It is not the ranchers fault the range sucks!

[Idaho Ron]

I got into a argument with my dad. He is a card carrying liberal retired welfare farmer-rancher. I told him about the ranchers grazing through the winter. The areas I see are WAY over grazed. I showed him this picture it was in December.

He said the picture meant nothing. He said I would need to show him a picture of each month to show damage. I went back to the same area 6 months later. This is the picture.

My arguement was this area is in my sage grouse study area. I was hired to count the birds on the leks in this area. Where do the birds hide? Where do they raise their young? Where will the birds get winter food?
I told him the ranchers are supposed to be the "care takers" they are the ones with the most to loose, yet they do this. Now in this same area they want to expand the grazing to the "wilderness study areas" thanks to the Owhyee Initiative.
Dad said it is not the ranchers fault. It is the BLM biologist fault because they don't tell the rancher when they have over done it.
This is a picture of the wilderness study area that is close.

His idea is if they graze this area it will "help" the other areas. He also thinks if the cows are kicked off the deer and elk should be all removed. His idea is it is the deer, elk, and bighorn sheep that are the problem. The cattle are approved in the numbers that are there in his mind. So the problem is the "wild" animals. So if the cows are removed the "wild" animals also need to be removed.
I can't tell you how many fights this has caused. I am begining to think ALL ranchers think like him. He also thinks that there should be MORE cows. His reason is that cows crap. The bugs eat the crap, the grouse chicks eat the bugs. So more cows means more grouse. I am ready to change my last name and move to another area. Ron

 

[Ithaca 37]

Ron, I know how you feel. I believe most welfare ranchers are in complete denial about the harm they cause to wildlife habitat.

"Dad said it is not the ranchers fault. It is the BLM biologist fault because they don't tell the rancher when they have over done it." !!!!!

The ranchers claim they know what's best for the land! They argue and fight constantly with the BLM range conservationists about their recommendations for better range. Now your dad thinks ranchers, with all their education, experience and wisdom, need a BLM biologist to tell them when range is grazed down to the bare dirt?! BLM puts out many guidelines for grazing and the welfare ranchers consistently ignore them.

That's why I support Jon Marvel. The only way to get the attention of most welfare ranchers is to beat them over the head with a 2x4. Jon's doing a great job of it!

 

[1_pointer]

Ron-
I'm not saying the first set of pictures hasn't been overgrazed. But, what one must realize is that sagegrouse use much different habitat for leks than they do for nesting or brood rearing. A flat, open area is where you'll find leks. They like these areas because of the high visibility afforded to the 'dancing' males. I have read studies where hens will breed then move up to 5-6 miles away to nest. These areas are usually (ie preferably) ones with tall, older shrubs that have a pretty good grass cover below the shrubs. These are usually near brood rearing areas because the young chicks can't move far. Brood rearing areas are usually places with with lots of grass and forbs. Insects are attracted to the grasses/forbs which make up the majority of the chicks diets at this time. Just some FYI of what types of habitats that sage grouse need/use at different times for different reasons.

So, I'm not too suprised that the first photo is an area with leks. It's good for that. If the second picture was taken this year, try to get back there in late July as that should be close to the peak of grass growth. If it still looks like that, then I'd have to say something has to change. That change may not be totally removing the cows, it could just be changing when they are there. Season of use can and does make a HUGE difference. I've been collected data and monitoring a winter cattle allotment just this side of the ID border for the last 8 months. When I visited it in February right after the cows were taken off most all the grass was gone. Use ranged from 33% to 88% (a 52% average) depending on where and what grass species I was looking at. Now the only what you can tell what was grazed and what wasn't (there are nine exclosures on the allotment) is that there are dead seedstalks within the exclosures. I'm guessing that after the current years growth sets seed that you won't be able to tell much difference at all.

The last picture, do you know if that is a formally seeded area? Just from the picture it looks like it could be a crested wheatgrass seeding. Monocultures of crested aren't all that great either.

FWIW, I'd have to say your dad is 50% right as the BLM Range Specialist should know what is going on and if it's overgrazed should end the grazing season. However, the rancher is at fault as well IMO, as they can take them off at any time.

Just my $0.02 worth.

 

[Idaho Ron]

1-pointer, I realize that the lek areas are not brood areas. But the creeks and "wet" areas for the broods are in worse shape than the picture I showed you. Those areas for the most part are the south fork of cowedout cr. In the areas that sage is present. The grass undercover is gone. Sage grouse need sage but they also need other types of cover as well. I am quite aware of the requirements that the grouse need.
This area is so dry that we have hit the peak growth. From here on out it will just dry out. it is my opinion that the BLM is scared of the ranchers. They will not do anything to piss them off. Since the BLM is "cowed" by the ranchers they won't ask them to pull the cows off. Cows on the leks during the breeding time for the grouse is wrong. Over grazing is the ranchers fault. The BLM should also be held accountable. For anyone to think that the rancher just don't know when he is over grazing is WRONG. Ron

 

[Ithaca 37]

There have been many cases of ranchers and the Cattlemen's Association putting political pressure on the BLM to transfer employees to other districts when the employees start pointing out violations by ranchers. Any BLM employee who's been on the job for very long knows about these things happening. Where'd the last BLM director for Idaho get transfered to? Read this:

"..........To some critics of President Bush's environmental policies, Hahn's departure is part of a disturbing pattern. Several career land managers in the West have recently been ousted, they say, to satisfy local officials and ranchers, miners and off-road vehicle users who have complained the managers favor environmental interests too much in their approach to overseeing public land.

Hahn, though not a particular favorite of Idaho conservationists, had angered ranchers and members of the state's congressional delegation by restricting cattle grazing on some federal land in southwest Idaho.

The executive director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility calls Hahn's departure part of a "purge" and says she was removed at the behest of Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho. "The Idaho BLM is being run by Sen. Craig," Jeff Ruch says.........."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2002/03/11/usat-blm.htm

That's what the welfare ranchers do to BLM emplyees who try to do their job right.

 

[1_pointer]

Ron- From your description it sounds like something is not being done right and should then change.

IT- Don't post things like that, you're scaring me!

 

[Muledeer4me]

"There have been many cases of ranchers and the Cattlemen's Association putting political pressure on the BLM to transfer employees to other districts when the employees start pointing out violations by ranchers. Any BLM employee who's been on the job for very long knows about these things happening. Where'd the last BLM director for Idaho get transfered to? "


At least she got a transfer, compaired to what Jon Marvel and some of the greenie groups want to do to the rancher's, I have to say she got off easy.

I guess to understand the whole of it we would need to know what her attuide was in dealing with the rancher's and her precieved voilation's.
If it's anything like what we see comming out of the mouth of Ithaca,elkgunner & the Jon Marvel type's I think she most likly got what she deserved.

 

[Ithaca 37]

MD4M, It was front page news in Idaho for a few weeks when it happened and anyone who was paying attention knows what went on. Sorry you aren't aware of it. Go do a search and educate yourself.

 

[Ten Bears]

IDRON, unfortunately as with any user group, there are those that want to blame others for there problems (shoulda' told me, but woulda' complained to my congressman if you had crowd), and then there are those that want to be productive examples of solutions to the problem. Marvel represents the other extreme in this issue.

 

[Oak]

Ten, I never thought I'd hear you say Marvel is an example of a solution to the problem. You might just come around yet.

Oak

 

[Ten Bears]

I said:

Marvel represents the other extreme in this issue.

That comment had nothing to do with the solution comment, a completly seperate sentence. It however, did have everything to do with the problem.