that the animal would not eat the poisoned bait1 he buried it4 ,that night the coyote dug up the pigskin and ate it1 falling a victim to its deadly contents4 ,since then the farmer says he has never failed to poison coyotes when he buries the bait4 ,another method of poisoning coyotes is to insert the strychnine in small chunks of meat that can be easily swallowed4 ,success by this method depends largely upon the condition of the animal as regards hunger1 and may be helped by making what is known as a 'drag' in the neighborhood of the bait4 ,a small animal--a bleeding dead rabbit is good--is dragged over the prairie and the morsels of bail left at intervals along the 'drag4' ,two days previous to a general coyote hunt in ,oklahoma a steer badly affected by 'lumpy jaw' was killed1 opened1 and left in the middle of the area to be hunted4 ,during the first night coyotes howled all night in the vicinity of the carcass1 but failed to touch it4 ,the second day a hind quarter was separated from the carcass and dragged in a circuit of a mile or two1 the drag coming hack to the carcass4 ,during the following night the coyotes picked the bones of the carcass hare4 ,thus gorged with beef1 they were in a condition favorable for their slaughter in the drive of the following day4 ,in the use of strychnine for wolves1 the dry crystals of strychnia sulphate are generally preferred4 ,they should be inserted in the bait with a knife blade1 and the meat should be handled as little as possible4 ,it should be remembered that if precautions are not taken there is a greater probability of killing dogs than wolves4 ,the entire neighborhood should know of the intended attempt1 and all valuable dogs should be confined until the operation is finished and uneaten baits disposed of4 ,,trapping4 ,coyotes are not easily trapped4 ,some skill and a good knowledge of their habits are requisites for success4 ,they travel in rather well-defined paths and usually hunt against the wind4 ,having a keen sense of smell1 they easily detect the tracks of man1 and if they have had previous experience of traps or guns they are suspicious of danger4 ,in the wildest parts of the country remote from settlement they are more readily trapped4 ,the chances for successful trapping decrease with their familiarity with man1 so that there is little probability that the process will ever have much effect on their numbers4 ,the writer knows a ,kansas trapper who is quite successful in capturing coyotes in a rather thickly settled part of that ,state4 ,he steel traps and sets them along hedges in places where the animals are accustomed to pass through openings4 ,no bait is used and the trap is partly concealed by dead leaves or grasses4 ,he claims that both the direction of the wind and of the animal as it approaches the opening have much to do with the chance for success4 ,field naturalists of the ,biological ,survey usually have experienced little difficulty in securing coyotes in traps4 ,a ,no4 #c steel trap is generally used4 ,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 grass1 leaves1 or other material that will harmonize with the surroundings4 ,at the same time care is taken that the material used shall leave the jaws of the trap free to spring clear of the covering4 ,the trap should be fastened to a bush or stake1 or if these are not available1 to a clog4 ,for the last a pole lying on the ground is best1 since it may be utilized without moving it or disturbing the surroundings4 ,if the trap is anchored to a bush or small tree the chain must be securely fastened with snap or wire4 ,a stout stake over which the ring will not slip1 driven out of sight into the ground1 is better4 ,every part of the trap and chain is covered1 and the ground left in as natural and undisturbed condition as possible4 ,any kind of fresh meat will do for bait--rabbits and other small rodents are often used1 but larger baits seem to be more attractive4 it is also of advantage after setting the trap to make a 'drag' of the bait for a quarter to a half mile1 at the end of a rope from the saddle horn1 and finally to fasten it to a bush or stake close to the trap1 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 trap4 ,the skill of the trapper and the situation of the trap will determine the best arrangement4 ,the suspicion of the coyote is lessened apparently after following the bloody trail of a well-planned drag4 ,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 odor4 ,oil of anise or rhodium is sometimes used for the same purpose4 ,any strong odor is likely to attract the attention of the coyote and allay suspicion4 ,care must be taken not to spit on the ground or kneel or throw down any clothing in the vicinity of the trap4 ,a good plan is to set a line of traps and leave them for a day or two1 and then go the rounds with a horse and drag1 and bait the traps without dismounting4 ,,hunting4 ,many ranchmen find dogs an efficient help in guarding against coyote depredations4 ,for this purpose the small varieties are useless1 since the coyotes do not fear them4 ,beagles and larger foxhounds are too slow4 ,staghounds1 ,russian wolfhounds1 greyhounds1 and their crosses are to be preferred3 and at least three are needed to successfully chase and safely kill a coyote4 ,these dogs soon learn to hunt wolves1 and are seldom known to harm sheep4 ,ranches on which they are kept are comparatively free from depredations of wild animals1 while others within a few miles are by do means exempt4 ,of course1 the keeping of these dogs on small farms would hardly be practicable4 ,in the open country where there are few fences1 hunting the coyote with horse and dogs is an exciting sport4 ,fox chasing1 although less meritorious in purpose1 may have some advantages as sport1 because the quarry is not always in sight and the skill of the hounds is pitted against the cunning of the fox4 ,in the chase of the wolf1 as in coursing hares1 the race is straight away and without cover2 and when the quarry is overtaken the fight is won only because of the overpowering numbers of the pursuers4 ,the ordinary greyhound can easily overtake a coyote1 but is usually unable to kill it alone4 ,coyote drives1 in which an entire community engage1 have become a popular feature of rural sport in some parts of the country4 ,such drives have been held in ,kansas1 ,colorado4 ,idaho4 ,oklahoma1 and ,texas2 but the methods employed depend largely on the local topography4 ,the writer was present at the second annual wolf hunt which took place ,november #bd1 #aijd1 in the large ,pasture ,reserve near ,chattanooga1 ,okla4 ,on ,thanksgiving morning the weather was perfect1 and a large number of people from the surrounding country collected in the village of ,chattanooga4 ,a little before noon the men who were to drive the wolves rode out of town and headed for their positions in the ,pasture4 ,as there were less than #aej men1 the area covered by the drive was not so large as had been planned4 ,the drivers were separated into three divisions4 ,the south division1 which was under the immediate charge of the commander of the hunt1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,williams1 proceeded about #g miles south of ,chattanooga4 ,the eastern and the western divisions were under the charge of other captains and had their stations about #d miles to the southeast and southwest of the town4 ,the area covered by the drive was somewhat over #f miles square4 ,on the north side were the spectators1 occupying a position about a mile and a half from the town and extending over nearly #b miles of front1 from which the land sloped gently to the south4 ,the spectators came from town in every sort of farm vehicle and numbered fully #ejj4 ,in front of the line of vehicles some #ej men on horseback held in reserve nearly #ajj dogs1 mostly greyhounds4 ,guns of all kinds were ruled out of the final 'round-up1' and only lariats1 dogs1 and clubs were permitted as weapons4 ,the line of spectators was formed at #a o'clock1 but it was fully an hour before the driving divisions were heard or seen4 ,in the south a beautiful mirage occupied the distant valley a white sheet of water bordered by trees4 ,it was on the surface of this mimic lake that we first saw the riders galloping by twos4 ,soon after we faintly heard their distant shouts2 and when the shouts began to come clearer1 the coyotes also came up the valley by ones and twos1 and at length by threes and fours before the swiftly moving horsemen4 ,when the first wolf was still a half mile distant1 the dogs were released and riders and dogs dashed to the front to head off the animals4 ,hemmed in in front and rear1 they broke to the right and to the left1 and many made good their escape through the thinner lines of the east and the west divisions4 ,the sport was fast and furious for a short time1 but when a little ,later the dead and captured wolves were brought together in the town1 they were found to number only eleven in all4 ,two of them were roped by cowboys during the drive and killed with pistols4 ,two were dragged to death at the end of lariats4 ,seven were caught by the dogs in the round-up1 and two of these were brought in alive4 ,many escaped1 but it is impossible to estimate the number4 ,such hunts have considerable influence in decreasing the number of coyotes and also afford an agreeable break in the monotony of frontier life4 ,their purpose1 however1 is never admitted to be that of sport1 but to kill coyotes4 ,,bounties4 ,activity in the warfare against the coyote has been considerably stimulated by the payment of bounties from the public treasury of the ,states and counties4 ,nearly all the ,states in which coyotes occur have been for years maintaining such bounty systems4 ,in some parts of the ,west these are supplemented by rewards from stock associations or ranch owners4 ,the bounties from public funds have ranged from #be cents to #e for each animal killed1 but supplementary payments sometimes make them as high as #ae4 ,the subject of bounties in general has been already discussed by ,dr4 ,t4 ,s4 ,palmer1 of the ,biological ,survey4,g ,doctor ,palmer refers to the ,california coyote act of #ahia1 which was practically in force only eighteen months1 but which cost the ,state #ahg1dhe4 ,as the bounty was #e per scalp1 this represented the destruction of #cg1dic coyotes4 ,kansas1 with a county bounty of #a per animal1 succeeds in destroying about #bj1jjj each year4 ,in addition to the bounty1 the pelt of an adult coyote is worth from #ej cents to #a4ej1 according to its condition4 ,however1 most of the killing is accomplished in spring1 when the female and her young are dug out of dens and the pelage of the adults is not in prime condition4 ,footnote ,g3 ,extermination of ,noxious ,animals by ,bounties4 ,yearbook ,u4 ,s4 ,dept of ,agr41 #ahif1 pp4 #ee-fh4 ,doctor ,palmer rightly concludes that in practice bounties for the destruction of noxious animals1 paid from public funds1 are usually objectionable4 ,probably those on wolves and coyotes have been more nearly justified than those on any other animals4 ,while it is certain that the larger wolves have greatly diminished in numbers under the system1 forces far more potent than mere rewards have operated against them4 ,chief of these has been the encroachment of civilization4 ,coyotes have in some places held their ground under bounties1 and possibly might have been held in check nearly as well under the operation of the same forces that helped to decimate the timber wolves4 ,but the observed effect on the coyote of contact with settlements hardly justifies such a conclusion4 ,that the bounties in some places have done effective work is undoubted2 the question is as to whether the results have been commensurate with the expenditures4 ,however1 the principal objection to bounties is the ethical one1 that they lead to fraudulent practices4 ,,protection ,,against ,,coyotes4 ,the discussion of the various means of destroying coyotes1 and the evident futility1 thus far1 of all of them combined to completely check the increase of the species1 leads naturally to the consideration of means of preventing their depredations4 ,could domestic animals be entirely protected1 the coyotes would return to their original beneficial occupation as scavengers and destroyers of noxious rodents4 ,the plan that at once suggests itself is that of fencing against them4 ,this means of protection from wild animals has been long in vogue in the ,australian colonies and in ,south ,africa4 ,in ,australia rabbits1 dingoes1 and some species of kangaroos are successfully kept out of pastures and crops by the use of wire nettings4 ,in ,cape ,colony jackals1 particularly the red jackal 7,canis mesomelas71 are a great hindrance to sheep and ostrich farming1 and the success attending the use of wire netting in ,australia led to the introduction of similar fencing into ,south ,africa4 ,the result has been highly gratifying4 ,while the cost of the fencing is high1 the advantages from its use have been regarded as more than compensating for the outlay4 ,mr4 ,t4 ,t4 ,hoole1 president of the ,upper ,albany 7,cape ,colony7 ,farmer's ,association1 in a paper read at a meeting of that society,h gives details of ten years' experience with jackal-proof fencing4 ,among its advantages to sheep growers he names3 #a4 ,decreased cost of herding4 #b4 ,increased value of the wool1 about #c cents per pound4 #c4 ,increased number of lambs reared4 #d4 ,increased value1 owing to early maturity and condition of stock4 #e4 ,less liability to contagion from scab4 #f4 ,reduced death rate4 #g4 ,additional security of the flock4 #h4 ,improved condition of pasturage as against deterioration4 ,footnote ,h3 ,agr4 ,jour4 ,cape of ,good ,hope1 vol4 #be1 pp4 #efj-efc1 #aijd4 ,the last item alone he regards as more than repaying the entire cost of erection4 ,under the system of herding on the open veldt it becomes necessary to protect from wild animals by driving the sheep to a kraal for the night4 ,in the vicinity of the kraal the ground is soon trodden bare1 and deep parallel paths are worn in the surface4 ,in a few years the torrential rains wash the paths into what are called 'sluits'--similar to the 'arroyos' of our own ,southwest4 ,in the western part of the ,united ,states the practice of keeping sheep in vast herds has resulted in much deterioration of the ranges1 due to overcrowding1 and the cost of herding has absorbed much of the profits of sheep raising4 ,the process of withdrawing lands for homesteads and the various reservations has diminished the free range and increased the crowding1 until flock owners for their own protection have been compelled to purchase lands for range purposes4 ,the day of free pasturage on public lands is fast passing1 and with private ownership of ranges1 fencing must be resorted to to confine the flocks4 ,the additional expenditure necessary to make the fences proof against coyotes would be inconsiderable when all the advantages are properly weighed4 ,,investigations ,,concerning ,,coyote-,,proof ,,fencing4 ,the ,biological ,survey has undertaken an investigation of the feasibility of successfully fencing against the coyote4 ,if a coyote-proof fence of sufficient cheapness and durability to be practicable can be brought into general use for pasturage1 there is no reason why the sheep industry in the west should not be revived and greatly extended4 ,if such a fence should at the same time prove efficient against dogs1 the benefit would extend to the whole country and result in an enormous increase of the productive resources of our farms4 ,a coyote-proof fence would prove valuable1 even if its use were restricted to corrals and small pastures for ewes during the lambing season4 ,the writer1 under instruction from the ,chief of the ,biological ,survey1 spent several weeks in the field during ,october and ,november1 #aijd1 making such investigations as were possible during the limited time at his disposal4 ,for the purpose of testing the ability of coyotes to pass over or through fences a unique experiment was made4 ,the place selected was ,chattanooga1 ,comanche ,county1 ,okla4 ,south of the town lies the great ,pasture ,reserve1 a large area practically without fences to interfere with the chasing of wolves4 ,since coyotes were abundant and the cowboys skilled in their chase1 it was not difficult to procure the needed animals in an uninjured condition4 ,the experiment was made with all the forms of fence that could possibly be obtained or built with the limited resources of a new country4 ,a long lane was first built1 with sides #g feet high1 made with poultry netting of a small mesh4 ,fourteen cross fences of heights from #cj to #ff inches and of various designs were built at intervals along the lane4 ,they were arranged so that the coyotes1 introduced at one end of the lane1 should have presented to them gradually increasing difficulty in passing the fences4 ,two coyotes were released singly into the lane1 and their progress and methods of passing the cross fences were carefully noted4 ,one was badly frightened by the presence and noise of dogs and men1 but the experiment with the other was not made in public4 ,the coyotes ran with their noses close to the ground and seemed to have no knowledge of jumping4 ,neither of them succeeded in getting over a fence more than #cf ,inches in height4 ,the method was one of climbing1 assisted by the hind feet1 rather than of jumping4 ,all attempts to pass the obstructions began with efforts to get the muzzle through openings4 ,if the entire head could be thrust through and there was enough room for the shoulders to spread out laterally1 the whole wolf was able to follow4 ,both went through rectangular openings1 #e by #ab inches and #e by #h inches1 but the larger animal failed to pass a mesh #e by #f inches4 ,the smaller animal went through an opening #d by #ab inches and another #e by #f inches4 ,had these openings been triangular in form the animal could not have passed through4 ,the following conclusions were drawn from the experiments3 #a4 ,prairie coyotes will not willingly jump over a fence above #cj inches in height4 #b4 ,they will readily climb over fences built of horizontal rails or crossbars1 especially in order to escape from captivity4 #c4 ,barbed wires do not deter them from crawling through a fence to escape4 ,whether they would go through a closely built barbed wire fence to attack sheep or poultry is still an open question4 #d4 ,woven wire fences should have meshes1 when rectangular1 less than #f by #f inches to keep out coyotes4 ,for such fences triangular meshes are much better than square ones4 #e4 ,in fencing against coyotes with woven fences care must be used to see that there are no openings at the ground through which the animals can force themselves1 since they are more likely to crawl under a fence than jump over it4 ,in the experiments the animals1 under some excitement1 were attempting to escape from confinement4 ,in the judgment of the writer1 the experiments are insufficient to determine what a coyote would do if the conditions were reversed and1 impelled only by the stimulus of hunger1 he were attempting to enter an inclosure built of these fences4 ,the barriers would surely be far more formidable4 ,experiments with certain types of fence1 with sheep inclosed within them1 and in a country with wolves as plentiful as they are at ,chattanooga1 would be far more conclusive in establishing a safe basis for practical recommendations to farmers4 ,the writer interviewed a number of farmers in ,kansas who have had experience with poultry and farm animals in coyote-infested country4 ,several of them had for some years been using for corrals and small pastures woven wire fences1 and had found those from #eg to #fj inches high entirely coyote-proof4 ,these fences have triangular meshes and are of sufficient weight to be suitable for all kinds of stock4 ,such a fence1 if set with the lower edge on the ground and anchored down where necessary1 can safely be recommended as coyote-proof4 ,their cost1 however1 is possibly too great to bring them into general use for sheep pastures4 ,where land is valuable and pastures of the best1 they will prove economical1 for they have the merit of being both dog-proof and coyote-proof4 ,dogs1 both large and small1 that by chance get inside the inclosures are unable to get out1 and have to be let out by the gate4 ,between these rather expensive fences and the cheapest form that may be found efficient many grades may exist4 ,in experiments to determine the efficiency of any form it is necessary to consider the familiarity of the animals with fences in general4 ,in a new country a very simple fence might be ample at first to keep out wolves1 but ultimately would prove insufficient4 ,mr4 ,t4 ,t4 ,hoole1 of ,cape ,colony1 ,africa1 in the paper already quoted1 gives the following experience in determining upon a jackal-proof fence3 ,my first importation of #b foot #f inch netting served its purpose for a year or more1 when ,i found the jackals as troublesome as over4 ,the addition of a single barbed wire assisted for a time3 but after some years of experience and comparing notes4 ,i found that nothing short of a #c-;foot netting and four barbed wires would be effective4 ,i have given the above particulars of my experience as a warning to the inexperienced1 that half measures are simply a waste of money and that badly erected fences1 although effective for a time1 will end in disappointment and failure4 ,mr4 ,hoole has #ah miles of the fence just described1 while a neighboring stockman has #de miles built4 ,the cost1 including labor1 when built of the host material--sneezewood posts and kangaroo netting--was estimated at #ajf per mile--about #ejj4 ,this fence was designed for ostriches1 cattle1 springboks1 and sheep3 a fence intended for sheep alone could be built for less4 ,materials and labor are both much more expensive than in the ,united ,states4 ,a fence similar to that described by ,mr4 ,hoole could be built in most parts of the ,west for about #bjj to #bej per mile4 ,a writer in the ,nor' ,west ,farmer states that when he first began sheep raising in ,manitoba a #b-strand barbed wire fence was a complete barrier to the coyotes1 but that in less than two years they became used to it and would go under or between the wires without hesitation4 ,more strands were added without effect1 until a woven wire fence was adopted1 which proved satisfactory4 ,in ,south ,africa three types of fence have been in use for protection against jackals1 and each has advocates among the farmers4 ,the cheapest is built of strands of barbed wire placed close together and stayed at intervals by light strips of wood fastened to the wires by staples4 ,in the second form the staying is done by light1 smooth wire woven in by machinery1 involving more labor in the building4 ,the third type is that recommended by ,mr4 ,hoole4 ,it is more expensive1 but seems always to have stood the test of experience4 ,the others have not always been satisfactory1 but their advocates claim that the fault has been in construction and not in design4 ,the jackals have entered the inclosures through openings at the ground4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,h4 ,clarke1 of ,laytonville1 ,mendocino ,county4 ,cal41 has for several years succeeded in fencing coyotes from his sheep range4 ,in a letter to the ,chief of the ,biological ,survey1 dated ,march #a1 #aije1 he describes the fence and relates his experience3 ,the fence1 inclosing nearly #d1jjj acres1 consists of redwood pickets #f feet long driven into the ground #a foot and leaving spaces or cracks not over #d inches wide2 posts #h feet long and driven #b feet1 projecting #a foot above the pickets2 two barbed wires stapled to the posts #e inches above the pickets and the same distance apart4 ,these should be on the outside of the posts4 ,the pickets are driven evenly by using a slat as a guide at the bottom and a line at the top4 ,one barbed wire is placed at the bottom on the outside to prevent digging4 ,the pickets are fastened to a ,no4 #i cable wire with a ,no4 #ac wrapping wire4 ,the posts are set #ab feet apart1 or less1 according to the surface--at top and bottom of each rise or indentation4 ,where gulches or small streams are crossed boxes and gates are put in4 ,where larger streams are encountered a dam is first put in and the gate so swung as to rest on or against the dam head in the dry season4 ,the cost of construction varied from #cbj to #djj per mile4 ,galvanized wire was used1 and of the barbed the thickest-set four-pointed wire obtainable4 ,if four-point wire could be had1 with sharp points set not over #b inches apart1 the top wire might be dispensed with4 ,while this fence was begun in #ahig1 it was net finished until three years ago4 ,it was partly experimental at first1 and at the end of the second year only that portion of the range used for lambing was inclosed with a coyote-proof fence4 ,we do not know that a coyote has ever scaled or jumped it4 ,a very large coyote that got in through an accidentally 'propped' floodgate1 though chased by dogs all day1 could not be made to jump out1 even when cornered4 ,considering the steep1 wild1 and broken nature of the country1 with several 'slides' in the fence that could not be avoided when building1 and which move and displace the fence during hard storms1 it is net surprising that a few coyotes have gotten in4 ,fortunately1 partition fences have aided in the capture of those before much damage was done4 ,two obstacles are encountered in keeping up this fence--trespassers1 who cut or break a picket to get through1 and slides4 ,coyotes are very persistent1 and when they see young lambs on the opposite side will follow the fence for miles1 trying to find a hole4 99 99 99 ,none have gotten in this season4 ,when we began to fence against them the coyotes wore literally driving sheep out of the country4 99 99 99 ,horses and cattle have taken their places1 but return less than half the profit sheep did prior to the coyote's inroads4 ,excessive rains in winter and irregularity of landscape preclude the practicability of close herding4 ,with us it was either abandon sheep or fence the pest out4 ,fortunately we adopted the latter4 ,while the fence used by ,mr4 ,clarke is expensive1 the complete success of his experiment is of much interest4 ,in most parts of the ,west woven wire would be cheaper than pickets and would require less labor in its erection4 ,where the land is as uneven as that just described1 the use of woven wire may be impracticable4 ,mr4 ,d4 ,w4 ,hilderbrand1 of ,california1 who has built coyote fences for ranchmen in the ,san ,joaquin ,valley1 recommends a #c-;inch mesh woven wire fence #cf to #dj inches in height1 with two barbed wires on top1 #e inches apart1 and one at the bottom4 ,he recommends that the posts be set #bj to #cj feet apart4 ,from data now available it seems reasonably certain that a fence constructed of woven wire with a triangular mesh not over #f inches across1 and of a height of #bh to #db inches1 supplemented by two or three tightly stretched barbed wires1 would prove to be coyote-proof4 ,it is difficult to make exact estimates of the cost4 ,woven fences differ in weight1 price1 and durability1 and freight charges on materials depend on the distance from distributing points4 ,the cost of posts and labor varies much4 ,an estimate based on so many variable factors is of little value1 but an average of #bjj per mile would probably allow the use of the best materials4 ,further experiments with wire fences will be made by the ,biological ,survey in cooperation with sheep growers in the ,west1 and the results will be given to the public as early as practicable4 ,the matter is one of great economic importance1 and the ,survey will welcome correspondence with persons interested in the subject4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's ,note ,the total number of coyotes in the table on page #aj was changed to match the sum of the numbers in the table4