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“ADC work is easy. You get in a plane and gun every coyote in sight.”
At least that's the conception many people have. But the truth be known, there is much more to it than what that image conjures up.
Take this scenario for example. A sheep herder drives up on his flock and sees a coyote among the sheep. Sheep killer, right? As he gets closer, the coyote runs off. Lying on the ground is a dead sheep. “I knew it! Damn sheep killin’ coyotes.” Upon closer inspection, the herder sees that the sheep’s stomach and left rear leg have been eaten on. Positive confirmation of a sheep killin’ coyote, right?
The sheep herder calls up his buddies and they go on a coyote killing binge. Justice has been served.
Or has it?
Enter the Animal Damage Control Agent. This is who the sheep herder should have called first. The ADC specialist will come out and do an investigation first. He will inspect the dead sheep. He will determine how the sheep died. If, in fact, it was killed, he will determine what killed the sheep. He will then determine what course of action needs to be taken.
Results of ADC analysis. The Agent looks for evidence of attack. Puncture wounds, ripped throat, bite marks on the face and nose. There are none. The Agent then skins out the sheep to inspect the body for forensics that would indicate attack and take down by a predator. There are no signs of trauma. The sheep was not killed by a coyote, or any other animal. Actual cause of death will require an autopsy, which the Agent can arrange. The coyote seen by the herder was simply scavenging on an already dead sheep. That coyote, and the others in the vicinity were no threat to the flock.
This is just a miniscule example of what the ADC Agents have to know to do their job properly.
Denning for a stock killer is a whole different science. Once the determination has been made that an animal has been killed by a coyote, a different kind of investigation is launched. 99% of killed stock occurs during the lambing and calving season. Which also happens to coincide with the coyote denning season. Some coyotes turn to killing stock to feed their pups, however most do not.
The challenge to the ADC Agent is to now determine which particular pair, in an area with 30 coyotes, are the actual stock killers. It is not necessary to kill every coyote in the area in order to get the guilty party. Part of an ADC Agents training is to learn how to determine exactly which pair of coyotes are killing stock, locate their den, kill them and their pups, thus eliminating the problem. The other coyotes in the area are left undisturbed, as they are not stock killers.
The “exact” criteria (and methods) used to determine who the real stock killers are, is something Mr. Fish or Mr. Taylor will have to tell us, if they are willing.
At least that's the conception many people have. But the truth be known, there is much more to it than what that image conjures up.
Take this scenario for example. A sheep herder drives up on his flock and sees a coyote among the sheep. Sheep killer, right? As he gets closer, the coyote runs off. Lying on the ground is a dead sheep. “I knew it! Damn sheep killin’ coyotes.” Upon closer inspection, the herder sees that the sheep’s stomach and left rear leg have been eaten on. Positive confirmation of a sheep killin’ coyote, right?
The sheep herder calls up his buddies and they go on a coyote killing binge. Justice has been served.
Or has it?
Enter the Animal Damage Control Agent. This is who the sheep herder should have called first. The ADC specialist will come out and do an investigation first. He will inspect the dead sheep. He will determine how the sheep died. If, in fact, it was killed, he will determine what killed the sheep. He will then determine what course of action needs to be taken.
Results of ADC analysis. The Agent looks for evidence of attack. Puncture wounds, ripped throat, bite marks on the face and nose. There are none. The Agent then skins out the sheep to inspect the body for forensics that would indicate attack and take down by a predator. There are no signs of trauma. The sheep was not killed by a coyote, or any other animal. Actual cause of death will require an autopsy, which the Agent can arrange. The coyote seen by the herder was simply scavenging on an already dead sheep. That coyote, and the others in the vicinity were no threat to the flock.
This is just a miniscule example of what the ADC Agents have to know to do their job properly.
Denning for a stock killer is a whole different science. Once the determination has been made that an animal has been killed by a coyote, a different kind of investigation is launched. 99% of killed stock occurs during the lambing and calving season. Which also happens to coincide with the coyote denning season. Some coyotes turn to killing stock to feed their pups, however most do not.
The challenge to the ADC Agent is to now determine which particular pair, in an area with 30 coyotes, are the actual stock killers. It is not necessary to kill every coyote in the area in order to get the guilty party. Part of an ADC Agents training is to learn how to determine exactly which pair of coyotes are killing stock, locate their den, kill them and their pups, thus eliminating the problem. The other coyotes in the area are left undisturbed, as they are not stock killers.
The “exact” criteria (and methods) used to determine who the real stock killers are, is something Mr. Fish or Mr. Taylor will have to tell us, if they are willing.
