M’Kay Creek Rancher Has an Exciting Adventure With Mad Coyote

George Adams, well known McKay creek sheepman, is here today and relates how he had an experience with a rabid coyote such as he will never forget. The coyote did nothing more nor less than terrify the whole neighborhood and it is a miracle that several people were not bitten. Mr. Adams himself was held at bay on a side hill for a half hour by the brute and only saved himself by striking at the coyote with a club too large for effective use. The coyote was finally killed and the carcass burned.

It was a week ago last Monday that this particular coyote made his appearance and the story as related by Mr. Adams is about as follows:

The coyote first appeared at the ranch of Henry Wimmer on upper McKay. Mr. Wimmer was there and his two little children were playing near a hack. Realizing the coyote was mad the father rushed to the rescue of the children. When he picked up the smaller child the coyote was but a few feet away and headed for the youngster. Mr. Wimmer barely had time to throw the children into the hack and jump in himself. The coyote then attacked a little dog that had taken after him. Wimmer by this time had picked up a bottle from the hack and hurled it at the coyote, striking him a blow that he thought had rippled the invader. The rancher then jumped from his hack and ran to his house to get a gun and as he did so the coyote disappeared.

A few minutes later George Adams who was herding a band of his own sheep below the Wimmer place saw the coyote appear among the sheep. Adams at first yelled at the coyote to scare it away and when it did not but continued to bite the sheep he knew “something was up” to use his own words. As soon as the coyote saw the sheepman he made for him and Mr. Adams was on a side hill where he could not get away and the only weapon he could get hold of was a fence rail. As the coyote would come toward him he would hit at it with the rail but the animal was quick and wary and would keep out of harm’s way.

For a half hour this siege continued and the coyote used good headwork, according to Adams. The animal would retire behind a sage brush to hide and then would charge forth as if to surprise his foe. The coyote finally took after some sheep and Adams got to his camp and secured his gun. The coyote by this time was headed down the creek and Mr. Adams took after him, intending to warn the people at his home farther down the creek. The coyote next stopped at the Ed Carney place where he began biting the pigs. Mr. Adams caught up with him here and shot him, thus putting an end to the reign of terror.

According to Mr. Adams all the dogs that were bitten by the coyote were immediately killed, excepting a dog belonging to a man named Lilly who refused to kill his dog because he was a pet. The last named dog has been kept penned up and the family is afraid of him.

So many rabid coyotes have appeared on McKay creek and other places near the foothills that people are advised to go prepared for them. Sheepherders are advised to keep their guns with them or else to carry pistols for use in case they may be attacked.