Go get them
- Thread starter wesslpointer
- Start date
Uncle Buck
New member
I note one of the farmer members does "not want to see larger CRP " fields, but prefers smaller plots. Presuming there is a biologist or habitat specialist on the board. The first trhing the farmer should be told is the large tracts are what best protect the birds. I do not know what the farmers agenda is(something in their DN that just screams production?). Idle land is an itch that cannot be treated for some, even if they do not own it.
I wish the board every success and will do what I can to help, but quite frankly I am not optimistic that much comes out of it after all the rehtoric.
I wish the board every success and will do what I can to help, but quite frankly I am not optimistic that much comes out of it after all the rehtoric.
Uncle Buck
New member
correction..... board, the first thing......
Downtown Bang!
Member
Over the last 5-10 years we have created yet another generation of farmers who in all too many cases will put production ahead of pretty much all else. Just when the generation spawned by Earl Butts in the 1970's was starting to lose influence we gave this culture new life and the economic rewards necessary to justify it.
I hope the board can make some in-roads. The dedicated funding movement is worth pursuing. All of the citizens of SD benefit from conservation and it is only fair that a higher % of those who do benefit actually contribute to that cause. My advice though would be that the board communicate it and execute it as a clean air, clean water, healthy ecosystem initiative and not make it about pheasant hunting & tourism dollars. Pheasants & pheasant hunting will reap plenty of rewards (along with everyone else) if general conservation goals get met.
In the case of pheasant hunters and those who directly benefit from hunting tourism? IMO all of these stakeholders (me included) should be ready to open up our wallets even a little more and fund those changes specifically targeted at our special interest. Whether that be thru increased license fees etc. we need to be one of the first special interest groups to embrace this concept.
One thing that disappointed me. The board talked a great deal about adding more acres & expanding habitat through dependance on the federal government conservation programs. Why so much focus on a solution the board has no control over?
There is a lot of acres within the public trust in SD that have less than ideal habitat. What if the money available was spent to improve less than ideal habitat present on GPA's and WPA's? What if a % of the School Trust lands were leased & managed as grasslands instead of leased as cheap pasture or crop land for the purpose of subsidizing private interests? What if they subsidized improvements on some of the sorry ass cover present on much of the James River CREP parcels? There are plenty of creative ways to make progress to the stated goals and plenty of ways to get over and around the hurdles many will try and throw at the process.
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The subject of ditches keeps coming up. There is a real good reason for mowing ditches. It is a law that you have to mow ditches, and there is a reason for that. It is about keeping the roads open so people can get through as well as emergency vehicles. It is critical that road ditches be kept clear. I am sorry but I want the fire truck to be able to get to where they need to go more than I want the few pheasants that it would produce. I know it is a nice place for 1 or 2 guys to hunt but mail routes and roads to residences need to be clean.
Well we have formed a predator control district in our county, we don't kill raptors but we have removed alot of coyotes.
I understand that hawks and eagles are protected by federal law as well they should be. May point is in an environment of a loss of 100 of 1000s of crp, changing farm practices because of many reasons and that the fact is there is NO more state or federal money to buy or lease land that a simple thing like changing ditch mowing practices can make a positive change for pheasant numbers. I know there are pro and cons to this, but if you want to go the way of Iowa just keep talking.
Just my 2 cents
In regards to avian predators, they were ravaged by "sportsman", along with the passenger pigeon, in previous generations, the furbearing varmints were trapped and sold for a few bucks, to help the spending money of farm youth. A lot of these farmers are gone. Since everybody has moved to the city for better jobs. The analogy of shooting avian predators to increase bird numbers, for hunter consumption is parallel to the theory that destruction of habitat by a farmer to raise bigger crops for sale to create bigger checks. Decreasing predators, did in fact produce more birds, more habitat creates more birds, farm income believe it or not produces more birds. We might as well blame us and or Mothers and Fathers, Grandparents, who left the farm and went to town to make a better life. one thing about the article, is it identifies the real issue. MONEY, it takes money to provide all the necessary modern items of everyday life. Shall we fault the farmer, the hawk, the raccoon, or ourselves? We have been a rich country, which could afford the excess for wildlife, we now need to make societal choices, it's going to take more will power than a few hunters can muster, broad based public support. When we were a rural society, all boys and men hunted, saw the game daily, had a predisposition to be favorable to hunting , game, and hunters. Now we have new city bred citizens, some from non hunting cultures, with no regard or understanding of Hunting. Small answers, focusing on road side ditches, avian predators, and farmer greed, are a disservice to the cause. After all, how many of us turn down a raise annually..... should the farmer? Pheasants pay the price.
Please understand how ditches are mowed. Township roads around here have the top mowed by July 1st, then the rest of the ditch that can be mowed are supposed to be mowed by October 1st. These ditches are too narrow and steep to make hay in so that rarely happens. What ever nesting these ditches provide is left mostly undisturbed. County roads and hiways are wider and therefore more worthwhile to make hay in, and most of them are hayed. The state won't let their hiways be mowed until after July 15th, so most of the nesting benefit has been realized by then.
mnmthunting
Banned
Around here the county and state roads are mowed then mowed again to the edge of the right of way.
The township roads are mostly left without mowing.
I see no difference in how the snow drifts.
All need plowing after a wind or snowfall anyway. Township roads are open before the county, usually.
The township roads are mostly left without mowing.
I see no difference in how the snow drifts.
All need plowing after a wind or snowfall anyway. Township roads are open before the county, usually.
ford
New member
Yes they aren't supposed to mow the ditches until July 15th, but that doesn't happen in my area. And that was addressed at the Habitat Summit that that date isn't really being enforced any more. Some guys in my area are out mowing ditches before the 4th of July and nothing is done about it.
1pheas4
Moderator
Along those lines, I wonder if it would be cost efficient to pay landowners to leave strips of habitat along road edges where the wind/snow is an issue. If set back a bit such habitat strips can catch the wind-driven snow before it hits the roads.
I see way too many accidents/injuries as a result of wind driven snow through open fields--most of which can be easily prevented. Plus, the cost of keep a guy and a plow continually revisiting such sights to keep the snow off the roads can't be cheap either
.
mnmthunting
Banned
When I was growing up in this area snow fences were everywhere.
They worked well until the snow started blowing over the top.
I guess the labor of putting them up and taking them down was to intensive.
So much easier to jump in the truck and plow.
We've has so much snow and wind this yer there is no sign of any grass whatsoever in the grasslands or road ditches.
Any surviving birds are in the heavy shelter, being feed one way or another.
They worked well until the snow started blowing over the top.
I guess the labor of putting them up and taking them down was to intensive.
So much easier to jump in the truck and plow.
We've has so much snow and wind this yer there is no sign of any grass whatsoever in the grasslands or road ditches.
Any surviving birds are in the heavy shelter, being feed one way or another.
SDJIM
New member
Along those lines, I wonder if it would be cost efficient to pay landowners to leave strips of habitat along road edges where the wind/snow is an issue. If set back a bit such habitat strips can catch the wind-driven snow before it hits the roads.
I see way too many accidents/injuries as a result of wind driven snow through open fields--most of which can be easily prevented. Plus, the cost of keep a guy and a plow continually revisiting such sights to keep the snow off the roads can't be cheap either
South Dakota has done this, they call them "living snow fences" and they are shelter belts-- there are several on the north side of I90 west of Wasta and east of Rapid City--they really do work quite well.
I have heard some rumors about the farm bill that encourage me. Remember this is rumor, but I hear they are talking shorter terms contracts being available. I have also heard that there might be a CRP offered that could be grazed every other year. Those are the kind of things that might get land owners interested in CRP again. I don't know what the South Dakota task force will accomplish. I am not holding my breath for anything big. Too many of the same people that have been involved in the past to do much new. But here is hoping that I am wrong.
1pheas4
Moderator
SDJIM;16s-++9673 said:South Dakota has done this, they call them "living snow fences" and they are shelter belts-- there are several on the north side of I90 west of Wasta and east of Rapid City--they really do work quite well.
Sounds common sense.
I'll tell you, down the street from my shop there's a wide open area off the highway. I've seen at least 12 to 14 cars run off the road just this season alone, some of those crashed into other vehicles. It would be nice to see one of those "living snow fences" put in place. Could save a lot of head aches and $.
mnmthunting
Banned
I've driven out across ND in some awful nasty Winter Weather. Almost impossible, oh yeah at times it is impossible.
There are places here and there along I 94 that they have planted living snow fences. Shurbs, Junipers, Ponderosa's. And GASP! Russian Olives.
The Russian Olives of course are going down fast so the snow can blow freely again.
Thing is, where these living snow fences are on the North side of the High
Way it is very sheltered, You can see during a snow storm and it's so much safer for everyone.
I sure hope they get rid of those dreaded Olive trees.
There are places here and there along I 94 that they have planted living snow fences. Shurbs, Junipers, Ponderosa's. And GASP!
Russian Olives. The Russian Olives of course are going down fast so the snow can blow freely again.
Thing is, where these living snow fences are on the North side of the High
Way it is very sheltered, You can see during a snow storm and it's so much safer for everyone.
I sure hope they get rid of those dreaded Olive trees.