Wildlife Service Predator
Control Goes Modern; Lethal
‘Bomb’ Fires Death at Wolves
By WINNIE WILLIAMS
Destruction of wolves, coyotes
and other animals which prey on
game in Alaska is going modem.
The "coyote getter”—a north
land version of a booby trap bomb
—is supplanting the blubber-and
stick method formerly used by Es
kimos and Aleuts to rid their
hunting grounds of predators.
Even poison stations still used by
the Eish and Wildlife Service are
bowing to the "getter."
This was revealed today in the
service’s annual predator control
report released by Maurice Kelly,
in charge of predator and rodent
control.
How it Works
The "coyote getter,” an oral
bomb designed to deal swiit death
to wolves and coyotes, has a head
which extends about two inches
above the ground. It is about an
inch in diameter, and wound with
scented cloth. Inside is a charge
of cyanide. The head is attached to
a pipe driven five or six inches
into the earth, inside of which is
a cartridge attached to a trigger.
When an animal pulls up on the
bait, the trigger is released and
the cartridge shoots cyanide into
its mouth.
“After that, death is a matter
of a few minutes,” Kelly said.
It is a long step from the Es
kimo method of plating a curl-- j
cd-up sharp stick in a frozen
ball of seal blubber. The ball
melts upon being gulped down,
allowing the stick to snap out
straight and puncture the ani
mal's stomach.
Wolves are old inhabitants of
Alaska. George Steller, naturalist
with Vitus Bering in 1741, recorded
seeing wolf tracks in the Shuma
gin Islands. Coyotes, Kelly said,
are more recent inhabitants—not
seen until shortly before 1900.
However, Kelly's report says,
wolves are still considered Al
aska's chief predator with coy
otes second. But even wolverine
attack caribou, mountain sheep
and goats. The first report of
their inroads into reindeer herds
was received from Selawik last
winter. Five bears were listed as
predators and shot last summer
on Kodiak Island where they
were molesting cattle.
Of the 287 predators taken last
year, 81 were coyotes, 201 wolves
and the five bear.. "Getters" ac-j
counted for 136; poison 91, and 601
were shot.
Kelly said that probably 130
more were killed by "getters" but
his service counts only those whose
bodies are recovered.
Moose Take L'p
The effectiveness of "getters”
has been demonstrated around
Fairbanks and other northern ar
eas. Before they were introduced
three years ago reports of legal
shooting of moose in the Forty
Mile country was three animals a
season. Since the use of "getters"
and consequent drop in the wolf
and coyote population, the take
rose to 18 last year. Saving of
moose and caribou is among calves
which fall easy prey to stalking
predators.
The Nelchina caribou herd has
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104 Yean of Protection
Coyote Cette
NATUHAL SIZE t
increased from less than 4,000 head
in 1948, Kelly’s report stated, 10
over 4,500 last year.
After effective "getter" use in
the Interior, Kelly is hopeful to
introduce them into the upper
Copper River before long, where
sheep and game ranges are vir
tually untouched by control
work and where predators are
numerous.
“Of course,” Kelly pointed out,
“we know -that predator control
alone will not save Alaska’s game.
But we know that in areas where
it is in force, it is a positive fac
tor which brings immediate rej
suits.”
Last year the Territorial
Sportsmen, Inc., of Juneau con
tributed $500 toward control in
the Taku and Dyea valleys
where deer are being planted un
der the federal aid program.
Eight wolves were recovered
from the Dyea Valley and five
from Taku.
Strychnine Here
Strychnine stations are mostly
used in Southeastern Alaska. Dur
ing the past year 116 such lethal
stations were established and 28
re-baited. The take was 15 wolves
in the Wrangell area; 17 at Ket
chikan and 7 at Craig. None was
taken on “getters,” Kelly said, al
though 99 had been planted. Kel
ly said the reason for this was
Ekluina funnel Bids
Opened in Denver
Bids for the construction of a
4'j-mile tunnel, intake works, surge
tank and penstock on the Eklutna
hydroelectric project near Anchor
age were opened in Denver, Colo.,
this morning.
Information received by the Bu
reau of Reclamation office here to
day showed that of four bids re
ceived, the low was submitted by a
combination of Peter Kiewit Sons’
Co., Coker, and Morrison-Knudsen
for $17,348,865.
This is approximately $4,000,000
less than the lowest bid received on
the same project last June 25, Re
clamation officials said. The pre
sent low bid still exceeds engineers’
estimates by about $7,000,000.
►
| probably lack of training of per
| sonnel making the sets. He said it
is hoped this year to have better
success from them.
“There is no reason they
should not work as well in South
eastern Alaska as in the Inter
ior," Kelly said. lie added that
of 81 coyotes killed irt the In
terior last year 66 were taken
on "getters.” Of 201 wolves, “get
ters’’ got 70.
Safe to Humans
Once a “getter” is planted, Kel
ly pointed out, it can be stumbled
over, walked over or kicked and
it will not go off. “The only way
they can be exploded is by a dir
ect upward pull.”
He told of one section where
after a “getter” line had been out
13 months it was still effective.
"Predator control is new to Al
aska,” Kelly said, “but we are
making progress each year. In 1949
only 116 predators were taken;
last year we accounted for 287.
This year we hope to better that
mark. As our personnel becomes
more familiar with "getters” and
we are able to broaden our spheres
of activity, we look forward to a
sharp drop in the marauding pop
ulation which preys on Alaska’s
game."
Juneau Singers First
Rehearsal Scheduled
The Juneau Singers will be di
rected this year by Miss Marjorie
Iverson, who returns to Juneau as
director of choral music in the pub
lic schools. Mrs. Jane McMullin,
who led the singers the past two
years, will be piano accompanist.
“We are very fortunate in having
the leadership of these two talented
musicians,” says Will Reedy, presi
dent of the singers. “Miss Iverson
did outstanding work with the school
choruses last year and also assisted
with the Juneau Singers. And we
all enjoyed Mrs. McMullin’s leader
ship during the past two years; her
contribution as accompanist will be
just as valuable.”
Miss Frances Paul is chairman of
music committee for the coming
year.
The first rehearsal of the Juneau
Singers will be held Sept. 20 at 8:45
p.m. at the Methodist church. There
are no "try-outs" for membership.
All persons in the Channel area who
like to participate in choral singing
are welcome to join. Reedy said.
AT THE BARANOF
Donald and Frank Johnston of
Kirkland, Wash., are guests at the
Baranof Ilotsl.
EASTERN STAR
Home coming dinner for mem
bers, escorts, visiting members,
Tuesday, Sept. 11th, 6:30 p.m. Reg
ular meeting Juneau Chapter No.
7 at 8 p.m. Alice Brown, Secre
tary. 908-2t
CLASSES STARTING
Red Cross Nurses Aid Classes
starting this month. Call 434.
906-tf
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Students Leave on
Aleutian to Enter
Colleges in Slates
The southbound steamer Aleutian
which left Sunday night, had as pas
sengers several Juneau people bound
for school in the states.
Among them were:
Rosemary Theile and Lynn Bod
ding who were to enter their fresh
man years at the University of Ore
gon at Eugene. Both were graduates
of Juneau High School last spring.
Miss Theile was accompanied by her
mother, Mrs. Karl Theile who is on
vacation from the Office of Price
Stabilization and will visit in San
Francisco before returning home.
Miss Bodding is the daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Olaf Bodding. She
plans to major in business adminis
tration.
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Zinck (Rob
erta Messersehmidt) w'ho were mar
ried last Saturday evening, were
returning to Washington State Col
lege where Zinck is a senior and his
bride will enter her sophomore year.
Donna Wood, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. William A. Wood, was bound
for her former home in Boise, Idaho,
to begin studies in home economics
at Boise Junior College. She was
graduated with the 1951 class of Ju
neau High School.
Donald MacKinnon, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Donald L. MacKinnon, was
enroute to Corvallis, Ore., to enter
his first year at Oregon State Col
lege. He is another 1951 Juneau
High School graduate and for his
first year in coljege will take a gen
eral course.
Doris Ann Bartlett, who has -been
visiting in Juneau most of the sum
mer with her mother, is the daughter
of Alaska's Delegate to Congress,
E. L. (Bob) Bartlett. She was grad
uated from Anacostia High School in
Washington, D. C., last spring and
will enter Middlebury College in
Vermont for her freshman year. She
plans to major in foreign languages.
Another passenger bound for his
first year of higher education was
Donald Burford who will start his
frrst year at the University o-f Wash
ington. He was accompanied by his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Bur
ford.
Hospital Notes
Admitted to St, Ann's Hospital
Monday were Jacob Aardal. Eusto
chio Binongeal, John Joseph; dis
missed were William Dick, Sgt.
Chester Strohmyer. I
Born at St. Ann’s Hospital to
Mrs. Donald Vertin Monday at 10:12
a.m., a girl weighing 7 pounds 1
ounce; to Mrs. George Benesch at
8:35 p.m. Monday, a boy weighing
7 pounds 10 ounces.
Admitted to the Government Hos
pital Monday w'as Johanna Peck of
Sitka; dismissed was Daisy Crans
ton of Juneau.
FROM KETCHIKAN
Elmer G. Johnson of Ketchikan
is registered at the Baranof Hotel.
3 Polio Cases Hit
Fairbanks Since Aug. 21
Three cases of poliomylitis have
been reported from Fairbanks
since Aug. 21, the Alaska Depart
ment of Health revealed today.
This brings the total in the Ter
ritory to 12 for the summer.
All were reported as non-par
alytic. Illness of Mrs. Jane Simp
son was diagnosed as polio last
week. Others were Frances Con
way, 11, and William Simpson, 7.
Two cases of the disease were
reported from Fairbanks earlier
in the summer, five from Nome,
and two from Ketchikan.
Last year the number of cases
increased the end of September to
hit a high in October, records
show.
Amateur Golf
Champ Whipped
BETHLEHEM ,Pa„ Sept. 11—Mt—
Willie Turnesa, twotime national
amateur golf champion, failed to
survive his first match in the 1951
amateur championship today when
he took a 3 and 2 beating from
youthful William Picard of Charles
ton, S. C.
Turnesa, penalized a hole for ar
riving late at the starting tee, never
really got started as he went over
par on the last three holes of the
front nine and lost the first three
coming back.
Picard, 19-year-old son of the vct
eran pro, Henry Picard, ended the
match on the 16th which they halv
ed in par fours.
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