Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center for

 

Title

The M–44 Sodium Cyanide Ejector Mechanism

Authors

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

September 2002


The M–44 is a wildlife damage management tool used by the Wildlife Services (WS) program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to protect livestock, poultry, and threatened and endangered species from predation by foxes, coyotes, and feral dogs. In addition, the M–44 is registered for the control of communicable disease vectors, such as coyotes that carry rabies.

The M–44 is an effective, environmentally sound tool registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and used only by trained and certified applicators. There are 26 EPA–mandated use restrictions governing the use of M–44’s. All M–44’s used in WS field operations are well marked and are checked by trained personnel at least once a week.

M–44’s are used primarily for coyote damage management. They are placed along game trails, livestock trails, ridges, near seldom-used ranch roads, and along fence lines. The M–44 is used mostly in the winter and spring but in some locations it is used throughout the year.