Varmint shooting in Central Wyoming (Casper, Jackson: transfer, inspection, compensation)

[Earniefan]

My ancestor's were farmer's who lived through the dust bowl, etc. They still use only what they need, don't waist a single thing, and make due with what they have. Are you saying that only Native American's care about the earth, etc.? Have you been on a reservation lately??

[shadowwalker]

I'd like to add here. There is a type of prarie dog that is PROTECTED. I didn't mean to shout, but I seen a town of Silver Tailed Prarie Dogs. Wiped out southeast of Rocksprings in the late 1970's. And there is still a few towns. Also please make sure that your not shooting up the towns of prarie dogs that the Black Footed Ferret is surviving on. The only town that I know of is the one north of Medicine Bow. I am sure there are more. The WFG has signs on the roads leading into dog towns stating this.
I think the name of the protected prarie dogs is silver tailed, but don't hold me to that. The WFG can tell you better.
The best way to tell them apart, I used to be amazed at how much bigger they were than regular black tailed prarie dogs.

[CelticLady1]

Originally Posted by sunsprit

Hey, libertarian4life ... try thinking a little bit outside of the box.

These little family oriented varmints dig up my alfalfa fields, tear up my pasture ... and are responsible for a lot of damage to my equipment and risk to my horses and other livestock.

The next time a horse of mine steps in or through a 'dog hole ... I'll not be thinking kind thoughts about people who love these critters. Any of my horses is worth a lot more than a million of these pests.

By the way, they are carriers of infectious diseases which can cause a lot of livestock or human losses. Personally, I don't like the odds of dealing with a plague outbreak on my ranchland ... or my neighbors.

Based upon your comments, I suspect you're really not a libertarian, a hunter, pro-hunting, or have hunted wild game at all to put meat on the table. You apparently think it's adequate to put a label upon yourself and we'll all be thinking on the same page.

You can talk all the "game" you want about hunting, but the proof is watching how you handle your horse and yourself on the ranch.

If you'd ever been in serious ranching and farming country, you'd know that prairie rats are destructive and a serious drain on the economics and livlihood of the area ... and allowing hunters to remove them for "sport" is a lot more cost effective and efficient than calling the folks with the vacuum truck or the smoke bombs or whatever to try to keep the population down.

I couldn't have said this better, myself. Although I have lived in Florida for a number of years, I grew up in Wyoming. Two different areas, Star Vally, and Pavillion. In P-ville, we had a small ranch, and we were always doing "battle" with those prairie dogs! Yeah, they're cute, in a furry kind of way, but they were always trouble. You had to be careful where you rode your horse, so they didn't step in a hole. You had to cross your fingers that your cows had enough sense to stay away from the "towns". They tore the hell out of the roots of any grass or crops, etc., that you might be trying to grow. You had to be cautious about any diseases they might be carrying. Our .22 got used a great deal. And, if my husband and I get our chance to move back West, you can bet it will again.

On a related note, a few years ago, I went into a local pet store, and to my utter surprise, they were selling the dang things! I couldn't believe it! All I could think was, "What idiot moron, (redundant, I know), would spend money on these things?" All these silly people were standing around cooing at the "dogs", how cute they were, etc. So, I made a few pithy remarks about them, (mostly the dogs, but also about people, in general, who buy them). I don't know if they still sell them in pet shops now, or not, because I haven't seen them in a very long time. People are nitwits!

[CelticLady1]

Originally Posted by Yellowstone

They are not "varmints", but are intelligent, family oriented and have a right to live without someone killing them for fun.

Family oriented??? Is that why they eat a wounded family member alive whenever they get a chance?

Ahh, have you seen that, also? I know I have! If that's family oriented, I'd best keep on eye on mine, (especially my husband. Bless his heart, he hasn't been allowed to eat, all day yesterday, and through today, as he is having some medical procedures done).

[Earniefan]

Very well put Sunsprit.

[Cloudfish]

Initially I wasn't going to respond to this thread because others were doing just fine trying to explain this to you.

In my opinion, I think you're missing the point. Frankly, there is nothing extreme about it. Obviously, as a self proclaimed Libertarian, you must see anything that strays from your point of view as extreme. It's the same thing as any viewpoint to the right of a leftist is considered just plain right--and vice versa I suppose.

I digress. In this part of the country prairie dogs and gophers and their dwellings are mostly considered pests. Different parts of the country all have their own anathemas, i.e., fire ants in the south, rats in some cities, insects in the farmlands, etc. As explained before, they compete for grasslands, create very real danger to livestock, four-legged game, and ranch equipment with their dwellings, and are potential carriers of bubonic plague and rabies.

Point is, nobody was complaining---they were explaining--there is a difference. It's not about waste and destruction---it's about economic viability. You claim to live off the land, which is great by the way, but people need to work off the land too, and the vac truck you mentioned is really not feasible in this part of the country.

That said, it is not such a hardscrabble life in Wyoming--and again nobody was complaining--we have the greener pastures. Just ask the aforementioned Kalifornians....

[artichoke63]

Originally Posted by sunsprit

Hey, libertarian4life ... try thinking a little bit outside of the box.

These little family oriented varmints dig up my alfalfa fields, tear up my pasture ... and are responsible for a lot of damage to my equipment and risk to my horses and other livestock.

The next time a horse of mine steps in or through a 'dog hole ... I'll not be thinking kind thoughts about people who love these critters. Any of my horses is worth a lot more than a million of these pests.

By the way, they are carriers of infectious diseases which can cause a lot of livestock or human losses. Personally, I don't like the odds of dealing with a plague outbreak on my ranchland ... or my neighbors.

Based upon your comments, I suspect you're really not a libertarian, a hunter, pro-hunting, or have hunted wild game at all to put meat on the table. You apparently think it's adequate to put a label upon yourself and we'll all be thinking on the same page.

You can talk all the "game" you want about hunting, but the proof is watching how you handle your horse and yourself on the ranch.

If you'd ever been in serious ranching and farming country, you'd know that prairie rats are destructive and a serious drain on the economics and livlihood of the area ... and allowing hunters to remove them for "sport" is a lot more cost effective and efficient than calling the folks with the vacuum truck or the smoke bombs or whatever to try to keep the population down.

Prarie dogs don't carry infectious diseases. That's a myth. I'm so sick of people with this attitude that they have the right to kill everything in their path. I'm looking forward to the day that the bird flu comes through and culls the human population and gives the planet back to the animals.

Artie

[Cloudfish]

Prarie dogs don't carry infectious diseases. That's a myth.

Bull. Just plain Bull. I have seen it. I grew up on a ranch and used to keep them as pets myself---caught many as a kid growing up. While I'll admit never seeing in person the bubonic plague, I do remember when there was an epidemic. And as for rabies, I've seen it up close and personal, several times--in prairie dogs.

Myth: an invented story, idea, or concept; i.e., prairie dogs don't carry infectious diseases.

I'm looking forward to the day that the bird flu comes through and culls the human population and gives the planet back to the animals.

How unctuously pecksniffian of you...

[logicskier]

typical for wyo.

No wonder wyoming as such a crappy reputation. Lets go shoot some "varmits".

Are you going to eat them after you kill them for your "fun"?

[shadowwalker]

The plague is regulary in prarie dogs. Just in 2002 or 2003 it was in the casper star tribune. About it being in southwest wyoming. IN THE PRARIE DOG POPULATIONS. And warning us to be careful. That warning was put out by the Wyoming Game And Fish, AND, the state health board. It has Also been in Colorado. In the prarie dogs.
It is there now in the squirrel population in the outskirts of Denver.
There also was a case, I think in 2004. Of a child, getting the plague from a pet Prarie dog, that was bought from a pet store. If I remember right. This was in one of the eastern states.
As for the shooting of Varmits. Well sometime you have to do it. And I do mean "have to". The population will grow amazingly fast in a couple of good years with large litters and more than one litter in a year. If there is a good reliable food source.
Msmuffet, your wrong and there is a difference between the plague and rabies. You look it up.
It sounds like we have some anti hunting people here. Thats good, another point of view. Only trouble with these people. They are many. Like sheep, they follow a uneducated leader of some sort. These were the same ones that wanted the damn wolves in Yellowstone. Now they are destroying the elk and moose along with deer populations. And the idiots that wanted them. Well they are on the bigger ideas and most don't live here anyway. They just remember the warm feeling they get. When they think about the wolves being back "home".