Prairie dog control

[passin thru]

http://9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGNAME=KUSA&IKOBJECTID=6a4ccf2b-0abe-421a-0190-9a186b3083ec&TEMPLATEID=0c76dce6-ac1f-02d8-0047-c589c01ca7bf


FORT COLLINS - The Division of Wildlife Commission is addressing requests made by farmers to use a device called The Rodenator to protect their properties from pests.


"I use next door to two or three thousand prairie dogs," said Lester Mundy, a cattle rancher from Trinidad.

Mundy said he knows how devastating a prairie dog town can be to farmland. "It's almost like a desert. There's nothing there except female prairie dog holes. They keep the vegetation down to practically nothing."

Thursday, Mundy went to Fort Collins to talk to the Wildlife Commission to ask them to approve the use of The Rodenator. It's a device which pumps a mixture of propane and oxygen into prairie dog holes. Then, a spark ignites an explosion, killing them.

"It's effective. It gets them for sure," Mundy said.

He used the device while working on a farm in New Mexico where it's legal. "Works very well," he said.

"This is another terrible weapon for the destruction of wildlife. It's effectively a bunker buster," said Deirdre Butler, wildlife chair for the Sierra Club.

Butler says the use of The Rodenator is cruel. "Our concern is, it would also be killing associated co-habiting species, such as burrowing owls and swift foxes," she said.

However, Mundy insists that using The Rodenator is better for the environment. "If you use poisons of various kinds and so on, you've left something in the ground to go on for other things," he said.

At least one Wildlife Commissioner agrees. "I think it is a good tool for agriculture," said Rick Enstrom.

He thinks it's a better control of gophers than for prairie dogs, but supports its use, nonetheless. "These folks are having a hard time making a living. We're seeing farmers going down with the drought," Enstrom.

The Sierra Club said this option should be avoided at all costs. "There are other methods, more humane of achieving animal control," said Butler.

The Wildlife Commission will vote on the issue at its Sept. 8 meeting in Gunnison. If passed, farmers will then be able to use the device.

 

[Denny]

A freind of mine has one he uses for gophers sounds like it works real well

 

[sw]

We bought one about 5 years ago, it does work, but we have been afraid of using it very much because it is so dry. You can torch off a hole and see flames come up in another hole sometimes quite aways away. It makes the ground shake. On gophers (Richardsons ground squirrels), you can really get a good kill by poisoning the holes and then go back a couple weeks later and blast any active holes. Its not as fun as shooting them but its still a BLAST :wink:

 

[greg]

Have product that has worked for years on goph's...called a gun

 

[the_jersey_lilly_2000]

It's my understanding that this method has been in use for years......LOL just takes some longer than others to see that it works, and "approve" of it.

 

[DOC HARRIS]

The Sierra Club said this option should be avoided at all costs. "There are other methods, more humane of achieving animal control," said Butler.

This is the same BLATHERING, SNIVELING, WHIMPERING, LIMP-WRISTED, CHIN-QUIVERING, TREMBLING BULL PUCKEY that the Liberal Left-Winger Dems consistently attempt to shove down the public's throat - BUT - they NEVER, I say-NEVER - propose a solution of their own to ANY problem with which our country is faced that has a thread of sense or logic to it. There is always a "better way" to do it - but THEY certainly don't know how to handle it OR - DO it! They are willing to let any negative occurrance proceed to the ultimate destruction of businesses, families, ideas, services, products, advancement in technologies, - ANYTHING - just don't hurt the Snail Darter, or the Spotted Stinkin' Owl, or the California 'buzzie' Fruit Fly, - - or, for Pete's Sake, don't let the poor uninformed Idiot Whales 'beach' themselves - or NO - we must 'join hands' and heave their fat carc-ASSES back into the 'surging seas and rolling waves' to become "One with Nature"! but do they ever profess an intelligent idea of their OWN?? Why - - of course NOT! The only words they know are, "NO" and "It's not FAIR" and "Well - - - -in the FIRST place - -" and "- - - They have as much right to live as YOU do! - -"

What a collection of useless clap-trap!

DON'T GET ME STAR- - -!!

DOC HARRIS

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Come on Doc tell us how you REALLY feel. :cowboy:

 

[katrina]

Yeah doc, You need to clear the air...

 

[TravisO]

I used this method this summer trying to kill off 3 or 4 prairie dog towns. The boss and I actually got terrible results. If anyone has any suggestions about what we did wrong please let me know.

Thanks fer yer time,
Travis

 

[Happy go lucky]

This device is not legal in all states and as others suggested risk of fire makes it a hazard. Pre bait and baiting durring dormant grass periods still the cheapest and most effective method for most western dog towns.

 

[TXTibbs]

Talked to a feller down here that says he gits rid of his prairie dogs by putting bubble gum down the holes. Guess they eat it and it blows the little buggers up or somthin. He always has a can of that double bubble or whatever the econo size thing they sell at SAMS.

 

[Happy go lucky]

Bubble gum is a myth for P dogs as they eat plant material, I know of a few that bought a butt load of bubble gum and did nothing and then I guess why would it unless you can get legume flavored LOL.