It is on record that Mr. Lucero caught close to 1300 coyotes with footholds in a 12 month period on the Mescalero Indian Reservation.
Were is it on record?
Years ago when I ordered
"Master Wolfer" the book arrived with an additional document as well.
The letterhead was from the
New Mexico Dept. of Agriculture. The
New Mexico State University logo was on the header as well.
It was addressed to the
United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs. Annual inspections of private applicators using M-44 &/or 1080 LPC's on a dozen sheep ranches adjacent to and surrounding the reservation were being carried out.
Eight of the twelve ranches reported having shipped more lambs that year than any year in recent history. (In most cases 10 years or more).
The sudden spike in lamb numbers was puzzling to the inspector since none of the ranches he visited had drastically changed their control operations.
It was brought to light that Mr. James Lucero who worked for the Reservation had taken almost 1300 coyotes in a 12 month period prior to the surplus of lambs being sold.
It was noted that Mr. Lucero accomplished this using only foothold traps. He did not utilize other methods generally used to remove coyotes.
It was stated that the Tribe (& Mr. Lucero) were to be commended for controlling a great enough number of coyotes apparently dispersing from the Reservation to make a tangible difference resulting in a substantial increase in the number of sheep marketed by surrounding ranchers.
At present the reservation covers approximately 463,000 acres or 723 square miles.
