The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1921-03-04
COMMISSIONERS
ARE FAVORABLE

one OF the county commissioners
mas acknowledged that the board
was rather hasty in consideration of
the prairie dog committees request
at the special meeting February 21,
pnt so absorbed was the board in
another important project of trying
10 devise ways and means for plac-
ing the county on cash basis that
nearly everything else was forgotten.
"Of course we realize that the in
roads the prairie dogs have made
into our country are serious said
the commissioner, "and thev should
be exterminated and thus eradicated
as soon as possible. These nests
mean great financial loss to our
people every year and cooperative
action is the best method of dispos-
ing OF them. You may rest assured
that the commissioners at the reg
ular March meeting will do every
thing possible in making available
some poison at least
There seems to be a disposition Of
every rancher and farmer to launch
campaign of determination against
the prairie dog menace. Several in
1uiries were made in Broadus the
past week for prairie dog bait but
none is available as yet. Several
from bait held over
from last year have poisoned many
prairie dogs the past two weeks.
1t is reported that residents of the
Stacey community are going to act
independent OF the county and will
pool their finances to buy the poison
at wholesale prices and
in addition will have A. L. Oman,
the expert from the STAGE college.
present to demonstrate the proper
mixture Of the poison and other in
gradients with oats to make the bait. !
For SlS7 sufficient poison, etc, may
be purchased at wholesale prices to
prepare 1850 pounds Of bait. Last
year strychnine purchased at retail |
prices in Miles City cost $3.50 an
ounce while at wholesale price now
it is $l.S3 an ounce. BY the farm
ers providing the oats. it is believed !
the cost TO them OF the bait will av-
erage between IL and 90 cents a
pound.
3. Cain OF BrOaius who has had
experience in poisoning
prairie dogs states that only good. |
clean oats should he used in the bait |
and that only about half teaspoon
full is necessary for each hole. The
bait should not be thrown into the |
hole, he states, but scattered around |
the entrance
The area of infestation of prairie |
dogs i'll this county is not confined |,
to any one certain section and in ,
some instances the towns are |
scattered and quite remote, but wher-
ever they get a start they increase I
rapidly and lay waste the land
Some profess the belief that any |
action taken now to launch concert |
ed campaign against the prairie dogs
would only mean loss of time and |
money. With other forage in sight. !!
such as green grass. the prairie dogs
are said to refuse the bait but take
IL 11ou!s osioie tIt venture dp-
PEAR S or late i'll the fall when they
are storing food away for the winter
However, shollu the commission
ers decide nEon an appropriation to
spend for poison it would he under
stood that the farmers and ranchers
would provide the necessary oats. !
Wheat is not used in tn e bait prep
aration for safety reasons. Birds |
and children are not so apt to eat
the poisoned oats as they would the
wheat mixture