The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1923-02-02
Check Predatory Animals.

| uDle TO cope WIFI Tie SituutiOn NHtll-
ever the forest rangers note that the
| predatory animals are causing heavy
| damage, professional hunters are sent
| to destroy them. The losses due to
disease and accident and miscellane-
Gus causes could be substantially de-
creased if more herders were employed
by the owners. Under conditions which
obtain on the national forest ranges
one or two herders could handle from
five hundred to a thousand cattle with
out particular difficulty. On the same
scale that it pays to herd sheep on the
government ranges it also is profit
able to herd cattle and, potentially,
permittees probably will come to this
decision Of their own accord.
Poisonous plants-and particularly
larkspur-are responsible annually for
large losses of live stock throughout
the western states. There is only one
effective system of Kidding the ranges
Of larkspur. and that Is to grub the
plants out season after season until
finally the range will be free of this
Objectionable growth.
The experiences OF certain rancher
whose range abuts one of the Califor
MIA national forests, and who, under
the supervision of the United States
forest service, has been waging a win
ning fight against iarkspur during the
last four years, are illuminative in this
regard. After careful trial and study
Of the control methods and the results,
his stockman is enthusiastic about the
Efficiency of the plan and he urges ev.
~v other rancher or stockman who
I'D range to give the system
Of eradication a thorough and Impair
tial trial.
Ideal Pasturage Infested.
In this instance the larkspur was
prevalent in large amounts on range
where the grazing was otherwise excep-
tionally good. The infested area was
on a side hill where seepage from
spring near the top of the hill pro-
vided plenty of moisture, so that the
grass was unusually luxuriant at all
times during the grazing period. The
rancher had to have q herder with the
cattle constantly. in order to keep
athem off the larkspur-infested area.
Not only did he lose the use Of excel
lent range, but he also was under ex-
ira expense to protect his cattle from
the poisonous plants. During the 1913
grazing season he lost ten steers.
which, despite the efforts of the herder,
trespassed on the larkspur area and
succumbed to the poisoning which re-
suited. The following season, under
similar conditions, "a head of valuable
range cattle were poisoned. The next
year only five steers died from lark
spur poisoning, while the following
year the mortality aggregated eighteen
head. In 1917 the larkspur eradication
campaign was instituted, and as con-
sequence of the work Of that season |
the cattle losses were curtailed to only |
five animals. The next year the work |
was continued and not single case of |
steer mortality from larkspur poison
ing occurred. In 1919 only two steers
died, while last year the mortality also
was limited to two animals. Recently |
the larkspur area of the range has
been grazed by band Of 1000 sheep.
One Hundred Acres Grubbed.
The first season about one hundred
lcres of range were grubbed, the poi
sonous plants being eradicated with
arkspur picks and scattered In ex-
posed places to dry in the sun. One
pA,t1d HiO |
otal cost Of grubbing the one hundred
lcres the first year amounted tc
450.30. an average of $3.50 an acre j
The losses of cattle were reduced
rom 1S head the year before to head
he following season. The saving OF
3 head Of cattle was directly due t.
he larkspur eradication work. Esti
hating these steers worth $50 apiece
saving of $3.50 resulted, which paid
II the expense of the grubbing ant
sft balance of S199.70 to the credit
the work. The following season the
lnge carried so more head of cattle
$ n result Of the decrease In tn, |
mount and severity of the larkspul
Election. t
In passing, it is worthy of mention
lat the larkspur picks are made from
Urinary surface picks by drawing out
he point to a chisel form about two. (
ches wide, while the other point is 6
In a diamond shape. Gen.
ally pruning shears and small hand =
1es are used in cutting out the brush l
I'd trees which obstruct the access of
e workmen to the larkspur Ordi- +
lrily an average workman can grub
1t from seventy to eighty larkspur :,
ants an hour. The last two seasons 1
e grubbing work has been continued, <
e chief attention being devoted to q
w areas, as the original one hundred !,
res are now practically free Of any