Wildlife Damage Management (Mora County)

THE HIGH COST OF CONTROLING PRARIE DOGS AND SOME PEOPLE NOT WANTING TO CONTROL THEM ON THEIR PROPERTY MAKES IT VERY DIFFUCLT TO CONTROL THESE PESTS. SOME AREAS IN THE COUNTY ARE INFESTED. THE HAY FIELDS ARE NOT PRODUCING. EIGHT PRODUCERS USED VERYOUS METHODS TO TRY AND CONTROL THE PRARIE DOGS.

WLID LIFE DANAGE WORK CONTINUES IN THE COUNTY. PRARIE DOGS STILL POPULATE MANY AREAS, THEY CONSUME A LOT OF FORAGE IN THE HAY MEADOWS IN THE MORA VALLEYS WHERE OUR HAY CROPS ARE HARVESTED FOR SALE AND WINTER FEEDING. FOUR FARMERS HAVE USED THE RODEX 5000 AND 10 PRODUCERS WERE USING BAIT TO CONTROL OR ELEMINATE THE RODENTS. THE FARMERS BENIFIT BY INCREASED TONAGE AND HIGHER PROFIT MARGENS. I DO ON SITE DEMONSTRATIONS FOR PRODUCERS WITH EITHER THE RODEX OR BAIT METHODS WHICH HELPS THEM TO DO A BETTER JOB ON CONTROLING THE PRARIE DOGS.

Short, medium and long term objectives accomplished to date:
1) Farmers, ranchers, and Master Gardeners have been educated on contemporary practices to reduce or eliminate animal damage problems.
2) Research is currently being conducted on the Corona Range and Livestock Research Center to evaluate the impact of carnivore predation on wild ungulates as related to prey condition.
3) Approximately 250 certified pest control applicators were trained on the safe handling of pesticides used to control animal damage problems in 2007.

PRAIRE DOGS ARE A BIG PROBLEM IN MORA COUNTY. THEY INFEST THE IRRIGATED LANDS IN THE VALLEYS EATING THERE WAY THROUGH THE ALAFLA LEAVING VERY LITTLE FORAGE TO HARVEST FOR WINTER FEED. I WORK WITH PRODUCERS ON WAYS TO ERADICATE THESE PESTS . I WORKED WITH 17 DIFFERENT PRODUCERS THIS YEAR.

C. Skip Finley has signed on to support Wildlife Damage Management within Mora County.