60 Nebraskaland • October 2019
PORTRAITS FROM THE PAST
These photos are from the 1950s and 1960s – coyote hunting in the Shubert area.
The sight dogs were carried in the back of our Chevy pickup truck in a compartment we
called the dog box (above photo). It was made to slide in the bed of the pickup and had
a trip rope attached to the spring-loaded doors in the back. When a coyote was deemed
close enough to release the dogs, the trip rope would be pulled. The dogs would then
attempt to catch and kill the coyote. Sight dogs were a cross between greyhound and
staghound. The greyhound provided the speed, and the staghound provided stamina
and strength.
My dad, Alfred Shafer, owned several sight dogs when I was growing up. Some of
the names of his dogs I recall were Spud, Blackie, Champ, Bill, Duke, and Smasher. We
usually had at least two dogs at a time. My Uncle Charlie (Shafer) also had sight dogs.
A minimum of three dogs were released at a time to catch a coyote. I remember one
time four dogs were released on two coyotes. The dogs split up in pairs and each pair
successfully caught a coyote.
Coyote hunting was an exciting activity for our family. I vividly recall two stories.
One was when I was about 10 years old. Dad and I walked out with four dogs to block a
section being walked by others to kick up coyotes. Dad held the collars of two dogs, and
assigned me to man the other two. His instruction was, "If a coyote comes, hold on to
the dogs until I tell you to release them." Well, a coyote did appear and when the dogs
I was holding saw it, they bolted. Needless to say, I did not hold them back. The dogs
Send contributions to: Portraits from the Past, Nebraskaland Magazine, P.O. Box 30370, Lincoln, NE 68503-0370. Or e-mail to Tim.Reigert@Nebraska.gov. Photos
should show people enjoying Nebraska outdoor activities, such as camping, boating, hunting or fishing, and must have been taken before 1980. We will give priority
to unusual photos or activities. When possible, please include a story about the photograph and identify the people, places and approximate date it was taken. Text
may be edited and photos adjusted for reproduction. All photos will be returned.
