FWP Approves First Prairie Dog Conservation Contract

[TheTone]

Is the thought of livestock breaking legs in holes even a real thing? If it was you would think you’d see all sorts of wildlife in prairie dog country gimping around also

 

[BrentD]

Is the thought of livestock breaking legs in holes even a real thing? If it was you would think you’d see all sorts of wildlife in prairie dog country gimping around also

No.

 

[shrapnel]

I’ve been doing some more reading and what I’m finding is that ground squirrels and prairie dogs are great for the wilder ecosystems. They aerate the soil and fertilize it and more.

Prairie dogs destroy the property they inhabit. They eat the grass to the roots, and a field with prairie dogs is ruined for any hope of agriculture or ranching. Even to look at a prairie dog field, there is nothing appealing to look at, the landscape is destroyed.

Even after they get wiped out from plague, the pasture is so destroyed, to reclaim it for anything but the worst of low lying weeds is nearly impossible. What prairie dogs do to the fields they live in, doesn’t enhance the ground for anything but those weeds and there isn’t anything for an antelope or other grazing animal to eat.

I love prairie dogs, but the places I shoot them, hate prairie dogs…

 

[TheTone]

Amazing people were ever able to farm or ranch the west since prairie dogs are native and were on the landscape before the west ever saw a plow or cow

 

[LuketheDog]

Is the thought of livestock breaking legs in holes even a real thing? If it was you would think you’d see all sorts of wildlife in prairie dog country gimping around also

We had ground squirrels where I grew up, not prairie dogs, but they still dug the big burrows in colonies. I knew several ranchers who'd had horses break legs, my buddy's dad raised and trained very expensive cutting horses and had several step in those holes with varying degrees of injury. He would buy us a 500-rd can of .22 and paid us $5 per tail when we were in middle school, we made some serious money on that deal...

 

[LuketheDog]

Prairie dogs destroy the property they inhabit. They eat the grass to the roots, and a field with prairie dogs is ruined for any hope of agriculture or ranching. Even to look at a prairie dog field, there is nothing appealing to look at, the landscape is destroyed.

Even after they get wiped out from plague, the pasture is so destroyed, to reclaim it for anything but the worst of low lying weeds is nearly impossible. What prairie dogs do to the fields they live in, doesn’t enhance the ground for anything but those weeds and there isn’t anything for an antelope or other grazing animal to eat.

I love prairie dogs, but the places I shoot them, hate prairie dogs…



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Yeah, but I'd rather see a field full of prairie dogs than hundreds of acres of new subdivision homes like we have around here. Seems people like to save critters in Colorado only until the wildlife gets in the way of their shiny new house.

 

[shrapnel]

Yeah, but I'd rather see a field full of prairie dogs than hundreds of acres of new subdivision homes like we have around here. Seems people like to save critters in Colorado only until the wildlife gets in the way of their shiny new house.

Me too! But isn’t that selfish?

 

[LuketheDog]

Me too! But isn’t that selfish?

Not selfish, I think it shows more empathy and deeper understanding of the natural world than most people have.

An anecdote from yesterday...I was driving my kid across town to a friend's house in Parker on a new, very busy 2-lane road at ~50mph. While rounding a corner, a Lexus two cars ahead of us slammed on her brakes and swerved sharply across the double yellow, forcing 3 oncoming cars onto the shoulder and those of us following her to also brake hard. I figured there was a piece of construction debris or something in the road, maybe a deer or cow. Nope! It was a young prairie dog with a death wish, good thing she nearly caused a 6-car pileup to save its life!! I somehow maintained my calm in front of the kids, but I did give her a dirty look as she pulled into her neighborhood that was a 500-acre prairie dog colony less than a year ago...the irony was rich.

 

[mtmiller]

Amazing people were ever able to farm or ranch the west since prairie dogs are native and were on the landscape before the west ever saw a plow or cow

We lost 3/4 of a billion acres of habitat due to that waskily pdog.

I have spent a few years of my career working on prairie dog towns and always heard the same story about cows and broken legs. Funny how every time I was told it hadn't happened to them, but they have a "neighbor". I never ran into that neighbor.

 

[WanderWoman]

We lost 3/4 of a billion acres of habitat due to that waskily pdog.

I have spent a few years of my career working on prairie dog towns and always heard the same story about cows and broken legs. Funny how every time I was told it hadn't happened to them, but they have a "neighbor". I never ran into that neighbor.

I’ve gone a$$ over teakettle a few times with my horse when she’s stepped in a hole (ground squirrel, badger) chasing cows, and we’ve either been really, really lucky or maybe horses are a little bit stronger/tougher than we give them credit for.

 

[TOGIE]

Not selfish, I think it shows more empathy and deeper understanding of the natural world than most people have.

An anecdote from yesterday...I was driving my kid across town to a friend's house in Parker on a new, very busy 2-lane road at ~50mph. While rounding a corner, a Lexus two cars ahead of us slammed on her brakes and swerved sharply across the double yellow, forcing 3 oncoming cars onto the shoulder and those of us following her to also brake hard. I figured there was a piece of construction debris or something in the road, maybe a deer or cow. Nope! It was a young prairie dog with a death wish, good thing she nearly caused a 6-car pileup to save its life!! I somehow maintained my calm in front of the kids, but I did give her a dirty look as she pulled into her neighborhood that was a 500-acre prairie dog colony less than a year ago...the irony was rich.

i drove into oncoming traffic on an empty rural two lane road this morning to avoid a turtle crossing the road. joke being it was an empty road.

nonetheless about a minute later i pulled a u and went back to make sure it made it across the road before someone less observant and empathetic drove through. it had.

sometimes i'm worried i'm like a half degree away from being a crazy cat lady. but, also told a CATs signature gatherer at NCAR last weekend to shove it. so i dunno

 

[SAJ-99]

I love prairie dogs,

You described them in a way that makes them sound a little more destructive than tactical nuclear weapons and then drop this nugget at the end. I guess I'm saying I'm a little skeptical.

 

[LuketheDog]

i drove into oncoming traffic on an empty rural two lane road this morning to avoid a turtle crossing the road. joke being it was an empty road.

nonetheless about a minute later i pulled a u and went back to make sure it made it across the road before someone less observant and empathetic drove through. it had.

sometimes i'm worried i'm like a half degree away from being a crazy cat lady. but, also told a CATs signature gatherer at NCAR last weekend to shove it. so i dunno

I've saved a few turtles over the years...

 

[shrapnel]

You described them in a way that makes them sound a little more destructive than tactical nuclear weapons and then drop this nugget at the end. I guess I'm saying I'm a little skeptical.

Where did i describe it to be worse than tactical nuclear attack?

 

[SAJ-99]

Where did i describe it to be worse than tactical nuclear attack?

Let's just say your explanation of PDs on their environment was a bit hyperbolic.

 

[shrapnel]

Let's just say your explanation of PDs on their environment was a bit hyperbolic.

You haven’t seen many prairie dog towns have you?

 

[SAJ-99]

You haven’t seen many prairie dog towns have you?

I have seen a lot. I don’t judge everything by what I see. Regardless, it’s not the point. You love watching prairie dogs explode when you shoot them with a high powered rifle. It’s fine. To each their own. But own it. Stop making up stories about how a key-stone species is bad for the environment to justify blasting away.

 

[shrapnel]

I have seen a lot. I don’t judge everything by what I see. Regardless, it’s not the point. You love watching prairie dogs explode when you shoot them with a high powered rifle. It’s fine. To each their own. But own it. Stop making up stories about how a key-stone species is bad for the environment to justify blasting away.

You make up your story, I will stick to mine…

 

[mtmiller]

Here is my opportunity to crowbar in the importance of a keystone species.

Hopefully some enjoy the story.

The Banded Burrowing Owl | Bureau of Land Management

www.blm.gov

 

[Hammsolo]

Prairie dogs destroy the property they inhabit. They eat the grass to the roots, and a field with prairie dogs is ruined for any hope of agriculture or ranching. Even to look at a prairie dog field, there is nothing appealing to look at, the landscape is destroyed.

Even after they get wiped out from plague, the pasture is so destroyed, to reclaim it for anything but the worst of low lying weeds is nearly impossible. What prairie dogs do to the fields they live in, doesn’t enhance the ground for anything but those weeds and there isn’t anything for an antelope or other grazing animal to eat.

I love prairie dogs, but the places I shoot them, hate prairie dogs…



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I’d love to have had the privilege to see these habitats sans humans. Jump in the “fantasy machine” to see what it would be like?