How the fight to save a bird species shows how to bridge the red/blue divide

[Ben Lamb]

antler, the sage hens here in Reg. 6 are doing very well also, this spring/summer/fall is the best numbers I have seen in years. Hopefully this birds we have now are immune to West Nile.

To those who doubt the raven issue, google it. "impact of ravens on sage grouse", even the Audubon Society has a page on the negative impact....

Think about it...1080(the gift that kept on giving) was outlawed and we see a decline in sage grouse numbers....coincidence? I think not.

1080 was banned because it was killing vast numbers of animals and poisoning water. Raptors, etc were dying and 1080 was one of the main culprits behind eagle populations being to the point of listing. Let's not re-litigate an issue where we think putting large amounts of poison out is a good idea. It's not.

Ravens & magpies are nest raiders on all bird species, not just sage grouse. Funny thing is, ravens & magpies weren't in big numbers in the 70's - 90's due to lack of habitat disturbance. The more we develop and use, the more we create space for them.

You & I agree that we need to use science to guide wildlife management. The two things you're promoting - poison & predator control - are not backed up by the science of grouse conservation, or good land management practices.

Livestock isn't really a threat to grouse. Roads, poorly designed development and conversion of sage brush habitats to cropland are. The bird needs large swaths of sagebrush habitat in order to thrive. The more we chip away at it, the more likely we are to lose birds, bulls, bucks and other species. Over 350 species, in fact, of flora and fauna, that depend on sagebrush ecosystems.

The IM's that Secretary Buster issued over the Christmas break put us closer to a listing because of his reluctance to actually conserve public lands rather than gift them to his donors and industry buddies. If that bird gets listed due to his malfeasance, our way of life will be severely hampered because he'd rather pay back donors than actually help the west.

 

[antlerradar]

Ben. There was a bounty on magpies in the past Not sure about ravens. The biggest reason however for lower magpie numbers is ranchers no longer use Worbex (Can not remember the exact spelling) for parasite control. Magpies would absorb the Worbex through their feet. Magpie landed on cow after Worbex treatment and it was dead. We sure don't need to go back to Worbex and 1080, But to try to deflect away from their effect on predators and the resulting effect on sage grouse. I am not getting the reason for that.
As for habitat. I would bet that in most of eastern Montana the habitat is far less disturbed now than in the 70's. Would not surprise me if there is more sage brush now than in the 70's.

 

[Eric Albus]

Ben, I'm not saying that we can bring the gift that kept on giving (1080) back....just sayin' it wouldn't hurt sage grouse, antelope, jack rabbit, or mule deer populations.

antler, have you noticed a sage brush die off? In SE MT where I outfit I have noticed a lot of sage brush and grease wood having large portions of the plant die off, then begin regenerating the following year/years.

 

[mtmiller]

Habitat loss.....there is so little habitat lost to development in most of the west that it is a non-factor(at least in NE ....).

You should pull up a couple layers in GE.

Look at the "historic range" (Wentland) east and west of the PHMA in north Valley and where the current active leks are located.
East of the PHMA land conversion is apparent, as well as no leks.
If you have a surface well layer, pretty interesting how that compares with active leks west of the PHMA.

I agree, the last couple years, leks have been doing well in Valley, south of 2. Is that the same for birds north of 2?

 

[Eric Albus]

I don't spend much time north of 2. I have heard from neighbors that they are seeing decent numbers of sagies.

Where I spend a lot of time anymore is in Reg. 7 south of Miles City, and the sage grouse there are doing excellent.

 

[antlerradar]

Another thing about magpies, crows and ravens. They are opportunist but the main way they make a living is by cleaning up the scraps left by larger predators. It is only logical that if there are more coyotes, lions, bears and other predators that the population of magpies, crows and ravens would also increase.

 

[mtmiller]

I suggested to FWP many years ago that Sagies migrate, was scoffed at, but then, low and behold, a few years later FWP put tracking devices on the birds in the winter down along Ft. Peck Lake....in the spring they flew back to South Sask.. Cost them a lot of $$ to find out what I told them for free, but I don't have a biology degree.

I don't spend much time north of 2. I have heard from neighbors that they are seeing decent numbers of sagies

My bad. Since you live right there and advise FWP on GSG habitat use in the area, I assumed you would have some trends. Good to hear your neighbors are seeing decent numbers.

Habitat loss.....there is so little habitat lost to development in most of the west that it is a non-factor(at least in NE and SE Mt).

Here is a screen shot for NE MT. "Blue" polygon is PHMA and everything on the map is historical GSG habitat. I did not include the active leks for obvious reasons, but trust me, nearly all of them are within the PHMA. I did not include land status as it just complicates what I am attempting to illustrate. Might be of interest to some.