**1** Before it was settled, most of Kansassupported grasses that tended to restrict prairie dog populations. Proof of this taller growth can be seen in parks, cemeteries, railroad right-of-ways, road ditches, and rangelands where deferred grazing is common.

Originally, prairie dogs thrived only in places overgrazed by native animals. Populations expanded as European settlers arrived. As buffalo numbers dwindled due to overhunting and before the range was stocked withdomestic livestock, prairie dog populations started to decline. Over the years,rangelands were fenced, ponds constructed, and large areas plowed. Remaining rangelands were overgrazed, and prairie dogs inhabited an estimated 2 million acres by the early 1900s. Prairie dog management programs and control laws were implemented, some of which remain in effect today.

Prairie dogs occupy an estimated 130,000 acres of rangeland in Kansas. This is about 1 percent of suitable habitat, leaving ample room for prairie dogs to increase in Kansas.

Since 1900, prairie dog populationshave been reduced by increased cultivation of rangelands, organized control programs, and improved rangelandmanagement. Kansas prairie dog populations have stabilized in recent years, but during drought numbers tend to
increase.

**Description and**
**distribution**

Black-tailed prairie dogs are large burrowing ground squirrels found
in the western two-thirds of Kansas. Weighing 1 to 3 pounds and measuring 14 to 17 inches long, prairie dogs have reddish-tan fur, large eyes, small ears, a broad head and a black tip on the end of a hairy tail. Five species exist inNorth America, but only the blacktailed prairie dog is found in Kansas.

**Biology and social organization** 

The black-tailed prairie dog is highly
social and lives in colonies calledprairie dog towns. Small groups generally composed of one adult male, three adult females, and six offspring display territorial behavior toward adjacent groups in the town.

Prairie dogs live in burrows approximately 10 yards apart, 3 to 14 feet deep, and 10 to 100 feet long or more. A crater-like mound, 3 to 10
feet across and a foot or more tall at the entrance to the burrow prevents water from rushing in and serves as alookout station. A density of 35 burrows per acre is common, although up to 100 burrows per acre have been reported. Most burrow systems have one entrance, although some have two
or even three entrances.

Prairie dogs are active during the day. They are not true hibernators but may stay below ground for several days during cloudy and cold winter
weather.

Prairie dogs produce one litter of three to eight young per year born from March to April after 28 to 34 days gestation. Only about three or four survive to come above ground. The young may venture above ground at 5 to 6 weeks of age, usually by early May.

Prairie dog densities vary from about 5 per acre in late winter to 20 per acre after the birth of young in spring. But spring densities of up to 35 per acre have been reported.

Dispersal usually occurs in late spring. Prairie dogs can increase the area they occupy by 50 percent per year. Animals may disperse up to 3miles and eat the same forage as livestock. This is why landowners want to manage populations.

**Economic importance**

Prairie dogs and their burrows serveas important hosts for numerous animals. Eighty-nine vertebrate species were found associated with prairie dog towns in Oklahoma. The prairie dog serves as an important food source forpredators including endangered blackfooted ferrets, badgers, coyotes, foxes, eagles, prairie falcons, hawks, owls,and possibly bobcats, mink, and longtailed weasels. Burrows provide homes for burrowing owls, cottontail rabbits, rattlesnakes, and other animals. Prairiedogs offer recreation for photographers, hunters, and nature observers. Prairie dog burrowing decreases soil compaction, increases water intake, aerates the soil, and promotes soil formation. On a typical town with 25 mounds per acre, the amount of soil exposed on the mound and adjacent areas is less than 3 percent of the total
area. This denudation does not normally cause severe soil erosion.

**Health risks**

Plague is a health risk for individuals involved in prairie dog management programs. Although a few cases of human plague occur in the western United States each year, there have not been any recent cases of humans contracting plague in Kansas.

Plague is transmitted to humans through bites of fl eas that inhabit wild rodents infected with plague. Most human plague cases are related to direct contact with wild rodents. Early symptoms include swollen and tender lymph nodes, chills, and fever. Earlydiagnosis and treatment are imperative. When walking through suspected plague areas, apply an insect repellent to socks and pant cuffs before tucking pants inside boots.

**Effects on range**

Prairie dogs modify rangeland
to meet conditions that favor survival. They feed on many of the same grasses and forbs that are important to livestock. Most plants eaten by livestock also may be eaten by prairie dogs. Annual dietary overlap has been estimated at 64 to 90 percent. 

# Prairie Dog Management

Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service**2** Toxicants Toxicants that are legal for prairie dog control in Kansas are grouped under two general categories: poison grain or pellet baits and fumigants.
These toxicants should be used with caution because poison baits may kill a variety of birds and mammals, and fumigation kills all wildlife found in the burrows. Only toxicants labeled for prairie dog control are legal for that purpose. Read and follow all label
directions.

**Poison grain baits**

Controlling prairie dogs with poison grain bait is most effective during clear, settled weather (rain washes the toxicant from some baits) and is only
effective when the most desirable food (green grass and forbs) has become dried and dormant. Fall baiting is successful because prairie dogs are actively eating grass seeds to build up
fat reserves for winter. Two active ingredients in grain baits and pellets are registered for Kansas: zinc phosphideand chlorophacinone. Label requirements vary depending on the product
used.

Zinc Phosphide

When using zinc phosphide grain or pellet baits, prebait with untreated oats (preferably steam-rolled oats) one to two days before baiting. Prebaiting is essential for the following reasons:
1. It increases the acceptance of

treated bait, which results in signifi - cantly better control.Prairie dog clipping selectively infl uences the abundance of various plants in an area. The effect on rangelandforage and livestock production depends on geographic location, rainfall,dominant grass species, and other factors. A variety of effects on rangeland vegetation have been reported: fromno obvious effects to a 20- to 40-percent reduction in forage availability, to increasing the percent of grass species preferred by livestock.

Prairie dogs may improve forage. Plants clipped by prairie dogs stay in a “younger” stage of maturity, which is more palatable and digestible to cattle. Younger plants often have a higher crude protein level, which increases
nutrient value.

In times of drought when less forage is available, competition from prairie dogs is more noticeable. The 2002 and 2003 droughts illustrated the rangeland
devastation that can result from too many grazers (either prairie dogs or cattle) and too little rainfall. Higher quality vegetation does not benefi t cattle producers if there is not enough vegetation for cattle to eat. Bare ground is more evident because forage is shorter and more widely spaced. As a result, prairie dogs affect more acres. Although numbers may not increase, prairie dogs spread out to fi nd forage and appear more numerous.

**Black-footed ferrets**

The black-footed ferret (above) is an endangered species that feeds on prairie dogs. It is illegal to kill them.
These animals are seldom observed because they usually are found in low densities and are primarily active at night. Black-footed ferrets have been
scarce since the fi rst one was discovered in 1851. They are thought to be extinct in Kansas, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service does not require ferret searches before colony treatment
in Kansas.

**Control methods**

Methods for reducing prairie dog populations or preventing increases include deferred grazing, shooting, poison baits, and burrow fumigants.Techniques such as providing predator attractants or hiding places, using visual barriers or live trapping have not been effective in reducing prairie dog
numbers. Use of vacuum devices or gas exploding equipment for destroying burrows are not legal in Kansas. Such practices have not been effective
in other states.

Deferred grazing

Research in Barber County, Kansas, has shown that prairie dog numbers can be reduced in mid-grass prairies by restricting grazing to September through April, which increases grass height. Deferred grazing on the short grass prairies of extreme western
Kansas has not been shown to decrease prairie dog numbers. Short duration or cell grazing instead of season-long grazing, may allow enough time for vegetation to grow tall enough to deter prairie dogs. Prairie dog control should include proper livestock stocking rates and other range management practices to prevent overgrazed conditions that serve as prime habitat for prairie dogs.

Shooting

Intensive rifl e shooting during the breeding season (February) has beenshown to disrupt prairie dog reproductive activities and prevent colonies from spreading. It is not likely that shooting prairie dogs will ever be
considered a successful eradication technique. Yet several landowners are able derive income from prairie dogsby leasing the opportunity for sportsmen to shoot prairie dogs on their land, which may offset forage loss due to prairie dogs. Black-footed ferrets.**3**as far down into the burrow as possible. Do not touch the tablets. Wear rubber gloves.
2. Using a nail or ice pick, punch fi ve or six holes in one end of the gas cartridge. Insert the nail part way and rotate it to loosen the contents, allowing the cartridge to burn more rapidly. After the fuse is inserted, lit and burning well, gently roll the cartridge as far down as possible.
3. After placing fumigant into the burrow, immediately plug the opening with a plug of sod placed grass side down or a sheet of newspaper. Then
cover the burrow with loose soil to form an airtight seal. Do not breathe
fumes. Take care not to cover and smother the fumigant. As a generalrule, fumigants will not give satisfactory control if the soil is dry.
4. Do not use aluminum or magnesium

phosphide until the soil temperature is greater than 45°F because it forms a gas too slowly to prevent prairie dogs from digging out.
Avoid using fumigants in burrows that are occupied by burrowing owls,which can be identifi ed by the presence of white droppings, pellets and feathers around the burrow opening.

Simply exterminating the prairie dog population will not return the range to good productive condition. Additional steps should be taken to rehabilitate evacuated dog towns. The mounds should be leveled with a land plane, blade or an offset disc set just above the ground surface to help the area of mounds revegatate faster. To allow the grass and root system to recover, it is
benefi cial to exclude livestock from the prairie dog town with an electric fence, defer grazing for at least onegrowing season, and possibly reseed the area with native grasses. By continuing good grazing management practices, the rancher can return therange area to a high level of productivity and make it diffi cult for other prairie dogs to become established.

Prairie dogs play an important role in the prairie ecosystem by creating unique islands of habitat in the wide expanses of the prairies. These habitats increase plant and animal diversity. Without these habitats, recreational opportunities for nature observers, photographers and the sporting public would be diminished. Most folks, 2. It gives more predictable results

than without prebaiting.
3. It is required by the label.

Apply prebait and bait on the edge
of each mound where the bare soil and grass meet – do not place on the top of
the mound or down in the burrow. Zinc phosphide is a relatively slow-acting
toxicant that can be absorbed in small amounts through human skin. Thesepoison baits are restricted-use pesticides, which require the applicator toobtain private or commercial certifi cation from the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

Application rate should not exceed1 heaping teaspoon (4 grams) per burrow when using 2 percent zinc phosphide oats or ZP Rodent Bait AG. For a typical town, about 1 ⁄ 3 pound of zinc phosphide bait per acre is required.Application of excess bait will not improve control but will increase the risk to non-target animals. Zinc phosphide baits are extremely hazardous to birds.

Do not apply zinc phosphide poison baits more than once per season because prairie dogs surviving the fi rst treatment usually become bait-shy. Do not breathe zinc phosphide dust or fumes, and avoid contact with skin. Wear rubber gloves. Because zinc phosphide is poisonous to all animals, it should be stored away from humans or pets. Apply treated bait only after all or most of the prebait has been eaten and only to burrows where the untreated bait was consumed, usuallytwo days after prebaiting. Zinc phosphide application is restricted to July 1 through December 31.

Chloraphacinone

Different label requirements apply if using Rozol® Prairie Dog Bait (24-C label), which contains the active ingredient chlorophacinone. Apply 1 ⁄ 4 cup (53 grams) of this product at least
6 inches down in the burrow.

This bait must not be applied above ground. Apply bait to active burrowsand use Rozol® only between October 1 and March 15. Prebaiting is not necessary. Rozol® Prairie Dog Bait is not a restricted-use pesticide. It is an anticoagulant bait, and small mammals will begin to die four to fi ve days after consuming a lethal dose.

Because the bait is applied in the burrow, there is little risk of birds consuming this product. If excessive prairie dog activity exists after 30 days, apply a second time following
the same directions. Follow label instructions when using any pesticide.

Collect and properly dispose of any dead animals found above ground. Some secondary hazards have beendocumented in predators and scavengers that have fed on animals killed with chlorophacinone.

When applied according to label
directions and the above recommendations, poison grain baits may reduceprairie dog numbers by about 90 percent. The presence of green grass, lack of prebaiting, poor weather conditions or moisture may hinder control. If better control is needed, follow poison bait with a fumigant.

**Fumigants**

Fumigants legal for prairie dog control in Kansas include gas cartridgesand aluminum or magnesium phosphide. Aluminum or magnesium phosphide emits a poisonous gas, while gas cartridges produce a suffocating gas made of carbon monoxide. Fumigants should be used only as a follow-up to poison grain baits because fumigants are expensive, diffi cult to apply andpose an extreme hazard to the blackfooted ferret and other desirable wildlife species that occupy the burrows. A permit from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks is required to use any burrow fumigant, and only
those certifi ed to use restricted-use pesticides can legally apply aluminumphosphide. Fumigation permit applications are available from the local KState Research and Extension offi ce.

Fumigants are most effective when soil moisture is good. It is only necessary to treat active mounds, and fumigation usually follows a baiting program when eradication is the goal. To identify active mounds, shovel, blade or place a dry “cow chip” over all holes three or four days before treatment. Treat only the holes that have been reopened by the prairiedogs. This procedure will greatly reduce the amount of fumigant needed.

Apply aluminum or magnesium phosphide and gas cartridges in the following manner:
1. Place two tablets or 10 pellets of

aluminum or magnesium phosphide**4** ranchers and wildlife enthusiasts alike, want healthy rangelands now and for
the future.

**Assumptions used to**

**calculate costs** Labor = $10/hour

ZP oats = $1.35/lb

Prebait oats = $0.30/lb

Rozol = $2/lb

Can treat 7 acres/hour when density is 10 burrows per acre

Can treat 5 acres/hour when density is 35 burrows per acre

Can treat 3 acres/hour when density is 70 burrows per acre
Can fumigate 25 burrows per
hour

Phostoxin = $0.06/tablet. Use three tablets per burrow

Brand names appearing in this publication are for product identifi cation purposes only. No endorsement is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar products not mentioned.

Publications from Kansas State University are available on the World Wide Web at: http://www.oznet.ksu.edu

Contents of this publication may be freely reproduced for educational purposes. All other rights reserved. In each case, credit Charles Lee, Prairie Dog Management , Kansas State University, March 2006. Charles Lee Wildlife Specialist

Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service

MF-2702 March 2006

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, as amended. Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts, and United States Department of Agriculture Cooperating, Fred A. Cholick, Director. Zinc phosphide

Rozol

Aluminum phosphide

Burrows per acre 10 35 70Dollars per acre 45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0 **Estimated prairie dog control costs (2005)**