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Before it was settled, most of Kansas 

supported 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 with 

domestic 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 populations 

have been reduced by increased cultivation of rangelands, organized control 

programs, and improved rangeland 

management. 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 in 

North 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 called 

prairie 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 a 

lookout 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 3 

miles and eat the same forage as livestock. This is why landowners want to 

manage populations.

Economic importance

Prairie dogs and their burrows serve 

as 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 for 

predators 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. Prairie 

dogs 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. Early 

diagnosis 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
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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 phosphide 

and 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 rangeland 

forage and livestock production depends on geographic location, rainfall, 

dominant grass species, and other factors. A variety of effects on rangeland 

vegetation have been reported: from 

no 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 been 

shown 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 dogs 

by leasing the opportunity for sportsmen to shoot prairie dogs on their land, 

which may offset forage loss due to 

prairie dogs.

Black-footed ferrets.
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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 general 

rule, 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 one 

growing season, and possibly reseed the area with native grasses. By 

continuing good grazing management 

practices, the rancher can return the 

range 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. These 

poison baits are restricted-use pesticides, which require the applicator to 

obtain private or commercial certifi cation from the Kansas Department of 

Agriculture. 

Application rate should not exceed 

1 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, usually 

two 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 burrows 

and 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 been 

documented 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 reduce 

prairie 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 cartridges 

and 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 and 

pose 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 aluminum 

phosphide. 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 prairie 

dogs. 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 
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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 70

Dollars per acre

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

Estimated prairie dog control costs (2005)