, 1927-04-13
THE RETREAT OF
THE PRAIRIE DOG

]. :. 1. j. j. 4. J. !. + 1. + + = i. +
A. NJ. Day-Leader, Rodent Con-
troll, Biological survey University
of Wyoming.
Wyoming's early settlers found
the state already inhabited with a
barking, chirping population of
plains prairie dogs. Towns were
located every few miles over the en-
tire eastern portion of the state,
with the western border ranging
from Cheyenne northward to Sheri-
dan. Over this entire EASTERN por-
ton of Wyoming, millions of acres
of fine grass land were covered
with mounds, with the chirping
citizens taking practically all OF
the grass in their colonies. Some
colonies extended for miles. The
plains near Cheyenne were almost
solid prairie dog town. In Goshen
Hole, practically the entire basin
was infested with these animals.
Such was also true of the country
about Wheatland. In the northern
part of the state, Sheridan, Camp
bell, Crook, Johnson, Weston, Mo
brara, and Converse Counties were
heavily infested.
Another closely related species of
prairie dog ranges westward over
the state, with its eastern boundary
line extending from Laramie north
ward to Casper and into the Big
Horn Basin. This dog is known as
the white tailed or mountain spec
les. They do not group in colonies
as much as their eastern brothers,
but are more scattered and not so
destructive.
When Wyoming first became a
range state. the cattlemen realized
that great quantities of feed for
valuable domestic animals were
each year going to feed a worthless
pest. Various poison mixtures were
used in Kidding the ranges of the
dogs, with varying degrees of sue
cess. Several men started the bust
ness of poisoning the dogs, doing
the work for 25 to SO cents per
acre and contracting large areas
from the ranchers. This flourished
for several years, as the ranchers
knew it to be n Of the best means
of adding to the value of their
ranches.
In 1915 the U. S. Biological sur
vey came into Wyoming to assist
the ranchers. This department en-
ployed crew of men to systematic
a11u frnaf ;nfagfal fal1roI lo-l. IA
jacent to the large holdings of the
ranchers. Great acres were cleared
of the pests in Weston and north
er Niobrara Counties by this sys-
tenn. In 1918, a definite coopera-
tive agreement was entered into
with the Extension Service, a
branch of the State University. AS
a result of this plan, all County
Agricultural Agents in the State
have since that time carried the
prepared poison in stock In their
offices, and distribute it to any
who want it.
In 1928, a great step was taken
toward the systematic control of
these expensive rodent pests. The
State Legislature passed a law maxi
ing possible the formation of COM
pulsory poisoning units. This law
requires the petition of a majority
of the resident landowners in the
district, owning at least 35 per
cent of the decided lands. The
petition goes to the County Com
m~issioners, and when approved, the
district is financed by the County.
days notice is given each
landowner to do his poisoning
work. At the end of that time, a
County Inspector goes over the land
poisoning it If the dogs are not
already; killed, and charges the
costs against the land as taxes. |
The cost can not exceed Is cents
per acre of infested land, which
is 80 small that the work very
rarely meets an objection. BY this
system. the resident landowner is
given protection, because state, fed
eral and nonresident lands sur
him are treated at the
same time he is doing his own
work.
Districts for the control Of prair-
lie dogs have been in operation IN
Albany. Big Horn, Campbell, Crook
Converse. Goshen, Laramie, Mo
brara, Johnson and Weston coun-
ties since 1928. Many of these dis
tricts have been systematically
treated with poison and a final
clean up made with poison gas.
A final clean up is being made in
Goshen County this year, with the
aim of eliminating these pests from
the entire county. Laramie county
which once had thousands of acres
OF prairie dogs, now has but isola-
ted. scattered colonies. Niabrara
county has cleaned the dogs over
a district of about one-half million
acres. Such is also True in Sheri-
dan, Campbell, and johnson coun-