The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-02-28
MADISON COUNTY
FIGHTS MACPIES
(From Montana state ColIegel

WARMERS, cattle men and sports
II men have Joined forces in Madi-
son county for the destruction of
their common enemy, the magpie, ac-
cording to H. N. Kaufman, county
agent. The bird appears to have be-
come an outcast from good bird So
ciety, and the hand of mar has been
raised against him. He is charged
with causing serious losses to stock
men at branding time in the spring
by obliterating brands and eating
holes in the sides of the cattle.
Where the birds are numerous
farmers claim hal chicken raising
may as we'll be abandoned because
of the high mortality ~occasioned
among the chicks and the destruc-
ton of eggs. Sportsmen have join
ed in the hunt because it 2xn3ars the
magpie is especially partial to the
eggs and young of game birds. Thus
it happens that in Madison county
last year some 10000 magpies were
killed in the various campaigns wag-
ed for their destruction.
There have been two general types
of campaign carried on against the
magpie in Madison county. One is
to kill the bird with poison bait and
the other is to destroy the eggs. Con-
siderable success has attended both
methods. 1t was found that poison
ing is best carried on in the winter
when other feed for the bird is scarce.
The poison bait used consisted of a
quarter ounce of strychnine thor
oughly mixed with two quarts of
melted tallow and lard, the tallow
oa1 lorI kainn r1ca6 in ohn1tf nnnn1
proportions. A little hood from a
beef or a hog makes the bait more
attractive. Every possible precaution
must be used in mixing the bait and
in placing it as it is a deadly poison.
1t is best to place the bait in holes
on the tops of barns and fence posts
and other high places where magpies
frequently light, but out of reach of
other animals. The use of meat as
a carrying agent for the ~strychnine
is cautioned against because it is like
ly to be dropped in places where dogs
or other animals may get 1t. Mag
pies that have eaten of the bait usu-
ally will die within a hundred yards
of the spot where the bait is located
and it is necessary to- remove the
dead bodies so that other magpies
will not be scared off.
An effective and desirable method
of control of magpies lies in the per-
sistent destruction of the eggs, adj
vises Mr.. Kaufman. The success of
this method of control depends very
largely upon the amount of enthus-
iasm that can be stirred up among
the young people as the work of To-
and going after the eggs is
very largely a boys job. In Madison
county a bounty of a CEN each for
and young magpies was offered.
This effort cost the community farm
bureaus and the Twin Bridges rod
and gun club, which organizations
offered the bounty, sixty dollars dur
ing the season of 1928 and accounted
for 5000 magpies. The Sheridan
rod and gun club joined in the effort
and offered prizes to the boys bring
ing in the greatest number of mag
pies and eggs. Approximately 1000
magpies were destroyed as a result of
this contest at a cost of $50 for pre-
miums.
Mr.. Kaufman suggests that COM
munities troubled with the maybe
will find both methods of control
worth trying and that if followed con-
sistently the trouble can be very eff
fectively handled 1t is advisable to
use every caution to prevent soaring
off magpies when the campaigns are
on, and, since the bird is very sus-
p~icious, this will require considerable
care. 1t was noticed in Madison
county that birds that were scared
off during the egg gathering season,
moved IN. to other places,
built a new nest and raised a second
brood of young. The members of the
second brood appeared on the scene
after the campaign was owe and thus
escaped.