Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1910-08-10

ly SUCCESSFUL III IlOuIuS oClCSI-
ed areas of these small pests, and
plans are now being made to carry on
the work much more widely next year.
The first experiments in this line
were made in New Mexico by stock
man who has since entered the forest
service. In 1901, DIR. G. Hart Mer-
riam, chief of the division of biological
survey of the department of agricul-
ture, made a report upon "The Prairie
Dog of the Great Palms." in which
the damage done by the dogs was
pointed out, and various methods of
poisoning them were suggested. This
report of Doctor Merriam's may be
said to have blazed the way for prac-
teal work in prairie dog extermina-
ton
Prairie dogs are very obnoxious to
the stockmen, for they devour much
grass and undermine the surface Of
the ground with their burrows. Where
they establish themselves the destruc-
ton of the range is only question
Of time.
Range improvement in national for
ests is one of the chief objects of reg
uIating the grazing. For this reason
the forest service is leaving no stone
unturned to prevent range deteriora-
ton. Stockmen who had suffered
heavily from the prairie dog pest were
solicitous to have the work taken up,
and gladly offered to cooperate with
the service in furnishing men and
horses to distribute the poison.
To ascertain what success could be
had in Kidding considerable areas of
the pest, selection was made of parts
of the Leadvi1le and Pike national for
ests, which were badly infested. The
region in these forests upon which the
dogs were located aggregated 800
square miles or more. In order to
demonstrate the effectiveness of the
work, an area of some 60 or 70 thou
sand acres Of actual dogtown was Sc
lected for the test. From so to 80
per cent. Of the dogs were killed with
the first distribution of the poison. 1t
will be necessary to go over the ground
a second time and by sporting" the
occupied holes the remaining dogs will
easily be killed with a very small
amount of the poisoning material. The
average cost per acre for the poison
ing material was only one and one
half cents, and even then it was found
that more material had been used
than was necessary.
The poison is prepared by coating
wheat with a preparation of strych-
nine, cyanide of potassium, anise oil
and molasses. When sufficient guam
tity is ready, the poisoned wheat IS
carried to the field of operations.
There the stockmen supply men and
horses, the wheat is given out to the
riders, and distribution begins.
Each rider carries the wheat in a
tin pail supported by gunny sack
slung across his right shoulder and
hanging at his left side. His left
hand is free for the reins. With his
right hand he uses tablespoon to
measure out the poison and drop 1t
near the entrance of the holes. A lit
tie practise enables the men to drop
the wheat while keeping their horses
at sharp trot. BY crossing the town,
to and fro, like man sowing grain
they can cover a large area in a sur
prisingly short time.
The action of the poison is almost
instantaneous. Most of the prairie
dogs In town are dead within an
hour or two after the bait is dropped
The work is considered to have dem
onstrated the entire feasibility of fight
ing the prairie dogs in this way. Il