The big male coyote approached the windmill and its overflow puddle as he’d done a hundred times. The thick South Texas brush prevented him from seeing more than 50 yards, but he used his nose to discover new odors. And a new odor was found — a small dirt hole off the side of the trail contained a new smell and, as he stepped forward to put his nose closer, a highly modified #3 closed quickly on his right front foot. He jumped back and the chain flowed out of the ground below the trap. He turned and ran about 30 yards before the drag caught in the thick brush and he piled up in the shade.
This scene may have happened a thousand times over the past century, but this coyote was destined for science. As a trapper, I was assisting in a research project to determine the home ranges and habitat use of coyotes
