So you've shot a coyote (or several)... now what?

[Tlock]

My wife's stepfather would have agreed with that statement wholeheartedly. Much of this thread brings back memories of him. He too had a huge kill pile out in the back forty. Like you, he probably had no idea how many coyotes he killed over the years. While it wasn't his job like it is for you, he was the guy folks called when your counterpart in his area was unavailable. He had some great stories. Like the time he rolled up on a trap that had a huge bear in it and all he had with him was a .22 Colt Woodsman pistol. I tried to give him a larger caliber, more of a beater/expendable (but reliable) pistol to check traps with, as I hated seeing that classic Colt being somewhat abused. He declined my offer.

They don't make the guns or the men like that anymore!

 

[Tlock]

3 legged beavers are a mofo to catch ..buckshot an waiting at there pond of choice after that.

You must have trapped some!

 

[Bobbygun]

The stepfather-in-law I referenced in post #58 above, took me to a local farmer's house to ask permission to hunt turkeys on his property. As we were chatting with farmer, his cat walked past - his three legged cat. Yeah, it was my stepfather-in-laws trap that was the cause. The farmer didn't hold a grudge though and granted us permission to hunt. No idea whether the cat was educated by the ordeal.

 

[Tlock]

The stepfather-in-law I referenced in post #58 above, took me to a local farmer's house to ask permission to hunt turkeys on his property. As we were chatting with farmer, his cat walked past - his three legged cat. Yeah, it was my stepfather-in-laws trap that was the cause. The farmer didn't hold a grudge though and granted us permission to hunt. No idea whether the cat was educated by the ordeal.

Curiosity killed the cat! Cats have to the easiest animal to trap out of all the predators

 

[Bobbygun]

Curiosity killed the cat! Cats have to the easiest animal to trap out of all the predators

I dunno. Some of those TV shows where they trap the predators after the young girls using the Internet, those guys look pretty stupid.

 

[Tlock]

I dunno. Some of those TV shows where they trap the predators after the young girls using the Internet, those guys look pretty stupid.

Humans are bye far the dumbest. A state trooper once told me that trappers make the best game wardens. I almost jumped ship when I was a young man but decided not to, I like killing the offender.....OSP that's frowned upon

 

[Spitpatch]

The paintball idea caused me to remember standing in the checkout line at the GI Joes in Tualatin behind a quaint very elderly couple. They were purchasing a Hava-Hart trap and orange marker paint.

The elderly gentleman tried to strike up a conversation with the airhead checker, saying, "Guess why we're buying this stuff!" (She appeared to be incapable of caring any less.), "Oh, Why?"

"Our yard in Lake Grove is declared a Bird Sanctuary. We feed all kinds of birds, and the neighbor cat keeps coming over and killing them. The neighbor always denies his cat comes into our yard. We're going to catch that cat and paint him and send him home so they know what he does."

I couldn't stop laughing until I got back out to the rig, and chuckle again anytime I buy spray paint.

 

[Spitpatch]

Humans are bye far the dumbest. A state trooper once told me that trappers make the best game wardens. I almost jumped ship when I was a young man but decided not to, I like killing the offender.....OSP that's frowned upon

Nope. Poachers make the best Game Wardens.

 

[Tlock]

Nope. Poachers make the best Game Wardens.

Your right......

 

[Yarome]

Fur buyers... by "whole" they mean the whole hide... not the whole animal... and free of any buttonholes (although if you catch one in a non critical area they may still take em). Typically, they don't need to be fleshed much but water washed and dried. Some places that process locally want them salted, but buyers shipping overseas won't take them if they are. It turns the hides hygroscopic and creates moisture problems during shipping. It can vary though and individual buyer policies can change for what they are accepting that year or not. Call/plan ahead.

That said... you can really only get saleable hides in certain parts of the state during certain times of the year. Considering the care, effort and transporting bug and tick infested pelts around... it's pretty debatable if it's worth it for the average person and just a couple pelts. If you're serious about it and hunting with intent to stack em up, you can probably make a little change.

Eating them? I've eaten a few, but it's never been what I would call "a pleasure". Not gag worthy at all, but dog is vastly better and I can't think of too many smaller critters I wouldn't prefer over yote. Mainly field stew/chili. That said... I've had yote sausage that was pretty good, but sausaging you can make just about anything taste pretty good with the right recipe and enough pork fat. Unless you are doing your own though it's not anything I would pay a processor to do. It's just too rippin expensive for "junk" meat. It's like paying for prime cut beef for a hot dog.

For the most part I leave the carcasses where they fall. Nature always has a plan. A few days and they'll be picked clean. Obviously, if you drop one near an inhabited area a guy would wanna drag it off to a safe distance and possibly even bury it. Situational common sense would dictate the best course of action.

Bear... is pretty good though. Again, depends on the area, time of year and their diet. IE., bear in the PNW... toward the end of the salmon runs... it can be pretty darn nasty. The meat stinks like rotten fish and tastes pretty heavily just about like it smells.

Pressure canning is definitely a great way to prep and keep less desirable game meat. Any meat/game meat for that matter, but more desirable meat, freezing is far superior to preserve taste and texture, IMHO. The canning process certainly "safes" the meat, tenderizes it to about the consistency of a fall apart slow cooker roast, renders away much of any "foulness" and adding in some seasonings to the jar can really make the flavors pop. Shelf life... I've heard all kinds of time frames, but in my lifetime I've always gone with a 1-2yr timetable and never had any issues. I will say though that the longer you keep them the meat can practically fall apart and is really only suitable for soup/stewing.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

Good pelt I skin em an make hats. Crappy average pelt.. tie em to the fence upside down as a warning. Went from 15+ a year to 1 here since hanging them on fence now the neighbors have coyote problems.

60 years ago in CA on the big ranches in the foothills it was common to see a yote carcass hanging on the barbed wire fence every 1/4 mile or so. Those were the days when they paid a bounty for the scalps.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

Nope. Poachers make the best Game Wardens.

50 years ago in the Ozarks I ran my trap line from a bass boat. I'd drive with my rifle across my lap due to the prevalence of trap thieves and poachers. A decent coon hide was $50, coyote $35, fox $60, bobcat $185. A gallon of gas was 75¢.

That said, game wardens were thought of in the same category as "revenuers". There were places where a lone game warden or ATF agent wouldn't go by themselves. I asked the sheriff once what we should do with a boat thief we had caught until he showed up, as he was about an hour away. The sheriff said, "Well, he's probably going to fall down a lot until I get there." It was a different world.

 

[Tlock]

50 years ago in the Ozarks I ran my trap line from a bass boat. I'd drive with my rifle across my lap due to the prevalence of trap thieves and poachers. A decent coon hide was $50, coyote $35, fox $60, bobcat $185. A gallon of gas was 75¢.

That said, game wardens were thought of in the same category as "revenuers". There were places where a lone game warden or ATF agent wouldn't go by themselves. I asked the sheriff once what we should do with a boat thief we had caught until he showed up, as he was about an hour away. The sheriff said, "Well, he's probably going to fall down a lot until I get there." It was a different world.

I guy could make some money with those prices!

 

[ZigZagZeke]

I guy could make some money with those prices!

The fur trade was as cutthroat and dangerous as dealing drugs because of the money involved. A few days of trapping could buy you a new pickup truck.

 

[Tlock]

The fur trade was as cutthroat and dangerous as dealing drugs because of the money involved. A few days of trapping could buy you a new pickup truck.

Sounds like mushroom picking in it's heyday

 

[Spitpatch]

Coos County was, I believe, the very last county in Oregon to pay a bounty on Coyotes. $25, and all they wanted was the scalp/ears (you could still sell the pelt to the hide buyers).

High School buddies and I'd bum a decent car from a Mom, tear down to Silver Lake/Christmas Valley area, call and trap Coyotes for a couple days, then zoom over to Coos county and turn 'em in, always paying for our trip.

 

[dangerranger60]

Been a VERY long time but I know they used to use them for the fur around parka hoods. Animal fur would not collect moisture. I used to see tags on the parkas saying it was Coyote fur to assure buyers it was not from some endangered animal. This was LONG ago though so not sure if they have since found a man made stuff that will work the same maybe?

The man-made stuff still does not work as well. but what really controls the price is fashion furs. ladies no longer wear real fur. DR

 

[Spitpatch]

The man-made stuff still does not work as well. but what really controls the price is fashion furs. ladies no longer wear real fur. DR

One significant driver of great Coyote fur prices was indeed for parka-hood fringe. For the Military. A huge consumer.

My enlistment encompassed the transition to synthetic "fur". While a healthy fringe of Coyote on your parka hood (see "Ice Station Zebra") would never frost up from your breath, the new synthetic fringe did nothing for it. A GI parka went from something coveted (outside the military they brought a healthy sum) to a worthless piece of crap.
Those of us with the genuine article practically lived in our parkas in the winter, but had to watch 'em like a hawk lest the poor schmucks in the new ones snag 'em up.

 

[Alexx1401]

One significant driver of great Coyote fur prices was indeed for parka-hood fringe. For the Military. A huge consumer.

My enlistment encompassed the transition to synthetic "fur". While a healthy fringe of Coyote on your parka hood (see "Ice Station Zebra") would never frost up from your breath, the new synthetic fringe did nothing for it. A GI parka went from something coveted (outside the military they brought a healthy sum) to a worthless piece of crap.
Those of us with the genuine article practically lived in our parkas in the winter, but had to watch 'em like a hawk lest the poor schmucks in the new ones snag 'em up.

What a shame. I have to "guess" some "wokester" got mad at the animal fur? Even though the animal in question was a "pest" that needed to be culled? Damn near everything they tough turns to

 

[Spitpatch]

What a shame. I have to "guess" some "wokester" got mad at the animal fur? Even though the animal in question was a "pest" that needed to be culled? Damn near everything they tough turns to

I believe that prior to using Coyote for the hood fringe, Wolf was used. The switch to Coyote happened when Alaska and Minnesota tightened up on Wolf management (no more aerial hunting, etc.).