December 2022 Northwoods Tahoe

TAHOE

Publisher: harryJONES

Editors: allisonJONES MelanieCano

Layout design: aaronJONES

Contributing Writer: MarkMclaughlin KarenSimon

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California’s White Gold

By Mark McLaughlin

The success of Truckee’s annual winter carnival in the early 20th century helped lead to the increasing popularity of winter sports in California, up and down the Sierra range. In the Truckee-Lake Tahoe area, ski clubs were formed, jumps were built, and tournaments and meets were held to develop the athletic skills of local youths and young adults.

By the winter of 1928, many California businessmen were thoroughly interested in the economic expansion inherent in winter sports promotion. Truckee had its downhill ski area at Hilltop across the river from downtown, where imported skis could be rented and a “pull-back” lift was ready whenever customers showed up. Over the next two years, a new facility called The Pavilion opened at Hilltop and a towering scaffold ski jump was

constructed. There had been a few small wooden jumps fabricated previously on Hilltop, but this new version was 140 feet high and built under the direction of professional ski jumper Lars Haugen. It was an impressive structure that the Truckee newspaper reported was a “dangerous modification” but added that the jump was also open to women.

Ski historian Bill Berry was an avid skier who had just moved to Reno, and as soon as he heard about Truckee’s winter sports center at Hilltop he made a beeline for the slopes. The high-trestle ski jump had not been built yet, but Berry was there to ski, not jump. On the first Sunday of December 1928, he purchased a ticket and was pulled to the top of the ridge. He described the pullback in some detail: “The tow had continuous wire rope hung on sheaves at top and bottom and driven by an electric engine. To ride it, you looped your ski pole baskets over one of the steel hooks set in the moving cable as it slid upward on the snow. You hung onto the pole handles and let Continued on Page 4

Truckee Ski Club, circa 1930. Left to right: “Team Mascot” Frank Titus, Charles Cozzalio, Pete Passinetti, Earl McKay, Jesse Maxom and Frank Gaiennie. Photo courtesy of Craig Beck Collection.

Continued from page 3

yourself be towed slowly to the upper end. Tobogganers could loop their rope over a hook and be towed up sitting down. I realized this was rather a special occasion: I had never skied down a slope I had not climbed.”

Truckee was at the vanguard of the development of winter sports in the United States. According to the eminent ski historian Morten Lund, “The indisputable historical record shows at least this much: that the first three ski tows on the American continent were erected in Truckee, California. Notwithstanding claims to the contrary, Hilltop was, by any measure, the pioneer site of American tow skiing.” By the late 1930s, downhill skiing was the primary sport and the toboggan lift and slide were no longer in use.

In 1929, the United States was chosen by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to host the summer and winter 1932 Olympics. A wave of excitement spread over the nation’s snow country as ski advocates began speculating about which state would be selected for the coveted Winter Games. Competition to host the first Winter Olympics in the United States grew into an intense contest between three established winter snow play areas; Yosemite National Park, North Lake Tahoe, and Lake Placid near Whiteface Mountain in New York. Yosemite had opulent lodging at the Ahwahnee Hotel, Lake Placid

promised to construct modern facilities, and Lake Tahoe promoters boasted of a $3 million bankroll that could build anything that the International Olympic Committee wanted.

In California the odds were stacked against Lake Tahoe. When it came to hosting the 1932 Winter Games, Yosemite enjoyed a reputation and political clout that Tahoe did not have, support that ran all the way to the White House and the director of the National Park Service. In January 1929, the California selection committee chose Yosemite over Lake Tahoe.

California had managed to secure the 1932 Summer Games for Los Angeles, but the state’s Winter Olympics movement ran into stiff opposition from the start. Businesses and chambers of commerce preferred California’s image of pleasant weather year-round. State and private enterprises, which were heavily invested in marketing the Golden State’s famed mild climate, feared the emphasis on snow and mountains would harm their efforts. The European-dominated IOC also chose Lake Placid over Yosemite partly because of their erroneous perception that most of California basks in a year-round Mediterranean climate.

There was another problem too. At the time skiers were poorly organized, there were only a handful of California ski clubs, and none were affiliated with the National Ski Association. This lack of ski sport organization in California probably played a major role in 1929 when the IOC turned down the Yosemite bid during a meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Ultimately, Lake Placid was picked because it is located in upstate New York’s snow country and had staged winter sports event for years. Ski historian E. John B. Allen has written: “The Lake Placid Club could boast of continuous ski activity since 1905, a tradition of jumping meets since 1917, and of cross-country racing since 1920. Its collegiate week drew international competition.”

The Olympic rejection was disappointing, but it served as a catalyst for the eventual emergence of California

Scaffold Ski Jump at Truckee’s Hilltop, circa 1931. Photo courtesy of Truckee Donner Historical Society.

Continued from page 4 as a winter sports powerhouse. Another important factor in the denial to host the Games was that California had little experience hosting competitive events, particularly in winter sports. Ernst des Baillets, Yosemite’s director of winter sports, admitted as much: “It was the complete lack of duly affiliated associations governing each phase of winter sports —skiing, skating, hockey and so on, and the consequent lack of experience in holding organized competitions in these sports that wisely led the International Olympic Committee to reject California’s invitation and award the next Olympic Winter Games to Lake Placid.”

After California failed to secure the 1932 Winter Games, the state’s Chamber of Commerce switched gears and began to embrace winter sports as a viable, economic and popular commodity. It hired Jerry Carpenter, an enthusiastic skier and writer from San Francisco, to be editor of the chamber’s magazine and principal promoter in developing the Golden State’s winter sports programs. During the winter months, the focus of the chamber’s publication switched from sunshine and citrus to snowflakes and skiing. In the December 1929 issue of the California Journal of Development, Carpenter wrote, “California offers her residents and tourists a complete program of winter sports that promises to equal, and in some respects exceed, the winter sports of the most famed European, Canadian and Eastern Resorts.” Carpenter was so good at his job that he earned the moniker “Father of Skisport” in the Golden State.

The California Ski Association was admitted to the National Ski Association (NSA) on December 14, 1930. The following year Truckee’s Wilbur Maynard was successful in convincing the NSA to let California host the 1932 National Championship Tournament near Tahoe City, with events in jumping and cross-country skiing. Awarding this prestigious national ski tournament to Tahoe City — the first held west of the Rockies — helped assuage the region’s frustration at losing the Olympic bid.

The athletic performances were inspiring, but the stunning views of snowbound Lake Tahoe stole everyone’s heart. In his prose, newspaper editor Bert Cassidy literally gushed with spiritual bliss: “In the background, Lake Tahoe, eternal in its splendor, sky blue in its depth, set off the scene with such magnificence that words can scarcely paint a picture adequate to give it fitting expression. Stupendous, marvelous, magnificent, akin to the God whose hand created this scene at the top of the mountains, it reveals the insignificance of man in his struggle to out rival nature.”

As a direct result of the 1932 tournament at Lake Tahoe, the popularity and economics of winter sports throughout the California Sierra boomed. This successful event established the Tahoe-Truckee area as a prime training ground for developing world class talent, a trend that continues today. It also propelled the region into its development as one of America’s top-rated ski destinations.

Jumping over the trees at Olympic Hill near Tahoe City, circa 1932. Photo courtesy of North Lake Tahoe Historical Society.

Travel Trends: 2023

Immediately following the COVID-19 lockdown in the United States, outdoor and drivable destinations were in big demand for domestic travelers. As the country has reopened, Americans embraced the idea of getting back to normal and began traveling much as they did prior to the pandemic.

However, travel trends on the horizon for 2023 suggest there is no normal when it comes to travel planning. Instead, individual interests are driving decisions about where to go and what to do.

“We see a detailed and robust picture of travel into 2023,” Expedia Brands President Jon Gieselman said. “We’re seeing a surge in trips to culture capitals, a new wave of interest in wellness retreats and a spike in demand for outdoor destinations beyond just beaches and mountains. It’s not a new normal so much as people branching out to unexpected trends in what we’re calling the ‘no normal.’”

A close look at these trends suggests there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to travel in 2023. Insights sourced from the company’s first-party data, and from custom research of thousands of travelers and industry professionals across 17 countries, show personal interests and pop culture are heavily influencing travel choices.

Consider these conclusions from the experts at Expedia:

Set-Jetters

Booking a trip after bingeing a popular series will become serious business in 2023. Research confirms streamed movies and TV shows are now the top sources of travel inspiration (40%), outpacing the influence of social media (31%). Furthermore, the small screen is now considered on par with recommendations from friends and family when it comes to travel inspiration.

In the U.S., more than two-thirds (68%) of travelers considered visiting a destination after seeing it in a show or movie on a streaming platform, and a whopping 61% went ahead and booked a trip. Top set-jetter destinations include New Zealand, with its landscapes featured in one of this year’s most epic series, followed by the United Kingdom, Paris, New York and the beach resorts of Hawaii.

Culture Capitals

National parks and rural retreats had big moments the past couple of years. Now, cities are seeing a comeback. Based on traveler demand, most of the destinations seeing the largest increases are culture-rich cities where art and culture festivities are back in full swing. Examples include the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, WorldPride in Sydney and the cherry blossoms in Tokyo. Culture capitals that are calling loudest include:

1. Edinburgh, Scotland

2. Lisbon, Portugal

3. Tokyo

4. Dublin 5. New York 6. Sydney

7. Dubai, United Arab Emirates

8. Montreal 9. Munich 10. Bangkok

Gather more ideas and inspiration to help plan an adventure that’s uniquely your own at Expedia.com or by downloading the app.

Christmas In Truckee

https://business.truckee.com/events/details/ christmas-in-truckee-76186

Don’t miss this annual Truckee experience this Christmas eve! Tahoe Forest Church, a fresh and dynamic church in the Truckee/ Tahoe area, has sponsored and hosted Christmas in Truckee in downtown at the train station for the past three years. The intent is to bring the Christmas message to the heart of the community. Last year, the town saw more than 300 people gather downtown to sip hot chocolate, sing Christmas carols, hear the Christmas message, and light candles for Silent Night.

Puppets with Chris Arth https://kidzonemuseum.org/event/ puppets-with-chris-arth-20-2-2-2-2/

Come join us for puppets, songs and finger play! Help your child develop language, memory and communication skills as well as fine motor skills. Free for members or with admission.

DECEMBER TO FEBRURARY CALENDAR OF EVENTS

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Click or tap on any event to go to the event’s website. The information in the calendar is up to date as of time of publishing. Please verify details of events as changes can occur.

NORTH LAKE TAHOE

DEC 17, 2022

Base to Base Gondola Grand Opening Celebration

https://www.palisadestahoe.com/events-andactivities/events-calendar/base-to-basegondola-grand-opening-celebration

Join Palisades Tahoe on Saturday, December 17th to celebrate the historic opening of the Base to Base Gondola. The Alpine Lodge and The Village at Palisades Tahoe will now be connected by a 16-minute ride across stunning views of the Sierras and Lake Tahoe. Celebrate while ringing in a new era at Palisades Tahoe!

JAN 14-16, 2023

OLD SKOOL KLASSIC RACE AT TAHOE

XC

https://tahoexc.org/events

Go Old Skool this January, with a single groomed classic track race course through the woods. This is a virtual race and unofficially timed. The course will occasionally have passing lanes where the single track overlaps with the regular Tahoe XC trail system. All ages are welcome. You can do it any, or all, of the days, in the hours Tahoe XC is open, from 8:30am-5:00pm. Please be off the trails by 5:00pm.

Sugar Bowl Poker Run

https://www.sugarbowl.com/events

Ski & Ride to different “poker chip stations” on the mountain to earn cards in your poker hand. Family-friendly & no poker experience necessary. Proceeds benefit local schools in Truckee.

New

https://www.tahoedonner.com/events/newyears-eve-glowstick-parade-fireworks-show/

This fun event is for intermediate skiers and riders ages 10 or older. Music and snacks will be provided in the bar area prior to the parade, with a chair loading time of 6:15pm. Fireworks will commence following the precession. Limited spots available. Free event for all!

The game is simple: after registration at the Judah Lodge, check out the Poker Run trail map to see where all the Poker Chip Stations are hidden around the mountain. Plan your route to all of the Poker Chip Stations, ski/ride to each zone, and take a selfie with the Poker Chip to prove you were there.

At the end of the day, return back to the lodge within the time limit and you’ll earn a card in your poker hand for each station you visit. We’ll choose your best hand for you, and stack you up against other players to determine who wins! Tons of cash and prizes are up for grabs. Stick around for the afterparty with live music and awards. Proceeds from the event benefit the Excellence in Education fund.

DEC 23-26, 2022

Great Basin Carolers

https://www.palisadestahoe.com/events-andactivities/events-calendar/great-basin-carolers

Enjoy the sounds of the season in The Village at Palisades Tahoe! Live caroling from the Great Basin Carolers will spread the holiday cheer. Great Basin Carolers will be performing from 4-7pm on December 23rd, 24th, 25th, and 26th.

FEB 24-26, 2023

AUDI FIS SKI WORLD CUP

https://worldcup.palisadestahoe.com/

Palisades Tahoe is no stranger to international competition. A renowned ski racing venue that has bred champions since the 1960 Winter Olympics, the resort’s legendary steeps will once again welcome back World Cup racers this winter. One of only four U.S. resorts featured on the World Cup circuit this season, Palisades Tahoe will host men’s slalom and giant slalom events on Dog Leg and Red Dog Face. The course, raced in 2017 for the women’s alpine event, is one Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin has described as “one of, if not the toughest” course venues on the women’s World Cup circuit.

Check out the course and the action from the base area, cheer on the world’s best athletes, catch outdoor concerts, fireworks, sponsor activations and more, February 24–26, 2023.

PALISADES TAHOE 2023

Year’s Eve Glowstick Parade + Fireworks Show

Heavenly Holidays Family Festival

https://theshopsatheavenly.com/ heavenly-holidays/

Heavenly Holidays Family Festival November 25th – December 31st, 2022: Holiday fun for children and adults alike. Daily tree lighting, Ice sculptures, Breakfast with Santa, meeting your favorite Disney Characters, A Rockin’ New Year’s Eve Celebration featuring a fireworks show with live music starting at 9:00 pm, and much more!

DEC 31, 2022

Light Up the Night! NYE Celebration at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe http://hardrockcasinolaketahoe.com/ entertainment.html

Fireworks Show at Midnight Saturday, December 31, 2022

Free and open to the public, “Light Up The Night” will feature two DJs on Alpine Union Balcony DJ Cash Master 8pm – 10pm DJ Oscar Perez 10pm – 12:30am “Light Up The Night” is standing room only on Guitar Plaza and is sure to be the BIGGEST party of the year!

JAN 7, 2023

Tahoe Adventure Film Festival at Bally’s Lake Tahoe http://www.laketahoefilmfestival.com/

Marking twenty plus years of adventure sports cinematography and culture, Tahoe Adventure Film Festival (TAFF) is the annual gathering with the outdoor adventure community, animated with music, go-go dancers, wild entertainers, and dramatic action imagery. All before the films begin. It’s where the industry’s best filmmakers premier their latest adventure sports films one night only hosted by festival creator and adventurer, Todd Offenbacher. “We select the films, not judge them. Then our community comes together to honor what these film represent”. It’s tongue in cheek humor, combined with a celebration of our unique South Lake Tahoe community, lifestyle and culture,” says Offenbacher.

RENO

CARSON VALLEY CA FOOTHILLS

DEC 14 - 23, 2022

2022 Polar Express

https://vtrailway.com/train-rides/polar-express/

All Aboard! Experience the magic of the famed holiday story comes to life. Riders are encouraged to wear their favorite pajamas and partake in caroling and a reading of the classic story on their way to the North Pole. All riders will receive hot chocolate and a holiday treat before Santa and his helpers board the train to give each rider the first gift of Christmas – a silver sleigh bell. The Polar Express Train Ride runs Wednesday Through Sunday, with some exceptions. Trains depart at 5PM, 6:30PM and 8PM.

JAN 6, 2023

AST Presents: Kendal Mountain Festival https://www.auburnstatetheatre.org/ kendal-mountain-festival

The UK’s leading adventure film Festival brings a selection of the very best short adventure documentaries to North American audiences. These films by award-winning filmmakers capture the inspiring stories of incredible people accomplishing extraordinary feats in breath-taking locations.

CHRISTMAS WONDERLAND

https://www.eldoradoreno.com/event/shows/ santas-christmas-wonderland

THE ROW announces the return of “Christmas Wonderland” in the Eldorado Showroom, beginning Thanksgiving week on Wednesday, Nov. 23, with performances through Sunday, Dec. 25. The family-friendly Christmas spectacular will be complete with stunning costumes, festive thematic decor, performances from the highest kicking chorus girls found on this side of the North Pole and more.

2023 SHEEP SHOW

https://www.wildsheepfoundation.org/ convention/attendee-registration/

Now in its 46th year, the Sheep Show® remains the premier mountain game hunting and conservation expo on the planet. While conservation has no off-season, hunting does. The Sheep Show® is where those who live and dream about a mountain game hunting lifestyle gather to plan, prepare, meet old friends and make new ones. Our exhibit hall features more than 400 exhibits of the finest guides and outfitters from North America and around the globe plus top of the line retailers selling gear, guns, art, taxidermy, jewelry, furs and every other outdoor item you need.

JAN 26-29, 2023

EAGLES AND AGRICULTURE

2023

https://carsonvalley.chambermaster.com /eventregistration/register/41849

Calling all wildlife lovers! This annual weekend showcases birds, wide-open spaces and the cutest calves imaginable! Each year, the calving season draws raptors, including bald eagles, to Carson Valley. Eagles and Agriculture celebrates their arrival and offers a chance to witness these majestic birds. Highlights of the event include an opening dinner, where falconers bring their birds for up close viewing, tours for exclusive access to the ranches, a photography workshop, and a photo contest.

FEB 16-20, 2022

WILD AND SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL http://www.wildandscenicfilmfestival.org/

The 21st annual festival welcomes the submission of shorts and features about nature, community activism, conservation, intentional adventure, health, water, energy, climate change, wildlife, environmental justice, food, and farming. Special consideration is given to those films that explore the annual theme, “CommUNITY.” 2023 marks the 40th anniversary of the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL). Founded on the premise that “people can save a river”, SYRCL has been uplifting the community by uniting and engaging with local citizens to protect and restore the Yuba River Watershed for decades. With this in mind, Wild & Scenic’ s theme focuses on the importance of approaching challenges as a unified community, and reflects the significance of grassroots movements in protecting nature for future generations. The festival team is excited to celebrate with its community around the power of film to bring diverse people and ideas together, heal, and give hope. Despite the challenges presented in the last two years, WSFF has continued to thrive in its mission to inspire activism through film. From the flagship festival in February to the hundreds of On Tour events around the country, its informative and inspirational programming and format have helped unite communities near and far.

SANTA CLAUS HOUSE - NORTH POLE

By Karen J. Simon

Where exactly is the North Pole, the place where Santa Claus lives? There are several places in the U.S. named North Pole and Santa Claus maintains a home, workshop and reindeer stable in two of them.

Santa opened his first workshop in the U.S. in 1949 at the foothills of the White Mountains, deep in the Adirondacks. It is the oldest operating theme park in the United States and features many activities and attractions for all ages.

The other places are mostly seasonal stores or sections of towns that are dedicated to the Christmas season.

North Pole, Idaho is listed as a town that seems to have only a seasonal boat ride attraction. North Pole, Oklahoma appears to be only a large number of shops dedicated to seasonal shopping. There is only one that is a town, not a store, not a theme park and not a subdivision of a town.

North Pole, Alaska sits almost in the geographical center of the state of Alaska about 14 miles south of Fairbanks, 1,600 miles from the geographical North Pole, 125 miles south of the Arctic Circle and 2,347 miles north of Seattle, WA. The 2021 census shows the city with a population of 2,285. It’s a small town that painter Bob Ross claimed to have lived in and taken inspiration from nature’s beauty to create his masterpieces.

It’s always Christmas in North Pole,

Alaska – at least it looks that way. Street light poles look like giant candy canes and even the McDonald’s sign sits atop candy cane poles. A good number of local businesses also have permanent Christmas themes – two huge candy canes support an arched open metal sign in red and white. North Pole is also the home of someone known around the world as -Santa Clause.

How was North Pole founded? How and why did Santa choose that spot to live? There are many legends of Santa, the North Pole and the team that pulls his sleigh. But this story is about the only year-round Christmas town in the United States.

The history of Alaska is fascinating by itself, the land was purchased from Russia in 1867. In 1891, Congress passed legislation that enabled the establishment of townsites and made it possible to obtain 160 acres outside of those townsites to be

used only for trading and manufacture.

Bon and Bernice Davis left Colorado during the depression and worked their way north to Alaska drawn by his father’s stories of rafting down the Yukon River in the late 1800s. In April 1944 they arrived in Fairbanks and claimed 160 acres of homestead land alongside the Richardson Highway south of town. Other folks homesteaded in the same area, land was bought and sold and subdivided. Dahl and Gaske Development Company bought the Davis Subdivision in 1952 and started a grocery store and used car lot. They wanted the community to grow and decided it

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Photo By Dylan Avery

Continued on Page

would be a good place for a toy factory. A toy company needed a good selling point for their products and these two entrepreneurs thought ‘Made in North Pole’ was definitely a selling point. In January 1953, they succeeded in getting the name changed from Davis Subdivision to North Pole – a real city. The toy factory never materialized.

Con and Nellie Miller with their two children arrived in Fairbanks in 1949. Con had $1.40 in his pocket and after looking around he decided becoming a trader was the best way to make a living. He opened a fur trading post, traveling to villages to trade for furs and native made items. When Christmas came, he donned a red Santa suit for the trips – he was the first Santa the native children had ever seen and he became very popular during the season.

In 1952, the Millers, decided to move their trading post to the new community of North Pole. One day, while he was working on the new building, a pickup drove by and one of the occupants – a young boy recognized him and hollered out – “Hello, Santa is that your new house?” The trading post had a new name!

During those first years, the trading post offered groceries, the local post office and a soda fountain, a gathering place for folks in the neighborhood.

After the Richardson Highway was rerouted in 1972, the Millers built a new store with roadside frontage. Inside,

groceries were slowly replaced by gifts and novelties and focused on Santa and Christmas.

Wes Stanley of Stanley Plastics, made three giant Santa statues for the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle. One may have spent some time in Spokane before going to a mall in Anchorage, Alaska. In 1978, Con Miller purchased the wellworn traveler for$4,500. Santa stands 42 feet high and weighs 900 pounds – a challenge to move. It was cut into four pieces, loaded onto a truck and moved to North Pole where it was reassembled and received body repair and paint - 10 gallons of red, five gallons of white and three gallons of black. He has stood at Santa Claus House in North Pole since 1983.

The reindeer barn provides shelter for the reindeer and includes space for the Antler Academy. During summer months, visitors can meet the team, learn about reindeer and even hear a few stories about them!

Do you know the difference between reindeer and caribou? Reindeer know how to fly!! Well, it’s a bit more complicated than that – sort of – but the academy would be a good place to learn all of that!

Santa Claus receives mail from all over the world. Over the years, letters have arrived addressed only to Santa Claus, North Pole. Some have arrived without postage, and some have had postage drawn on. In the early days, those young writers received handwritten replies –some penned by volunteers - so it has been said - from the local high school and military bases. The address to send a letter to is:

SANTA CLAUS

101 St. Nicholas Drive North Pole Alaska 99705

The Prairie Wolf

On any given early or late evening hour you might hear them…the excited yips of a pack of coyotes, sounding as if they are celebrating a kill in your back yard. You don’t have to live here in the mountains or in a lonely prairie town, your home could be in urban Los Angeles or Detroit. These members of the canine family once only lived in open prairies and deserts but have adapted to all habitats in North America, because they can eat almost anything to survive and their population has exploded. (One exception would be areas where wolves are still present. They are a coyote’s one true predator.)

Coyotes as omnivores have a wide menu to choose from. They love rabbits, rodents and deer, but will happily eat frogs, fish, insects, snakes, fruit, grass and carrion. They came to be hunted extensively by farmers and ranchers because they killed and ate livestock such as lambs, calves and chickens. Around here, we lose many of our beloved pet cats and small dogs to the pack. These mysterious mammals form strong family groups. When coyotes are about two years old, they select a mate and stay with that mate for life.

The female bears one litter of 3 to 9 puppies a year, usually in April or May when food is abundant. The gestation period is from 63 to 65 days, but only 5-20 percent of coyote pups survive their first year. The pups stay in the den with mom until they are about ten weeks old. Both parents feed and protect their young and their territory. The family gradually disbands and within a year, all the pups have gone their own way, hunting alone. The coyote life span is that of a dog, about 14 years.

Coyotes are smaller than wolves and are sometimes called prairie or bush wolves. They communicate using 11 different sounds as well as body language, like ear movement and scent. The most well known sounds are:

 Howling –communication with others in the area, kind of an announcement that, “I am here and this is my area”. It tells other males to stay away and invites females to follow. It is an encouragement to answer in an effort to avoid any unwanted conflicts.

 Yelping – a celebration or criticism within a small group of coyotes. Often heard during play among pups.

 Barking – the scientific name for coyote means “barking dog,” Canis latrans. The bark is thought to be a threat display when a coyote is protecting a den or a kill.

 Huffing - is usually used for calling pups without making a great deal of noise.

Communication by scent is very important as coyotes use their urine to mark the pack territory, which only ranges from 10 to 12 square miles. As long as they can smell the urine, hunting area conflicts are nonexistent.

This cousin to the dog is formidable in the field, where it has a keen vision and a strong sense of smell. The coyote can run up to 40 miles an hour. In the mountains, the pack will enjoy a summer territory and move to lower elevations for a winter territory, once the snow and cold weather have arrived. Believe it or not, they are very good swimmers when the need arises.

Coyotes have long been one of the most controversial of all nongame animals. For over a century, agricultural interests have urged coyote control so that actual and potential livestock losses may be eliminated. Just since 1981, when the first governmental programs aimed at control were begun in California, nearly half a million coyotes have been destroyed. Alternately, the U.S. Humane Society reports that killing coyotes to control their population does not work. Research suggests that coyotes can increase their reproductive rate by breeding at an earlier age, having larger litters and a higher survival rate among young. This allows coyote populations to quickly bounce back, even when as much as 70 percent of their numbers are removed; a sort of natural failsafe.

Sadly, along with the population thinning for agriculture, there still

exists a controversy in our country between environmentalists and sportsmen. The first group believes strongly that coyotes preserve the balance of nature by keeping the rodent population in check and spreading plant seeds through scat, while hunters feel that coyotes are causing a severe decline in game species and have taken to hunting them.

The status of coyote hunting varies depending on state and local laws. In some states, including most western states, coyotes are classified as predators and can be killed throughout the year whether or not they are causing damage to livestock. In other states, coyotes may be taken only during specific seasons and often only by specific methods, such as trapping. Some state laws allow only state or federal agents to use certain methods (such as snares) to take coyotes. Some states have a provision for allowing the taking of protected coyotes (usually by special permit) when it has been documented that they are preying on livestock. In some instances farmers and ranchers can apply control methods, and in others, control must be managed by a federal or state agent. Some eastern states consider the coyote a game animal, a furbearer, (mammals that are trapped or hunted for their fur alone) or a protected species.

Roy