White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1934-08-30
(By County Agent w w. skuse)

Because of the very serious jackrab-
bit situation the County Extension
Office has received many complaints
from farmers who, in large measure
contend that the Biological Survey
hunters in denning coyotes were re-
moving natural enemy Of the jack
rabbits, with the result of damage to
crops and range. Mr.. Skuse, agricul-
tural extension agent, took the matter
up with John Finley, assistant district
agent, whose territory is central Wash
ington. Mr. Finley's letter covers the
subject so completely that it is felt
that every farmer whose crops, pas
lures, or ranges, have been injured be-
cause of the jackrabbits will be inter-
ested in reading it. The letter follows:
"The rabbit situation is probably the
worst there has ever been in the state.
However, am positive that controlling
coyotes has had very little if anything
to do with this condition. To save
coyotes to kill jackrabbits would be
just as logical as planting Jim FILL
mustard to control Russian thistle. The
black-tail jackrabbits made their en-
trance to the territory west Of the Col
umbia river during the winter of 1919
1919. There were probably not more
than a few hundred that crossed the
river on the ice in the heart of the
worst coyote country in the state. Had
coyotes been a factor in their control
these rabbits should have been killed
even before they reached their first
breeding season. However, living al
most exclusively in coyote territory,
they increased rapidly for the first ten
years, at which time they were doing
considerable damage from the south
ern borders of the state to as far north
as Badger Pocket in Kittitas county.
During the winter of 1928-1929 we con-
Quoted a very systematic poison cam
paign and most of the rabbits that we
did not kill with the poison died from
disease the next spring, so thus again
the population was reduced to a point
where, if the coyotes had been an i'm
portant factor, they could very easily
have handled the situation.
"a year ago this past winter the
funds for the predatory animal work
were exhausted with the result that
there were no coyotes taken from jan
| uary until after the first of July last
year. In spite of this the rabbits con-
tinued to increase. It has been my
personal observation that coyotes will
not eat black-tail jacks if other food
is available, and l am absolutely con-
hdent that more jackrabbits can be
killed with Is cents worth Of poison
than any coyote will take in his ma
tural lifetime.
Referring to incubation for con-
troll measures ! can state that there
never has been q virus produced that
has given any positive results at all
Because of the fact that man is slls-
| ceptible to all diseases caused by the
yiruses now on the market, it is a
| certainty that the government will
make no attempt to encourage their
use until such time as something that
is specific for rabbits has been dis
covered Most Of the viruses on the
market today are of the typhus OF
para typhoid forms. Several outbreaks
Of typhoid fever have been traced di-
rectly to their use.
"Jackrabbits are one OF the hazards
that all farmers on the edge of the
sagebrush must expect. If they are tc
make success they must be prepared
TO combat them in exactly the same
manner that the orchardists combat
the cooling moth and other orchard
pests. With the present methods Of
control it is possible for any territory
of several thousand acres to get al
most absolute control for not to ex.
coed 10 cents per acre. We are glad al
any time to demonstrate our methods
and help organize any district thai
is interested in starting a program.
"Our Spokane mixing plant was es'
tablished very largely for the conven.
fence of the people of this state, work
ing through the extension service. W.
have found that it is a great help ant
stimulus to the work if the agents
keep a supply of poison on hand fol
the various species of rodents The.
have to contend with. 1t keeps thu
County Agent in constant touch will
any group of farmers who are having
o rodent problem.
II have personally conducted rabbi
drives in Utah, Idaho and Washington
and while I do not feel they are econ
omical from the standpoint of control