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Cyanide Guns (also known as
"M-44 Dispensers" or "Cyanide Traps") are very simple and innocent looking devices used lawfully
to target coyotes and other animals that are believed to be preying on
livestock. Outdated versions (now illegal) used a .38 caliber pistol
cartridge and were called "Coyote Getters." Here's what you need to know...
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Identifying
When not mounted in the ground, cyanide guns look like a harmless
piece of pipe or lawn sprinkler with an open cap at one end. When in
place, all that typically sticks above the ground is the cap (about 1 inch
high). However, you may not even see this because it will
usually have a
small piece of bait such as wool or meat attached to its top.
Sometimes these devices are painted to make them easy to see and avoid.
Further, when not in use, they may be "secured" under a carefully placed
rock. They are commonly used on public land as well as private ranching property.
If your field area is on such property, hopefully you will have received
permission to be there and an explanation of gun locations and other local
field hazards.
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© 2002 Reuben Johnson |
How They Work
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The 6-inch base is driven vertically into the ground as shown here.
The cap is filled with cyanide powder and a spring-loaded ram in
the base is then cocked into the ready position. Pulling on the cap
or the piece of bait attached to it will trigger the spring and discharge
the powder. This is supposed to happen in the coyote's mouth where
contact with saliva (or water) causes a chemical reaction producing
cyanide gas. |
| If you play with one of these devices and it fires, a large
quantity of cyanide powder will be discharged into the air. "You and
anyone nearby may well suffer a long and agonizing death."
‡ The
average fatal dose of cyanide is only about 50 - 60 mg.†
Cyanide may be inhaled, swallowed or absorbed through the skin and
eyes. |
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Avoiding
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Chances are, you'll walk right past a cyanide gun without
ever seeing it. Nonetheless, to better-avoid this hazard, start with the following:
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Be informed about your field area.
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Get permission to be where you want to work.
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Ask the land owner of the property's
hazards.
Explain what you will be doing -- i.e. picking up rocks and digging in the
dirt.
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Be aware that the
law requires warning signs to be posted in areas of use though these signs may
not be near the gun itself and if they are, they may not be readily
noticed.
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If you do find
an M-44, don't mess with it.
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Please Note:
It is not our intent to speak out against the practice of using cyanide guns.
We leave that to other organizations and instead wish only to inform field
scientists of this danger. Further, we thank the anonymous rancher holding
the gun in the above photo for trusting us enough to allow the picture to be
taken. Only through such cooperation can scientists have access to
privately owned land.
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