Coyote Drive

                                             Coyote Drive

                                           By   Skeet Gould

    One time Dad let me do was go on a coyote drive. Remember, all our neighbors ran at least some sheep and goats, so they made war on anything that would eat sheep meat. Because all meat eaters, coyotes, lions, bobcats and poachers were done away with there was an abundance of rabbits.  If you wanted to you could fill a pickup with them. On a given day about 20 ranchers and cowboys lined up on a big flat horseback. There were a few town men out for the excitement too.  A plane was flying back and forth overhead. There was a shotgun mounted on swivels on each side of the open cockpit. That flat was covered with bear grass and soapweed . So when a coyote was jumped a cowboy would fall in behind him and chase him till the plane got there and took over. Ducking and diving till they got a shot, then Adios Coyote! Pretty exciting for all. Probably not allowed today?

    Don’t think I got to run a dog, but saw some pretty neat runs, horse races and pretty fancy flying. The day was a success.