NPS Photo

Poisoning Prairie Dogs, Coyotes, and Other Predators was Encouraged

Kill the Killers

Because of the challenge of raising pronghorn, anti-predator feelings ran very high. Between 1912 and 1923, trappers killed 598 predators. They did not discriminate. Bobcats, coyotes, and wolves were high on the list, but porcupines, skunks, magpies, and even black-footed ferrets were targeted. Early reports always mentioned predators:

1919 - Mr. Beach has been successful in the extermination of predatory animals having killed 6 coyotes, 5 bobcats and 6 skunks. There are plans to exterminate all the skunks in the park.
1922 - Ranchmen ask permission to set (skunk) traps within the park. I encouraged them to help us exterminate the pests.
1922 - Mr. Knowles trapped 5 bobcats, 21 porcupines, 5 coyotes, 3 skunks, 1 raccoon, 1 black-footed ferret.
1927 - Archie Howes trapped 15 coyotes.
1934 - The Biological Survey reports 8 skunks, 12 coyotes, 1 raccoon, 9 porcupines and 1 bobcat killed or poisoned.

NPS Photo

Poisoned Coyote

A Game Warden’s Challenge

During the winter of 1922, Chambers reported: On January 1, 1923 we had twenty-one antelope. I set about to do better at propagation, but more troubles were in store. During the fall of 1922, I carried on a poisoning campaign against coyotes. I got 15, but as fast as I got one, another came... I was absent from the preserve during May and June, when I returned the herd was reduced to eight head, all does. Fortunately those eight gave birth to nine young.