A sandhill crane chick nestles down in the grass near Powder River. These little guys already have long gangly legs like their parents, and when standing look a little like a miniature, orange version of Big Bird from Sesame Street. Sandhill cranes are one of the oldest extant birds species found in the fossil record, with fossil evidence dating back 2.5 million years.
By PR Extension Office
An update to the Grasshopper Suppression program in the works for Powder River County landowners was provided by Gary Adams, Director of Montana APHIS, in Broadus last week reported Powder River Extension Agent Mary Rumph.
"More than sixty interested people attended the program detailing the next steps and challenges of a widespread aerial treatment program," stated Rumph.
The unknowns include #1) Grasshopper populations – preliminary scouting last week resulted in finding newly hatched grasshoppers. This week, scouting will begin in earnest and if a landowner would like to have an area scouted, please contact the Extension Office at 436-2424.
"We received a report Monday morning of not only new hatches of grasshoppers on the south side of sandy slopes, but also Morman crickets in the Belle Creek area," stated Rumph. "It can be very effective to treat these 'hot spots' on your land if you know where they are located," she added.
Unknown #2) BLM has a waiting period until early June for opposition for control on BLM acres which will determine their involvement in the program; and #3) Additional funding from the USDA for the program.
In the meantime, landowners are completing their end of the project by contacting the FSA for shape files and sending requests for treatment and cooperator agreements to APHIS. This information is vitally important for APHIS to have a handle on the number of acres to contract through a bidding process, explained Rumph.
At this final meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, June 8th from 1-5 pm, hopefully more of the unknowns will be answered and the decision to go forward with the program will be made. In addition, finalizing maps will be paramount for blocking treatment areas throughout the county.
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