The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1903-03-12
PRAIRIE DOGS ARE SHY.
In Parts of Texas They are a Pest,
and Legislative Action is Needed.

(Austin, Tex, letter to st. Louis
Globe Democrat -Another effort is
to be made at the coming session of
the legislature to secure state aid in
exterminating the prairie dogs which
infest a large section of the state and
have wrought heavy losses to farmers
and ranchmen. A measure providing
ways and means for eradicating the
pest at the expense of the state was
introduced at the last session of the
legislature, but was defeated through
the ridicule of the members from the
eastern part of the state, which is out
side Of the prairie-dog territory.
An appropriation of $4,000 was
made by the legislature II years ago
to pay for prairie dog scalps. At that
time no practical means had been
found for poisoning the little animals
and many professional hunters who
were c--pert marksmen went into the
prairie dog regions thinking they
could make a great deal Of money kill
ing the dogs for the scalp bounty 1t
did not take these hunters long to
learn that about the hardest animal
to hit in the country is the prairie
dog. 1t is wise little creature and
moves with lightning raridity. The
dogs live in colonies and a regular
system is observed in posting sentin-
els on the hillocks surrounding the
holes while other members of the
coloney are feeding Warning is CIV
en- by these vigilapt sentinels at the
first presence of danger and almost
instantly every absent member of the
coloney disappears in the holes and
absolute stiffness takes the place Of
the activity that was to be observed
on the surface of the ground only a
moment before. 1t is almost impossi-
Die to hit one Of the willy animals with
bullet, and cowboys and other
plainsmen who know their habits will
not waste ammunition on them.
George w. Savage, Of Dye, Monta-
que county, who is a members of the
state senate, is here to attend the
coming session of the legislature. He
says that he has prepared a bill which
he will introduce in the lawmaking
body giving authority to the people
of that section of the state which is
infested with prairie dogs to create
local districts for levying tax, the
fund thus obtained to be expended
in exterminating the pest in that par
ticular district
This is the only practical way that
1 know for getting rid of the prairie
dogs" Senator Savage said. II have
submitted the matter to a number of
farmers and ranchmen who are deep
iy interested in the subject and the
proposed measure meets with their
approval. Considerable good has been
accomplished oy individual ranchmen
and farmers in exterminating the pest
by means of poison, but no lasting
benefit can be obtained unless con-
certed action is taken, as otherwise
the animals establish colonies on land
adjoining that On which they have
been eradicated and there is very lit
tie, if any, decrease in their ravages
on the latter property.
"The farmers and stockmen of the
northwestern part of the state have
suffered many hundreds of thousands
of dollars loss in the aggregate from
the depredations of the prairie dogs.
They have during the past season
destroyed fully so per cent of the
grass in some counties and it is i'm
possible for the farmers to make
any Roadway where the little animals
have colonies. They have a way of
establishing colonies in the most
promising fields of growing wheat
and whenever they do it is not long
until the grain is wholly destroyed"