Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 286, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 November 1919 — Bag Many Wild Animals in West [ARTICLE]

Bag Many Wild Animals in West

Government Inspectors Kill Coyotes, Wolves, Lynxes and , - Mountain Lions. HUNTERS ELIMINATE PESTS Stockmen Are Delighted With Reductions Made in Wild Animal Plague ~ In the Last Three Year* — Cause of Heavy Losses. Washington, D. C.—Wild, predatory animals in the West have had a hard time this summer. Government hunters reporting to the bureau of biological survey tell of great slaughter of the animals and some Incidents where it almost was the other way round. Uncle Sam’s bag of wolves, Mountain lions and lynxes cannot be wmntoii yet, hut enough data has come to hand to show that It will be a big one. One of the most interesting narratives of this exciting business comes from E. F. Pope, an Inspector of the service stationed in New Mexico. To give 'encouragement and assistance to the hunters located on ranches where their work Is most needed, Mr. Pope h«9 traveled two thousand miles in that state. Stockmen Are Pleased. “Almost everywhere,” he writes, “I found stockmen delighted with reductions made in the wild animal plague in the last three years. They say that from an economic standpoint it is one of the most far reaching and sensible undertakings the government has yet attempted. Among the stockmen are the Fullerton brothers, who have extensive sheep ranges on the SL Augustine plains west of Magdaleua. Ever since they started they have suffered heavy animal losses from depredatlons( of coyotes and wildcats, especially during the lambing season.

"Last winter one of our hunters was assigned to these ranges. He was handicapped by heavy snows and had weather, but he got so many of the brutes that he virtually eliminated the nests from this section. A new hunter was assigned to the infested ranch of Edward Otero not far away. While waiting for him 1 set a line of dred poison baits. My catch was five old coyotes, one of which was killed with a rifle at long range. A few’ days after his arrival the new hunter got two more coyotes and a brace of wildcats In the vicinity. For some time before that from three to six lambs had been lost every night. In ten days the hunter could find no more of the animals and moved to a neighboring ranch. Old Ones Are Wary. “There are many instances where the younger and less shy coyotes and cats have been taken during the winter hy fur hunters. leaving the older and more wary animals alive. These do the killing and keep the ranches paying toll to their kind. I have notes in my field diary describing the work of the old coyote which I have mentioned as having been killed with the rifle. This fellow bore evidence of having been previously caught in a trap from which he got away. Thinking to escape again he made the effort resulting in his dentil. It often requires more time and effort to destroy this sort of coyote than it takes to get the younger ones, but the value of the results obtained is Very much greater.” Mr. Pope says settlers find It hard

to build up large herds or flocks under the constant onslaughts of beasts of prey. The'elimination of the pests Is giving them encouragement and increasing their sheep and cattle. Game animals with the passing of their enemies also are getting more numerous. “We have records,”- says Mr. Pope, “of antelope being constantly seen in timbered sections from which wolves, lions and cats have been eradicated, the deer, no doubt, having become aware that their dread foes no longer are there to spring upon them from cover. It Is my own observation that wild game in some sections of the state is increasing under protective measures now being taken.”