Plague!!!!

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Mr. Harley
Sikander - DO NOT KILL PLAUGE INFESTED PRARIE DOGS IN YOUR YARD - IT CAN INFECT YOU. Prarie dog fleas prefer prarie dogs. Fleas however immediately leave a corpse once it starts cooling. You now end up with plague carrying fleas in your yard. This definitely falls into the category of a NOT A GOOD IDEA.

Thanks for the warning. I am aware of this and dispose of the bodies immediately. While it is risky to kill the dogs on my property it is imo even riskier to let them settle there permanently.

[Playful]

Originally posted by Sikander


I've been using a pellet rifle, which is probably less powerful but more accurate.

Are pellet guns as silent as sling shots? If they are being protected they might get you caught! Besides What a thrill to actually plug one with a more primitive weapon

[Mr. Harley]

Prarie Dogs get a bum rap. First, the claims of crop damage came out in a pseudo-documentary in the 20's or 30's without any science behind it. They used anecdotal statements from farmers who didn't like the "little varmints".

Prarie dogs are guilty of one thing - they do make it harder to mechanically cultivate a field. So do groundhogs, for the same reason. The claims of breaking a horses leg are also anecdotal - it turns out that people can't actually document the claims, i.e. like wolf attacks.

Their damage to regular crops is minimal - not nonexistant, but much less than the insects, etc. that really do the damage. It turns out that cattle PREFER to graze around prairie dog towns because there are fresh young shoots, both due to the parie dogs keeping the prarie environment clipped short, and the fact that their burrowing turns over the soil, bringing mineral nutrients up from below the plant roots.

Wildlife biologists have done some fascinating studies on them in modern times. All that aside, plague infested prarie dogs need to be eradicated. I'm a conservationist, not an environmentalist. I believe in stewardship of the land - that does not include getting infected by plague.

[Japher]

^knows way too much about prarie dogs

[Mr. Harley]

I love biology - and don't get into sports. I could say the same thing about sports buffs and their chosen disease.

[Jon Shafer]

Originally posted by Sikander
In Boulder it did get stopped. They've bent over backward for the animal rights lobby ever since the whole Sierra Club slate (ie very liberal dems) won election to the city council. Since then the prairie dogs have worked their way from the vast open spaces in the city and county into places where humans should be able to feel safe from things like the plague, like their own private property and the city soccer fields etc.

I used to live east of Denver and there were tons of them out there. I think the same thing happened there. That area is being built up so fast though I'm sure plenty of them have seen the grim reaper for that reason alone. I used to have a field on 3 sides of me... today that whole area is a ton of houses and condos.

[MOBIUS]

We had some Anthrax just up the road a couple of days ago...

[Japher]

nice avatar

[Vince278]

Unique. Is that a tatoo?

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Trip

I used to live east of Denver and there were tons of them out there. I think the same thing happened there. That area is being built up so fast though I'm sure plenty of them have seen the grim reaper for that reason alone. I used to have a field on 3 sides of me... today that whole area is a ton of houses and condos.

I have no problem with Prairie dogs per se, I'd just like to keep them off of my property and would rather take care of business in whatever way is the most efficient. According to the law here in Boulder I'd have to "relocate" the prairie dogs from my property at great cost (over $10 per rodent). And that assumes that the removal company can find somewhere to put them. As they are coming on to my property from the infested colony in the open space by my house I may have to do this regularly. Not too many property owners are keen on increasing their supply of prairie dogs it seems.

Imo the city council should protect the humans that make up its constituency over the prairie dogs, and I would extend that to city properties such as the soccer fields which are purchased and maintained at city expense. If they leave plague-infested colonies in areas surrounded by private homes they are going to see pets and eventually even humans get infected. If they continue to let the prarie dogs expand on to sports fields, people are going to break their ankles in the burrows.

[Urban Ranger]

You are correct to some extent. Though, in many cases, it is us humans who have been pushing into the habitats of wildlife. As a result we have been coming into frequent contacts with them critters.

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Playful


Are pellet guns as silent as sling shots? If they are being protected they might get you caught! Besides What a thrill to actually plug one with a more primitive weapon

No they are not as silent as slingshots, there is a "pop" of medium loudness. I'm pretty familiar with the wrist rocket from childhood. We used to launch fire crackers (among very many things) with them for fun. The reason that I'm using a pellet gun is more ethical. I stand a much better chance of a clean kill with the pellet gun than with a wrist rocket. Neither the prairie dog nor I want to be in the situation that we are, so it's easier on both of us if I send him on his way as humanely as possible.

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
You are correct to some extent. Though, in many cases, it is us humans who have been pushing into the habitats of wildlife. As a result we have been coming into frequent contacts with them critters.

Indeed. The prairie dog is making a comeback in this area. Unfortunately no one wants them around themselves personally. They are one of those species that are great in theory. I'm used to the deer eating my lilacs, the occasional coyote or fox running through the yard, the racoons fighting in the sewers or rumaging through the dumpsters. I'm happy that the mountain lion is doing well in this area, though I could do without them making forays into town. I don't mind if prairie dogs live in multitudes on the vast open spaces around this town. But they are both a danger and a nuisance living in such close proximity to human beings.