In 1880s and 1890s, California began offering a bounty on coyotes at the insistence of the livestock industry. By 1894, the price per scalp was five dollars. The whole procedure was handled through the county clerk’s office.  For some individuals it was a lucrative deal, and could actually make a living at it. Many Native Americans partook in the program, instead of working as a laborer for a rancher. Once the county clerk received reimbursement from the state, the clerk would take the scalps and burn them.

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