- [VOICEOVER] MONTANA AG
LIVE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY
THE MONTANA DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE,
THE MSU EXTENSION SERVICE,
THE MSU AG EXPERIMENT
STATIONS OF THE
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE,
THE MONTANA WHEAT
& BARLEY COMMITTEE,
THE MONTANA BANKERS ASSOCIATION,
CASHMAN NURSERY &
LANDSCAPING, AND
THE GALLATIN GARDENERS CLUB.
(BANJO MUSIC AND COWS MOOING)
♪ IF YOUR HERBICIDES
AND FUNGICIDES AND
♪ THE VEGGIES YOU ARE GROWIN'
IN YOUR GARDEN START TO MOLD
♪ IF THE ANTS ARE ATTACKIN'
AND YOU'RE HAVIN' A HARD TIME
♪ CALL MONTANA AG LIVE
♪ KNAPWEED IN THE DITCH AND
THE OLD BULL'S GOT A ITCH
♪ TICKS UPON MY SHEEP AND
THE WOOL IS REALLY CHEAP
♪ THE GOPHERS IN THE PASTURE
ARE EVEN WORSE THAN LAST YEAR
♪ MONTANA AG LIVE WHERE ARE YOU?
(BANJO AND STRING INSTRUMENTAL)
- [JACK] GOOD EVENING AND
WELCOME TO MONTANA AG LIVE,
ORIGINATING TONIGHT
FROM THE STUDIOS OF KUSM
ON THE BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS OF
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY.
I'M JACK RIESSELMAN,
I'LL BE YOUR HOST OR
MODERATOR THIS EVENING.
I THINK THOSE OF YOU
WHO'VE WATCHED THE PROGRAM
IN THE PAST, KINDA
KNOW HOW THIS GOES.
YOU HAVE QUESTIONS
FOR OUR ESTEEMED PANEL
AND THEY WILL DO THE BEST
TO FIND A CREDIBLE ANSWER
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CALL
'EM IN AND WE'LL REALLY TRY
TO GET 'EM ON THE
PROGRAM THIS EVENING.
THIS EVENING, AS MANY
OF YOU RECOGNIZE,
OUR GUESTS, OUR
PANEL, LIKE TOBY DAY,
TOBY'S OUR EXTENSION
HORTICULTURAL SPECIALIST.
A LOT OF YOU KNOW MIKE
IVEY, MIKE HAS BEEN
AROUND MSU FOR A LONG
TIME, HE'S AN ENTOMOLOGIST
AND A VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE
ENTOMOLOGIST, SO IF YOU
HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT BUGS
THIS EVENING, GET 'EM IN
AND WE'LL DEFINITELY
TRY TO ANSWER 'EM.
WE HAVE A NEW GUEST THIS
EVENING, OUR SPECIAL GUEST,
HIS NAME IS LANCE MCNEW,
LANCE IS A WILDLIFE
HABITAT ECOLOGIST, AND HE
WORKS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
ANIMAL SCIENCE, HE'S BEEN
HERE FOR ABOUT A YEAR,
CAME TO US FROM KANSAS
STATE UNIVERSITY, AND IT'S
A PLEASURE TO HAVE
HIM ON OUR PROGRAM.
HIS SPECIALTY, IN ADDITION
TO BEING AN ECOLOGIST
FOR WILDLIFE, ALSO IS HANDLING
SMALL PESTS, FOUR-LEGGED
PESTS, CREEPY PESTS, WHATEVER.
SO, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS
ABOUT MICE, VOLES, RACOONS,
ANYTHING LIKE THAT THIS EVENING,
HERE'S A CHANCE TO FIND OUT
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT.
A LOT OF YOU KNOW MACK
BURGESS, MACK IS OUR SMALL FARM
SPECIALIST, MACK IS HERE
TO ALSO TALK ABOUT SOME
OF THE ISSUES WITH SMALL FARMS,
IN ADDITION TO DISCUSSING
SOME OF THE ANIMAL ISSUES
THAT SMALL FARM
SPECIALISTS DO FACE.
THE PANEL TONIGHT TO ANSWER
THE PHONES, I WOULD THINK
YOU RECOGNIZE MANY OF
THESE PEOPLE, DON MATHRE,
TRACY EKLUND, AND CHERYL
MOORE-GOUGH, SO THE PHONE'S
NOT RINGING YET, GET
YOUR QUESTIONS IN
BUT WE DO HAVE SEVERAL
LEFTOVER FROM LAST WEEK.
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO ANSWER
AS MANY AS POSSIBLE.
TOBY, THIS PERSON IS FROM
CASCADE, THEY HAVE TO PICK
HARALSON APPLES EARLY,
AROUND SEPTEMBER 1ST, BECAUSE
THEY HAVE A BEAR PROBLEM
UP THERE, WILL THEY RIPEN
ON THE SHELF?
- NOT NECESSARILY, I MEAN,
THE SUGARS THAT ARE PRODUCED
ON THOSE, I'M GONNA GUESS
THAT'S PROBABLY AS THE ENZYMES
BREAK DOWN THEY PRODUCE MORE
SUGARS, BUT IF THEY'RE PICKED
UNRIPE, THERE IS SOME
RIPENING THAT WILL HAPPEN WITH
THE ETHYLENE THAT'S PRODUCED
FROM THOSE APPLES, BUT I DON'T
THINK YOU'LL EVER GET 'EM TO
THE POINT THAT YOU WOULD HAVE
IF YOU LEFT THEM ON
THE TREE LONG ENOUGH.
- [JACK] WHEN DO YOU NORMALLY--
- PICK HARALSON'S?
- YEAH.
- THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION,
IT'S GONNA BE, LIKE
CASCADE COUNTY,
PROBABLY ABOUT NOW.
BUT, YEAH, YOU'D BE
PICKIN' 'EM FAIRLY EARLY
COMPARED TO MOST APPLES.
- ONE QUICK QUESTION,
THEN WE'LL MOVE ON
TO ANOTHER ONE.
HOW COLD WILL APPLES
TOLERATE A FROST?
- OH, APPLES PROBABLY
TOLERATE CLOSE TO 26 DEGREES.
- OKAY.
- SO, IF WE'RE GONNA GET
THOSE COLD TEMPERATURES, YOU
CAN LEAVE 'EM ON THE TREE,
THEY HAVE A LOT
OF SUGAR IN THEM.
SOUNDS GOOD, LANCE, THIS
CAME IN FROM LIVINGSTON, AND
THIS IS KIND OF A COMBINATION
QUESTION FOR MIKE AND LANCE.
THEY'D LIKE TO ATTRACT BATS TO
THEIR YARD, AS THEY HEAR THEY
CAN HELP CONTROL MOSQUITOES.
DO THEY REALLY, NUMBER ONE,
ATTRACT OR DESTROY MOSQUITOES,
OR NUMBER TWO, WHAT DO THEY
DO TO GET MORE BATS AROUND?
YOU GUYS, HAVE AT IT.
- YES, SO BATS, THAT'S
THEIR PRIMARY FOOD SOURCE,
ARE MOSQUITOES, SO THEY EAT
A LOT OF FLYING INSECTS,
BUT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE LIVING
IN LOWLAND, RIPARIAN AREAS,
YEAH, THEY'RE HITTIN'
THE MOSQUITOES HARD.
- [JACK] IS THERE ANY WAY
YOU CAN ATTRACT 'EM TO 'EM?
- SURE, SURE, THERE ARE
A NUMBER OF WAYS, YOU CAN
BUILD BAT HOUSES, A LOT
OF, A LOT OF EXISTING
INFRASTRUCTURE IN MONTANA
IS ACTUALLY HIGHLY CONDUCIVE
TO HAVING BATS ON YOUR PLACE.
BAT HOUSES, DESIGNS CAN BE
FOUND ONLINE RELATIVELY EASILY,
IF YOU CONSTRUCT A COUPLE
OF THOSE IN AREAS THAT HAVE
ADEQUATE FOOD RESOURCES,
IF THEY'RE HAVIN' MOSQUITO
PROBLEMS, THEN THAT
WOULD PROBABLY DO IT.
YOU WANT TO BUILD THOSE
THINGS ON THE SHADY SIDES
OF YOUR HOUSE AND YOU
SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND BATS,
SO, THEY'RE OUT THERE.
- OKAY, AND THEY'RE
NOT HARMFUL TO PEOPLE?
- ABSOLUTELY NOT.
- OKAY.
MIKE, HOW EFFECTIVE ARE
THEY AT KEEPING MOSQUITOES
DOWN, IN YOUR OPINION?
- WELL, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO
ERADICATE THEM, THE WHOLE POINT
OF EATING MOSQUITOES,
BATS WILL EAT ANYTHING
THAT'S FLYING AND THE
REASON THEY'RE EATING
A LOT OF MOSQUITOES IS
BECAUSE THAT'S THE DENSEST
FOOD SOURCE, IF THEY'RE
EATING MOSQUITOES.
- OKAY.
- I MEAN, THEY'RE MURDER
ON FLYING INSECTS IN
GENERAL, AT NIGHT.
A LOT OF OUR MOSQUITOES THAT
ARE CORPUSCULAR, THAT IS,
THAT THEY'RE OUT AT DUSK AND
DAWN WILL BE HIT A LITTLE BIT
LESS BECAUSE THE BATS ARE MORE
ACTIVE A LITTLE BIT LATER,
BUT FOR THE NIGHT-FLYING
MOSQUITOES, THEY'RE
BUT, THE QUESTION IS, IF YOUR
TOLERANCE IS ONE MOSQUITO
BITE, THEY'RE NOT
GOING TO GET 'EM ALL.
- ALL RIGHT, SOUNDS GOOD, WHILE
I HAVE YA UP, THIS PERSON,
NOW THIS IS INTERESTING, FROM
CONRAD, CAME IN LAST WEEK.
THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH FIVE
CANS OF HORNET SPRAY AND IT
DOESN'T SEEM TO BE
WORKING, ANY SUGGESTIONS?
- THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT USING
IT RIGHT, FIRST OFF, IT DEPENDS
ON WHICH KIND OF HORNET SPRAY
YOU'RE USING, IF YOU ARE
JUST SPRAYING THE AIR, IN
GENERAL, AND EXPECTING THAT
TO TAKE CARE OF HORNETS,
THAT'S NOT THE WAY THAT FLYING
INSECT SPRAY WORKS.
THERE'S TWO KINDS, THERE'S
ONE THAT YOU USE ON NESTS,
THAT YOU STAND BACK AND
IT'S KIND OF FOAMY AND YOU
HIT THE NEST WITH
IT FROM A DISTANCE.
IF YOU'RE NOT A GOOD SHOT,
THAT'S NOT GONNA WORK.
AND THEN, THERE'S ANOTHER
ONE WHERE YOU ACTUALLY
STILL TARGET THE
ACTUAL FLYING WASP.
IF THERE'S NOT PYRETHROID
IN THE AIR WHEN THEY FLY
THROUGH IT, IT'S
NOT GOING TO HIT IT.
- LIKE, IF I MAY, IS IT
ACTUALLY A HORNET THAT THEY'RE
PROBABLY WORRIED ABOUT?
'CAUSE I'M THINKING THEY
PROBABLY HAVE YELLOW JACKETS,
WESTERN YELLOW JACKETS
ARE MORE OF A PROBLEM, AND
CAN YOU TALK JUST A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT WHERE THEY LIVE.
- WELL, THERE'S NINE SPECIES
IN THIS GROUP IN MONTANA,
AND THE BIG ONE IS THE
BALD-FACED HORNET, WHICH MAKES
THE FOOTBALL-LIKE NEST IN A
TREE, AND THEY'RE NOT ALL THAT
COMMON AROUND HOUSES.
WE HAD A WHOLE BUNCH
OF 'EM THIS YEAR.
THEN THERE'S THE SMALLER,
MORE BRIGHTLY COLORED
YELLOW JACKETS, AND SOME
OF THOSE ACTUALLY WILL LIVE
IN THE WALLS OF HOUSES
AND THAT KIND OF THING.
OTHERS LIVE UNDERGROUND,
IN OLD RODENT BURROWS.
SOME OF THEM ACTUALLY WILL
MAKE NESTS IN BRUSH AND STUFF.
SO, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU
HAVE, AND MOST PEOPLE ARE
TRYING TO CATCH THEM WHEN
THEY'RE COMING IN NEAR
THEIR HOUSE, FLYING AROUND,
AND NOT AROUND THE NEST.
IF YOU HAVE A NEST PROBLEM,
THEN YOU CONTROL IT DIFFERENTLY.
- I WAS JUST THINKING, THAT
IN THIS CASE, THEY MAY BE
FINDING THE NEST, BUT IT
ALSO MIGHT BE A YELLOW JACKET
THAT MIGHT BE IN THE GROUND,
SO I WOULD FIND OTHER SOURCES,
MAYBE THERE'S TWO OR THREE
THAT ARE AROUND AREA,
RATHER THAN JUST THE
NEST YOU'RE SEEING.
- YEAH, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE
WILL, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE
OUTDOOR TABLES AND STUFF,
THERE'S THINGS THAT ARE COMING
IN AND THIS YEAR THEY STARTED
HITTING A LOT EARLIER,
AS THINGS DRIED UP.
AND, THEY'RE ATTRACTED TO
BEER, SODA, FATTY MEATS, THAT
KINDA THING, SO, IF YOU'RE
HAVING A BARBEQUE THEY CONSIDER
THEMSELVES INVITED. (LAUGHTER)
- [MACK] HOW FAR WILL
THEY FLY FROM THEIR NESTS?
- UNTIL THEY FIND SOMETHING
TO EAT. (LAUGHTER)
MOSTLY THEY'RE PREDATORS,
THEY'RE ACTUALLY BENEFICIAL
IN THE GARDEN, THEY'RE MOSTLY
PREDATORS ON OTHER INSECTS.
- I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
- MACK, I UNDERSTAND BOZEMAN
HAS A WINTER'S FARMERS' MARKET,
THIS CAME IN FROM BOZEMAN,
IT STARTS OCTOBER 18TH,
I GUESS THERE'S SOME IN
MISSOULA AND HELENA, ALSO.
WHAT WOULD BE AT A FARMERS'
MARKET, A WINTER'S FARMERS'
MARKET, THAT GROWERS
WOULD HAVE, THAT THE BEARS
HAVEN'T EATEN?
- YEAH RIGHT, (LAUGHTER)
YEAH, SO BOZEMAN IS GOIN' INTO
IT'S FOURTH YEAR OF THE
WINTER'S FARMER'S MARKET.
I UNDERSTAND MISSOULA
HAS ONE AS WELL.
HELENA'S FARMERS' MARKET
GOES UP NEARLY UNTIL
CHRISTMAS TIME.
PRODUCERS OF VEGETABLES
IN THOSE AREAS ARE GOING
TO BE SELLING ALL
SORTS OF STORAGE CROPS,
YOU MIGHT BE HARVESTING
RIGHT ABOUT NOW, ARE GONNA BE
SOME OF THE BEST QUALITY
VEGETABLES YOU'LL FIND ALL YEAR.
SO, CARROTS AND ONIONS,
POTATOES, WINTER
STORE QUITE WELL,
WELL INTO THE WINTER.
AND THEN, A NUMBER OF PRODUCERS
IN A LOT OF THOSE AREAS ARE
ALSO STARTING TO USE HIGH
TUNNELS TO EXTEND THEIR GROWING
SEASON, THEY'RE GROWING
SPINACH, LETTUCE, OTHER GREENS,
ALSO WELL INTO THE WINTER.
LAST WINTER, I KNOW WE HAD
EXCEPTIONALLY MILD WINTER,
AND THAT WAS SUCCESSFUL
PRETTY MUCH CONTINUOUSLY
THROUGH THE WINTER.
SO, YEAH, IT'S AN EXCITING,
EXCITING ADDITION.
- SOUNDS GOOD.
LANCE, THIS CAME IN THIS
EVENING FROM LEWISTOWN.
THIS PERSON UNDERSTANDS,
AND I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS
CORRECT OR NOT, YOU CAN SET US
STRAIGHT IF IT'S NOT, HE SAYS
HE UNDERSTANDS THAT WHEN
BEEF, COWS, WALK THROUGH
SAGEBRUSH, THEY DISRUPT SAGE
GROUSE, BUT WHEN BUFFALO DO,
OR BISON, THEY DON'T, IS
THAT TRUE, AND WHY WOULD
THAT HAPPEN?
- I DON'T KNOW OF A SINGLE
PEER-REVIEWED STUDY OR EMPIRICAL
EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THAT,
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE'VE
BEEN WORKING ON A NUMBER OF
STUDIES WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY
USING TARGETED GRAZING
BY CATTLE TO IMPROVE
SAGE GROUSE HABITAT,
UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
SO, WHEN A COW OR A BISON,
OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF LARGE
ANIMAL OR YOU WALK THROUGH
SAGEBRUSH, YOU MIGHT
DISTURB THE BIRD, BUT IN
MOST CASES, IT WILL ALWAYS
COME BACK TO THAT GENERAL AREA.
NOW, YOU WANT TO MINIMIZE
DISTURBING SAGE GROUSE
OR ANY OTHER GRASS
GROUND-NESTING BIRD WHEN THEY'RE
INCUBATING NESTS.
AND, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
FOR SAGE GROUSE, BECAUSE
ONCE THEY ARE FLUSHED
FROM THEIR NESTS, COMPARED
RELATIVE TO OTHER BIRDS,
THEY DON'T WANT TO RETURN
TO THE NEST.
- YOU KNOW, WHILE WE'RE ON
THE SAGE GROUSE, I BELIEVE
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
JUST RECENTLY DECLARED THEM
NOT AN ENDANGERED OR
A THREATENED SPECIES.
YOU WANT TO COMMENT
ON THAT A LITTLE BIT?
- SURE, I WAS VERY HAPPY
WITH THIS LISTING DECISION,
FOR MANY REASONS, BUT
PRIMARILY BECAUSE IT'S GOOD
FOR THE SAGE GROUSE.
AND I THINK IT'S A TESTAMENT,
TO THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF LOCAL CONSERVATION
PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN PRIVATE
LANDOWNERS AND GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES AT THE GRASSROOTS
LEVEL TO CONSERVE ANY WILDLIFE
SPECIES AND WILDLIFE HABITAT
IN GENERAL, ACTUALLY IT'S
PROBABLY MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE
THAN ANY OTHER
APPROACH THAT WE HAVE.
SO, WE'VE SEEN IN THE LAST
YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF OR SO,
SUCCESSES FROM THESE LOCAL
CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIPS,
NOT ONLY IN MONTANA,
WITH THE SAGE GROUSE AND
ARCTIC GRAYLING, BUT WE'VE
SEEN IT SUCCESSES ALL ACROSS
THE COUNTRY, FROM COTTONTAILS
IN THE EAST, TO DELISTING
OF BLACK BEARS IN LOUISIANA.
ALL OF IT DRIVEN BY LOCAL
CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIPS,
WHERE THE FOLKS ADMINISTERING
HABITAT CONSERVATION
PROGRAMS ARE BRINGING
PRIVATE LANDOWNERS INTO
THE PARTNERSHIPS, AND
THAT IS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE.
- IT WORKS A LOT BETTER.
- IT DOES.
AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT
MODEL TO USE FOR GOOD.
SOUNDS GOOD, TOBY, THIS
PERSON HAD A GOOD RASPBERRY
CROP LAST YEAR, THIS YEARS
WAS NOT SO GOOD, WHICH MEANS
IT WAS TERRIBLE. (LAUGHTER)
THEY SAY THE CANES ARE FOUR
YEARS OLD, AND THIS IS THE FIRST
YEAR THEY FLOWERED THIS LATE,
IS THERE A PROBLEM IF THEY
FLOWER IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER?
WELL, THERE'S A COUPLE
THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON,
ONE, YOU MAY NOT HAVE
JUNE BEARING, YOU MAY HAVE
EVER BEARING RASPBERRIES,
WHICH THEY WILL FLOWER,
THIS LATE
IT'S A LITTLE BIT LATE FOR 'EM.
THE OTHER PART OF IT TOO,
IS JUST THE ENVIRONMENTAL
CONDITIONS, I'VE HAD SOME
FLOWER AND STILL PRODUCE
RASPBERRIES, AND I
HAVE JUNE BEARING.
SO, I THINK IT'S
JUST ENVIRONMENTAL,
A LONGER FALL, AND THEREFORE
IT'S SETTING FRUIT BUDS
AND THEN FLOWERING.
IS IT GOING TO REDUCE CROP?
MAYBE A LITTLE BIT NEXT
YEAR, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S
GONNA REDUCE IT THAT MUCH.
- SOUNDS GOOD, MIKE,
FROM BIG SKY, THEY HAD
THREE SOUR CHERRY
TREES, AND I DIDN'T KNOW
SOUR CHERRIES WOULD
SURVIVE IN BIG SKY.
- IN BIG SKY?
- THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS HERE.
- OUR BIG SKY?
- OUR BIG SKY,
BUT THEY MAY BE FROM SOME
OTHER PLACE, AND VACATIONING
IN BIG SKY, BUT ANYWAY,
AT THE END OF THE SUMMER
THE LEAVES WERE AFFECTED BY
SOME INSECT-LIKE CREATURE,
THAT WAS JET BLACK, THREE
QUARTER INCH LONG, ANY IDEA
WHAT THEY ARE,
WOULD THAT BE SLUGS?
- UP ON THE LEAVES
OF THE CHERRY TREE?
- YEAH, AND THEY'RE JET BLACK.
- PEAR SLUGS?
- I BET IT IS PEAR SLUGS.
- PEAR SLUGS, YEAH, OKAY.
- PROBABLY.
- BUT, THEY'RE NOT GOING
TO HURT ANYTHING THIS LATE,
ARE THEY?
- NO, NO, 'CAUSE WINTER'S
GONNA KILL THE TREES ANYWAY.
- RIGHT! (LAUGHTER)
- GOOD POINT, IF
THEY'RE IN BIG SKY.
- THAT'S RIGHT, IF
THEY'RE IN BIG SKY.
- LET'S MOVE ON,
MACK, THIS PERSON,
FROM MISSOULA, HAS
HEARD OF A NEW LAW
REGARDING COTTAGE
FOOD, WHAT IS THE NEW
ISSUE HERE, I'M NOT
FAMILIAR WITH IT?
SO, AS OF OCTOBER
FIRST, MONTANA JOINS
ABOUT 30 OTHER STATES
WHO HAVE ENACTED
A LAW SPECIFICALLY
REGULATING THE SALE OF FOODS
TYPICALLY AT FARMERS'
MARKETS, FACE-TO-FACE
TRANSACTIONS, FOODS
PREPARED IN HOME KITCHENS.
AND THIS IS CLARIFYING A
KIND OF A CONFUSING BUNCH
OF OLDER LAWS, SO IT PUTS
IT ALL IN ONE PLACE AT THE
STATE LEVEL, THAT SPECIFICALLY
DOES ALLOW THE SALE
OF CERTAIN NONPOTENTIALLY
HAZARDOUS BAKED GOODS,
SO BREADS, COOKIES, FRUIT
JAMS, THINGS LIKE THAT, IN
FACE-TO-FACE TRANSACTIONS
WITHIN THE STATE OF MONTANA,
DIRECT, AT FARMERS' MARKETS
OR FLEA MARKETS, CRAFT FAIRS,
THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO, THERE'S SOME NEW
REGULATION OUT THERE, IT'S
FAIRLY STRAIGHT FORWARD, IT'S
A BIG SIMPLIFICATION OF WHAT
WAS OUT THERE BEFORE, AND
YOU CAN CONTACT YOUR COUNTY
HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND
IT'S A $40 REGISTRATION AND
A SUBMISSION OF YOUR RECIPES
AND THEN YOU'RE LEGALLY
ALLOWED TO SELL THOSE
THINGS AT FARMERS' MARKETS
AND DIRECT.
- THAT'S GONNA DO SOMETHING
FOR MY WAISTLINE AND IT'S
NOT GOOD. (LAUGHTER)
- BEFORE IT USED TO BE YOU
COULD SELL PRODUCTS LIKE THAT,
BUT IT WAS ONLY UP
TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT.
WHAT WAS IT, 400 OR 600
DOLLARS, OR AM I WRONG
ABOUT THAT?
- YOU KNOW, IT VARIED FROM
PLACE TO PLACE, AND I'VE
HEARD SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS,
I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS,
BUT IT'S STANDARDIZED
ACROSS THE STATE NOW.
- GOOD.
- THIS IS INTERESTING,
LANCE, AT THE BEGINNING
OF THIS SUMMER,
THERE WERE LOTS OF
GROUND SQUIRRELS
AT THE GALLATIN REGIONAL
PARK, NOW THERE ARE NONE.
DO GROUND SQUIRRELS MIGRATE
OR WAS THERE AN ERADICATION
EFFORT AT THE PARK
THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF?
- I'M UNSURE IF THERE WAS AN
ERADICATION EFFORT AT THE PARK,
BUT IT MAKES SENSE THAT
YOU'D SEE A LOT MORE GROUND
SQUIRRELS DURING THE
EARLY SUMMER THAN NOW.
BECAUSE GROUND SQUIRRELS
REPRODUCE IN THE SPRING, WHEN
THEY COME OUT OF THEIR BURROWS
AT THE END OF THE SPRING.
THEIR JUVENILES ARE ACTUALLY
DOWN IN THE BURROWS AND ONCE
THEY GET OLD ENOUGH, THEY
START FORAGING AROUND THE AREA.
AND, EVENTUALLY, IN LATE
SUMMER, THEY'LL DISPERSE.
SO, THE ANNUAL CYCLES OF
GROUND SQUIRRELS IS CYCLIC.
SO, YOU SHOULD SEE
LESS IN THE FALL.
WHY YOU'RE NOT SEEING ANY
AT ALL IS PROBABLY DUE TO,
PERHAPS LIMITED FOOD RESOURCES
DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR.
PERHAPS THEY'VE SHIFTED
PREFERENCES TO OTHER TYPES
OF HABITAT, YOU MIGHT
NOT BE HIKING THROUGH.
- SOUNDS GOOD, WHILE WE
HAVE YOU, THIS JUST CAME IN.
THE BATS CREATED SOME
OTHER, ADDITIONAL INQUIRIES.
WHERE DO THEY GO
IN THE WINTER TIME?
- (CHUCKLE) WELL,
THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I THINK IT DEPENDS ON THE
TYPE OF BAT THAT YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT, A LOT
OF BATS ARE MIGRATORY.
THERE ARE, I THINK, I'M
NOT A BAT EXPERT, BUT I
THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE
SPECIES THAT ARE ACTUALLY
RESIDENT AND ARE SHORT
DISTANCE MIGRANTS.
- SOUNDS GOOD.
- WE DO HAVE SOME CAVES THAT
ARE WINTER HABITATS, YOU
GET DOWN DEEP ENOUGH IN
THE CAVE AND IT GETS TO THE
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF THE
AREA, RATHER THAN GETTING COLD.
AND, THEY WILL HIBERNATE DOWN
IN THERE, I KNOW LOUIS & CLARK
CAVERNS HAS
OVER-WINTERING COLONIES.
THEY'RE VERY SUPSEPTIBLE TO
DISTURBANCE WHILE THEY'RE
HIBERNATING, AND SOME
WILL MIGRATE CLEAR SOUTH.
- SOUNDS GOOD.
- AND ACTUALLY, WE ARE SOUTH
TO SOME SPECIES OF BATS, SO
SOME OF THE BATS THAT MIKE'S
TALKING ABOUT ARE ACTUALLY,
THEY'RE SUMMERING IN CANADA
AND THEY'RE MOVING DOWN
HERE TO WINTER, SO.
- GOOD TO KNOW, TOBY,
FROM HAMILTON, THEY HAVE
A DROUGHT-STRESSED EVERGREEN
THIS FALL, WHAT DO THEY DO?
- JUST KEEP WATERIN'
IT. (LAUGHTER)
YEAH, WATER IT, CLEAR UNTIL THE
GROUND FREEZES, THAT'S GONNA
BE THE BEST THING YOU
CAN DO FOR THAT TREE.
ALSO, AS I'VE SAID MANY
TIMES, IN FEBRUARY,
ESPECIALLY IN MARCH, IF WE
START GETTIN' THOSE CHINOOKS,
THOSE WARM TEMPERATURES, AND
YOU DON'T HAVE SNOW COVER,
GET OUT THERE WITH A
SPRINKLER AND WATER THAT TREE.
- SOUNDS GOOD, FROM FLORENCE,
AND THEY LIVE IN THE
COUNTRY NEAR FLORENCE.
HE HAS A GROUP OF WILD
TURKEYS, SOMETIMES 10-20,
THAT COME AND GO
ON HIS PROPERTY.
NUMBER ONE, ARE THEY PROTECTED?
HOW CAN HE GET RID OF THEM?
I'M HERE. (LAUGHTER)
AND, CAN HE SHOOT THEM?
I'M HERE. (LAUGHTER)
- (LAUGHTER) YEAH, YOU WANNA
GET RID OF THEM, I THINK
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE
YOU CAN CALL TO DO THAT.
BUT, THEY'RE NOT FEDERALLY
PROTECTED, THEY'RE A STATE
GAME BIRDS, SO THEY ARE
REGULATED AT THE STATE LEVEL,
SO THERE ARE SEASONS, THERE
ARE SEASONS FOR WILD TURKEYS
IN MONTANA.
SO, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU
ARE, SO FOR PORTIONS OF THE
STATE THAT ARE IN EASTERN
MONTANA, THERE'S MORE OF AN OPEN
SEASON, WHEREAS, AS YOU MOVE
FARTHER WEST, IT BECOMES
MORE OF A DRAW, OR SELECTED
HUNTING OPPORTUNITY FOR REMOVAL.
IF YOU'RE HAVING A NUISANCE
SITUATION, WHERE YOU'VE TRIED TO
ENCOURAGE HUNTING ON YOUR
PROPERTY TO REMOVE THOSE BIRDS,
OR AT LEAST REMEDIATE THE
NEGATIVE IMPACTS, IF YOU'VE DONE
A GOOD JOB AT THAT, THEN
YOU CAN CONTACT YOUR LOCAL
WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST ABOUT PERHAPS
GETTING A NUISANCE PERMIT
TO HARRASS OR HAZE OR
OTHERWISE GET RID OF THE BIRDS.
- SOUNDS GOOD.
- WE HAVE AN URBAN
TURKEY IN BOZEMAN.
THERE IS A WILD TURKEY LIVING
DOWN RIGHT IN RESIDENTIAL
AREAS IN TURKEY, IN BOZEMAN,
- AND, YOU DON'T WANNA
TRY PETTIN' IT, I GUESS.
- OH, NO, NO. (LAUGHTER)
APPARENTLY, IT BEATS
UP DOGS, PRETTY WELL.
- THEY CAN BE PRETTY ORNERY.
- ALL RIGHT, MIKE, THIS
PERSON'S HOUSE IS FILLIN' UP
WITH LARGE, SLOW-FLYING FLIES.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO GET
RID OF THEM AND ANY IDEA
WHAT THEY MIGHT BE?
- YEAH, THEY'RE CLUSTER
FLIES, IT HAPPENS EVERY FALL.
AND, THEY'RE A REAL
PROBLEM, THEY'RE PARASITES,
THEY'RE LARVAE ARE
PARASITES OF EARTHWORMS,
AND THEY COME OUT IN THE
FALL AND LOOK FOR A PLACE
TO HIDE OVER WINTER.
AND, THEY WANT A WARM
PROTECTED PLACE, SO WHAT
THAT MEANS IS, YOUR
WINDOWS, ON THE INSIDE, AND
THEY'RE COMING IN THROUGH
CRACKS AND CREVICES
AND CRAWL SPACES.
THEY'LL GET INTO THE, YOU
COULD BE HORRIFIED SOMETIMES
IF YOU GO INTO THE CRAWL
SPACES AND SEE HOW MANY
OF THEM THERE ARE DOWN THERE.
AND THEN, IF IT GETS WARM,
THEY COME UP, THEY SEE LIGHT,
THEY GO THROUGH THE HOLE, AND
THEY END UP IN YOUR HOUSE,
THEN THEY GO TO THE WINDOWS,
THEY'RE SLOW-FLYING BECAUSE
THEY'RE COLD.
- OKAY.
- YOU CAN HIT 'EM WITH
THE FLY SWATTER, YOU CAN
SUCK 'EM UP WITH A VACUUM
CLEANER, YOU CAN SEAL UP
YOUR HOUSE A LITTLE BETTER.
BUT, THEY'RE LIKE THE POOR,
THEY WILL BE WITH US ALWAYS.
- I WAS GONNA SAY, 'CAUSE
I CAN REMEMBER WHEN I WAS
DOING SIDING WHEN I WAS IN
CONSTRUCTION, AND YOU WOULD
PULL SIDING OFF A HOUSE, OR
YOU WOULD GET INTO SOME OF
THE WALLS THAT HAVE INSULATION
AND THE AMOUNT OF FLIES
THAT WERE IN THERE,
SOMETIMES WAS PHENOMENAL.
- AND, ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT HAPPENS, THEN, IS THEY
DIE IN THERE AND THERE'S
THESE, A GROUP OF BEETLES
CALLED CARPET BEETLES
THAT LIVE ON DEAD INSECT
CARCASSES, AND THEY WILL
GET IN THERE AND THEN YOU
WILL IN THE SPRING, HAVE
PEOPLE BRING IN LIKE, A HANDFUL
OF THESE LITTLE
BEETLES WONDERING WHERE
AND, THAT COULD BE
WHERE THEY'RE AT.
- INTERESTING, SOUTH
OF ALBERTON, LANCE,
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO ELIMINATE
OR DISCOURAGE PACK
RATS FROM NESTING
IN THE ENGINE OF A
VEHICLE PARKED OUTSIDE?
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A
POISON-FREE OPTION, SINCE THERE
ARE PETS NEARBY.
SURE, START THE VEHICLE ONCE
IN A WHILE, THAT WOULD BE
MY RECOMMENDATION, SO, I
KNOW THAT'S NOT AN OPTION
FOR PROJECTS, I HAVE A
COUPLE OF THOSE MYSELF.
BUT, YEAH, THEY CAN BE
PRETTY NASTY, SO, MOTHBALLS.
DUMP A BUNCH OF MOTHBALLS
IN THERE, JUST MAKE SURE
THAT YOU'RE CLEANING THOSE
OUT, PRIOR TO WHEN YOU WANNA
ACTUALLY USE THE VEHICLE,
'CAUSE THAT CAN BE BAD.
- (LAUGHTER) I BELIEVE THAT.
- AGAIN, JUST AS COMMENTS, I
WORKED FOR YEARS FOR A SERVICE
STATION WHERE WE WOULD
CHANGE OIL AND WE WOULD TAKE
FILTERS OUT OF CARS, AND YOU
WOULD NOT BELIEVE HOW MANY CARS
YOU WOULD TAKE THE FILTER OUT
AND THERE WOULD BE SOME TYPE
OF PACK RAT NEST,
IN THE AIR FILTER.
SO, JUST THE PERFORMANCE OF
THE VEHICLE MUST HAVE BEEN
COMPROMISED BY THAT,
IT WAS QUITE PHENOMENAL
AND YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE
HOW MANY TIMES YOU WOULD
SEE THAT, IT'S CRAZY.
- CHANGE YOUR FILTERS,
THEN. (LAUGHTER)
- YEAH, EXACTLY, CHANGE
YOUR FILTERS MORE OFTEN.
- EVERY 300 PACK
RATS. (LAUGHTER)
- IT ALSO COMPROMISED THE
PERFORMANCE OF THE PACK RAT.
- (LAUGHTER) WELL, YOU KNOW,
WE NEVER DID FIND THE PACK RATS
IN THERE, WE ALWAYS JUST FOUND
THEIR NESTS, CHEWED WIRES,
THINGS LIKE THAT.
- OKAY, ALL RIGHT, WE'VE
HAD PACK RATS FOR A WHILE.
MACK, THIS CAME IN FROM
HILL COUNTY, WHICH IS HAVRE,
SHE HAS ABOUT THREE
QUARTER ACRE GARDEN "FARM",
SHE NEEDS HELP, WHO
SHOULD SHE CONTACT, THE
COUNTY AGENT UP THERE OR
WHO WOULD YOU SUGGEST?
OR YOU, CALL MACK, (LAUGHTER)
PHONE'S OUT THERE, THAT'D WORK.
- YEAH, GIVE ME A CALL, I'D
BE GLAD TO VISIT WITH YOU
ABOUT WHATEVER KIND OF HELP
IT IS YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
[TOBY} AND, NICOLE GRAVE,
WHO IS THE EXTENSION AGENT
IN HILL COUNTY IS A GREAT
AGENT, SHE IS VERY RESPONSIVE,
DOES A VERY GOOD JOB OF GETTIN'
BACK TO FOLKS AND IF SHE
DOESN'T KNOW THE ANSWER, I
KNOW THAT SHE GETS IN TOUCH
WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
- WHEN SOMEBODY WITH THREE
FOURTHS OF AN ACRE GARDEN
SAYS, "I NEED HELP!", I
THINK THEY NEED HELP PICKIN'
TOMATOES OR
SOMETHING. (LAUGHTER)
- THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT,
TOO, SOMEBODY TO RUN
THE ROTOTILLER, HUH?
- YEAH. (LAUGHTER)
- FROM ANACONDA, AND THIS
IS AN INTERESTING QUESTION
I'VE NEVER THOUGHT OF.
WHAT IS THE TECHNICAL
DIFFERENCE AND THE DEFINITION
OF A RANCH AND A RANCHETTE?
YEAH, I GOT 'EM. (LAUGHTER)
I'M NOT SURE IF THERE IS A
TECHNICAL DEFINITION, AS I,
DEAL A LOT WITH, MOST OF MY
RESEARCH OCCURS ON RANGE LANDS
AND HOW I DEFINE A RANCHETTE,
IS WHEN A RANCH, A WORKING RANCH
OF 1,000 OR MORE ACRES IS
SUBDIVIDED INTO 10, 20,
30 ACRE PARCELS.
- [JACK] I THINK THAT'S
PROBABLY A VERY GOOD DEFINITION.
- I DON'T KNOW, WHAT
DO YOU GUYS THINK?
- IF YOU CAN'T SELL ENOUGH
PRODUCE OF THE LAND TO PAY
THE PAYMENTS, IT'S A RANCHETTE.
- OKAY.
- ISN'T A RANCHETTE JUST A
FEMALE VERSION OF A RANCH?
(LAUGHTER)
- OKAY, NOW YOU'RE
GETTING ME IN TROUBLE.
- WE'RE DONE NOW.
FROM BILLINGS, MIKE THIS
IS INTERESTING, TOO.
THIS PERSON HAS SEEN
PRAYING MANTIS AND SLUGS
FOR THE FIRST TIME, TELL
US MORE, WHY THAT MIGHT BE
AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
WHAT PRAYING MANTIS MIGHT--
WELL, IF YOU'RE SEEING
PRAYING MANTISES IN BILLINGS,
IT'S BECAUSE YOUR NEIGHBORS
ARE PROBABLY BUYING THEM
FROM ONE OF THE
ORGANIC SUPPLIERS.
VERY, VERY RARE TO FIND
A NATIVE PRAYING MANTIS
IN MONTANA, THEY DO OCCUR,
THEY'RE QUITE SMALL,
BUT, IF YOU'RE SEEING
THE BIG CHINESE MANTIS,
YOU CAN BUY THE EGG MASSES,
THEY'RE CALLED 'OOTHECA'
AND YOU CAN BUY THEM, AND
PEOPLE WILL RELEASE THEM
IN THEIR GARDEN.
THEY THEN LEAVE AND GO
TO THE NEIGHBOR'S GARDEN
AS SOON AS THEY COME
OUT, SO THAT'S ONE THING.
AS FAR AS SLUGS, SLUGS ARE
CYCLICAL AND THEY'RE HERE
THEY'RE NATIVE, SOME OF
'EM, THERE'S SOME EXOTIC
ONES AS WELL, IN GARDENS,
BUT IT'S JUST WHETHER OR NOT
THERE WAS A GOOD YEAR FOR THEM.
- SOUNDS GOOD, QUICK ONE,
IS IT TOO LATE IN THE SEASON
TO DIVIDE IRIS?
- IT IS, YOU ALWAYS WANT TO
DIVIDE IRIS, PROBABLY NO MORE
THAN A MONTH AFTER THEY FLOWER.
- SOUNDS GOOD, REED
POINT, LANCE, THIS PERSON
SAID THEY HAVE AN
EXPLOSION OF RABBITS
IN THE REED POINT AREA, WHICH
IS BETWEEN BIG TIMBER AND
BILLINGS IS THERE ANY OUTSIDE
SYMPTOMS OF TULAREMIA ON
EITHER LIVE OR DEAD RABBITS,
AND WILL TULAREMIA GO TO PETS?
- LOTS OF QUESTIONS THERE,
SO THE REASON THEY'RE SAYING
A LOT MORE RABBITS, IS THAT
RABBITS, RABBIT POPULATIONS ARE
CYCLIC, SO THEY COME UP AND
DOWN, IN MORE THAN ANNUAL
CYCLES, SO, OVER
A PERIOD OF TIME.
TULAREMIA IS A DISEASE OF
CONCERN IN RABBITS, BUT, TO MY
KNOWLEDGE IS THERE'S NO
DISCERNIBLE, OVERT WAY TO TELL
THAT A RABBIT DIED OF TULAREMIA.
IF YOU FIND A DEAD RABBIT,
THAT HAS, THAT YOU CAN'T FIND
ANY TYPE OF WOUND OR YOU
CAN'T OTHERWISE DETERMINE
WHY IT DIED, THERE'S A GOOD
CHANCE THAT IT DIED FROM SOME
PATHOGEN, A PATHOGEN OF
SOME KIND, AND TULAREMIA IS
A COMMON ONE.
AS FAR AS PETS, I DO NOT KNOW.
I WOULD ASSUME THAT, I
WOULD ASSUME IT WOULD BE
A VERY RARE THING.
- OKAY, I THINK THAT'S CORRECT.
- YEAH.
- TULAREMIA THIS YEAR,
THROUGHOUT THE WEST
HAS BEEN QUITE COMMON
HAS IT NOT?
- WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF
IT'S BEEN COMMON ACROSS THE
ENTIRE WEST, BUT I DO KNOW
THAT I HAVE ONE GRADUATE
STUDENT WORKING ON A
RESEARCH PROJECT ON BEAVERS,
AND WE'VE HAD A NUMBER
OF BEAVERS THAT WE HAVE
FOUND DEAD, THAT HAVE, AND
WE'VE TAKEN THEM INTO THE STATE
VET FOR NECROPSY AND SHE THINKS
THAT THEY DIED OF TULAREMIA.
- I READ AN ARTICLE RECENTLY,
FROM COLORADO WHERE I THINK
THEY SHARE THEY'VE HAD ABOUT
A DOZEN CASES OF TULAREMIA
AND A COUPLE PEOPLE HAVE
ACTUALLY PASSED AWAY BECAUSE
OF TULAREMIA.
- THAT'S UNFORTUNATE.
- IT'S ON THAT ISSUE, ONCE IT
FREEZES, IT'S THEORETICALLY,
TULAREMIA DISAPPEARS,
IS THAT TRUE?
- I'M NOT SURE, MIKE,
IS TULAREMIA VECTORED
BY AN INSECT?
- I DON'T BELIEVE SO, I
THINK IT'S CONTACT TO CONTACT
THAT'S THE WAY PEOPLE GET
IT, IS WHEN THEY'RE CLEANING
A RABBIT THEY CUT THEMSELVES.
- YES.
- I BELIEVE IT'S A DIRECT
CONTACT, I'VE NEVER HEARD
OF AN INSECT VECTOR OR
AN ARTHROPOD VECTOR.
- WELL, IF THAT'S THE CASE,
THEN I WOULD EXPECT IT
TO LULL A BIT AS THERE'S A
LOT OF DIE-OFF, ESPECIALLY
IN RABBIT POPULATIONS
HERE IN WINTER TIME,
AS THEY'RE PREDATED ON,
BUT IT WON'T GO AWAY.
IT'LL ALWAYS BE THERE
AT SOME ZERO PREVALENCE.
- MATT, THIS PERSON IS
CURIOUS, FROM GREAT FALLS,
ARE YOU SEEING AN INCREASE
IN SMALL FARMS THAT ARE
PRODUCING PRODUCTS FOR PROFIT?
- YEAH, YEAH, I AM, AND
IT'S EXCITING TO SEE THAT.
I'M DEFINITELY WORKIN'
WITH A NUMBER OF PRODUCERS
WHO'VE MADE A STEP INTO
THE LEVEL WHERE THEY'RE
EMPLOYING PEOPLE AND
MAKING A LIVING DOIN' IT.
I THINK THAT'S A
GOOD THING TO SEE.
- OKAY, LANCE, WE'RE GETTIN'
A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
SINCE YOU'RE THE GUEST, WE'RE
GONNA HIT YOU WITH A FEW
MORE OF 'EM.
DO YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS FOR
A WAY TO CONTROL OR ELIMINATE
BADGERS IN CROP
AND OR RANCH LAND?
- THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY AT
REDUCING BADGER POPULATIONS
IS TRAPPING, AND SO,
THEY'RE REALLY EASY TO TRAP,
'CAUSE THEY COME OUT OF
THEIR BURROWS IN A CERTAIN
SPOT, SO THEY'RE PRETTY
EASY TO DO, SO, THAT'S WHAT
I WOULD RECOMMEND.
- BUT AREN'T BADGERS GONNA
TAKE OUT AN AWFUL LOT OF THINGS
THAT ARE EATING CROPS?
- OH, ABSOLUTELY, YEAH,
THANKS MIKE, I SHOULD HAVE
MENTIONED THAT.
YEAH, SO BADGERS ACTUALLY
DO, THEY ACTUALLY PROVIDE
A LOT OF SERVICE TO THOSE
SMALL RODENTS AND THINGS
THAT ARE ACTUALLY
DEPREDATING CROPS.
SO, THEY'RE KINDA
NICE TO HAVE AROUND.
- YEAH, I WOULD AGREE.
- MIKE, EARWIG TREATMENT, IN
THE FALL TO REDUCE EARWIGS
FOR NEXT SUMMER, I DON'T
KNOW OF ANYTHING, DO YOU?
- WINTER WILL EVENTUALLY DO
IT, EXCEPT IN THE GARAGE,
WHICH IS WHERE THEY
ALL SEEM TO GO.
THAT IS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS
WHERE CONTEXT IS EVERYTHING.
YOU CAN CLOSE UP FOOD SOURCES
TO KEEP THEM OUT, YOU CAN
CLEAN THINGS UP TO KEEP THEM
OUT, BUT THEY'RE GONNA BE
IN YOUR WOOD PILES AND SO ON,
THE QUESTION IS, IS ARE THEY
BAD ENOUGH TO
ACTUALLY TREAT FOR.
ARE THEY IN A PLACE WHERE YOU
REALLY NEED TO TREAT FOR THEM.
THEY'RE IRRITATING,
I'M AN ENTOMOLOGIST,
I LIKE INSECTS, I HATE
EARWIGS, (LAUGHTER) YOU KNOW.
- A LOT OF PEOPLE DO.
- THEY'RE REALLY NOT
VERY HARMFUL ARE THEY?
- SO, I FEEL FOR THEM,
THEY'RE IRRITATING, THEY TASTE
BAD, SO THEY GET INTO
THE DOG FOOD, DOG DOESN'T
WANT TO EAT IT, THEY'RE
ALWAYS IN PLACES WHERE YOU
DON'T WANT THEM, AND
THEY'RE SQUIRMY WHEN YOU GO
TO SQUISH THEM.
- AND YOU'RE AN
ENTOMOLOGIST? (LAUGHTER)
- YEAH, THEY'RE JUST A
PAIN, AND THEY'RE NONNATIVE,
THEY'RE ANOTHER ONE OF
THOSE THINGS THAT CAME
OUT OF EUROPE WITH US AND
THERE'S NO GOOD PREDATORS
OR PARASITES ON THEM.
- [TOBY] ANOTHER THING THAT
I SOMETIMES RECOMMEND IS JUST
PUTTIN' UP A ROLLED
UP NEWSPAPER, ROLL
ROLL 'EM UP TIGHT, THEY'LL
USUALLY FIND LITTLE FOLDS AND
PLACES WHERE THEY LIKE TO
HIDE AND THEN YOU CAN JUST
THROW OUT THE NEWSPAPER
OR RECYCLE IT.
- OH, NO, NO, YOU BURN IT.
- BURN IT?
- YES, IT'S MUCH MORE
SATISFYING. (LAUGHTER)
IF YOU LISTEN CLOSELY,
YOU CAN HEAR 'EM POP.
(LOUD LAUGHTER)
- ALL RIGHT, ENOUGH WITH
EARWIGS, LANCE, AND WE'VE HAD
SEVERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT
VOLES AND GOPHERS, WHICH I
THINK THEY'RE REFERRING
TO GROUND SQUIRRELS.
THIS PARTICULAR PERSON FROM
BOZEMAN HAS LOTS OF VOLES
AND GOPHERS, GROUND SQUIRRELS
MOVING IN FROM THEIR
NEIGHBORS, IS THERE ANY WAY
THAT THEY CAN STOP THOSE
CREATURES FROM MOVING
INTO THEIR PROPERTY?
- TRY GETTING A NEW
NEIGHBOR. (LAUGHTER)
SO, YEAH, IT'S GONNA
BE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO
CONTROL VOLES OR REDUCE
VOLES, IF YOU DON'T HAVE
A COMMUNITY LEVEL
KIND OF COOPERATIVE.
BECAUSE, YOU GUYS KNOW
THIS, SO VOLES ARE
HIGHLY PROLIFIC, SO THEY
HAVE LIKE, THEY CAN HAVE
MULTIPLE LITTERS IN A
SEASON, AND THEY CAN HAVE
A LARGE NUMBER OF PUPS
IN EACH LITTER, SO EVEN
JUVENILES CAN HAVE, CAN
BORE YOUNG IN THE SEASON
THAT THEY WERE BORN.
SO, THEY JUST KEEP COMIN'.
SO, IF YOUR NEIGHBORS
NOT HELPIN' YOU OUT,
THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE
A HARD TIME KEEPING
THEM OUT OF YOUR YARD.
BUT, THERE ARE A NUMBER
OF MEASURES WHICH, I MEAN,
I WAS WATCHING THE SHOW
LAST WEEK AND TOBY MENTIONED
A COUPLE OF MEASURES
FOR PREVENTING DAMAGE.
THE MOST EFFECTIVE THING
THAT YOU CAN DO IS TO CHANGE
THE HABITAT CONDITIONS,
SO REMOVE THE COVER.
SO, IF YOU'RE HAVING
PROBLEMS IN YOUR GARDEN,
GETTING INTO YOUR GARDEN,
THEN CREATE A BUFFER AROUND
YOUR GARDEN OF JUST BARE SOIL
OR ROCKS, THEY DON'T WANNA
COME UP OVER, RUN OVER THAT.
IN THE FALL, BEFORE WINTER,
YOU WANNA REMOVE, YOU WANT TO
CUT YOUR GRASS SHORT AND THEN
REMOVE ALL THE THATCH SO THAT
THEY DON'T HAVE ANY COVER
AND THE SNOW CAN KINDA GET
CAMPACTED THERE, TO PROTECT
YOUR TREES, YOU CAN WRAP THOSE
IN HARDWARE CLOTH, MAKE
SURE YOU'RE BURYING IT
TO THREE OR FOUR INCHES.
AND OF COURSE, DON'T
GIRDLE YOUR TREES WITH
THE HARDWARE CLOTH. (LAUGHTER)
- COULD YOU REALISTICALLY
EXPECT A INSTALLED RAPTOR PERCH
OF SOME SORT TO DRAW A
BIRD IN AND HELP YOU OUT?
- NO, THE DETERRENTS, OR THE
SCARE DEVICES FOR THINGS ARE
JUST KIND OF INEFFECTIVE, THEY
USUALLY WORK FOR TWO OR THREE
DAYS AND THEN ANIMALS
GET HABITUATED TO 'EM.
- YEAH, BUT I'M TRYIN' TO
BRING A REAL RAPTOR IN.
- WELL, THAT WOULD BE GOOD,
YEAH, IF YOU COULD DO THAT,
THAT WOULD HELP A LOT.
YOU CAN BRING DOWN POPULATIONS
WITH A CONCENTRATED
TRAPPING EFFORT, SNAP TRAPS
IN THE RUNS, BUT AS SOON AS
YOUR ENTHUSIASM FOR TRAPPING
WANES, THEY'RE GONNA
COME RIGHT BACK, SO YEAH,
TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBORS.
- YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING A
BUNCH OF HERBICIDE QUESTIONS,
WEED PROBLEM QUESTIONS
TONIGHT AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE
JANE MANGOLD BACK ON PANEL,
NEXT WEEK OR TWO, WE'RE GONNA
HOLD THOSE FOR HER, BECAUSE
SHE'S MUCH MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE
THAN THESE PEOPLE
ARE IN THAT AREA.
FROM LAKESIDE, THIS ONE
I'M UNFAMILIAR WITH.
HOW WELL DOES A PRODUCT
CALLED CAB FRESH WORK TO KEEP
PACK RATS OUT OF
VEHICLES AND CABINS?
HAS ANYBODY EVER HEARD OF THAT?
- I'M SORRY, NO, I
DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
- I HAVEN'T EITHER.
YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'LL
FIND OUT AND CHECK.
FROM MCALLISTER, WE GOT
LANCE UP, WE'LL JUST STAY
RIGHT THERE, HE HAS DEER
MICE GETTING INTO HIS HOUSE'S
BASEMENT, HE HAS BEEN
TOLD THAT POISONS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE NOW ARE NOT AS
EFFECTIVE AS IN THE PAST, DUE TO
A LOWER CONCENTRATION
OF ACTIVE INGREDIENT.
IS THAT TRUE?
- I'M UNSURE IF THAT'S TRUE,
BUT, YOU KNOW, IN MY HOUSE, I'M
CONSTANTLY BATTLING DEER
MICE GETTING INTO THE HOUSE.
SO, MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT
TO CLOSE UP ALL OF THE SMALL
GAPS, THEY CAN GET THROUGH
A SPACE THAT'S LESS THAN
A QUARTER OF AN INCH, EVEN.
SO, AND JUST LIKE THE VOLES
THEY ARE HIGHLY PROLIFIC,
SO YOU KINDA HAVE TO,
THEY'LL BE CYCLIC.
YOU'LL WHACK THE POPULATION
DOWN AND TWO MORE
WILL GET IN SOME LITTLE
CRACK IN YOUR HOUSE AND THEN
YOU'LL HAVE ANOTHER BOOM,
AND YOU JUST KEEP AT IT.
SO, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT
THAT, REDUCED CONCENTRATION.
- ARE THERE SOME EFFECTIVE
POISONS FOR DEER MICE?
- SURE, WELL I MEAN, YES, SO
THERE ARE SEVERAL COMMERCIALLY
AVAILABLE AT ANY HARDWARE
STORE, RAT/MOUSE POISONS THAT
WILL WORK.
- TABLETS.
- YEAH, EXACTLY, WELL, AND
ACTUALLY I WOULDN'T WANT
TO PUT OUT TABLETS, THEY
MAKE THESE ENCLOSED TRAPS,
THAT ONLY A MOUSE CAN GET IN.
ALL RIGHT, SO ONE OF THE
THINGS ABOUT POISONING RATHER
THAN LIKE USING SNAP TRAPS
OR SOME OTHER DEVICE IS THAT
IT TAKES A WHILE FOR THAT TO
WORK, AND IF THE MOUSE GETS OUT
AND PERHAPS YOUR CAT CAN CONSUME
IT THERE MAYBE SOME RISK.
THAT'S PROBABLY WHY, IF THEY
HAVE LOWERED THE CONCENTRATION,
TO PREVENT SECONDARY TROPHIC
CASCADES OF THE POISON.
- SOUNDS GOOD, TOBY, THIS
PERSON WANTS TO STORE SQUASH,
SHE HAS A ROOT CELLAR,
ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR IT?
- WELL, THE FIRST THING I
WOULD DO WITH THE SQUASH IS
HOPEFULLY IT'S GOING TO BE
SUNNY IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS,
GET IT OUT IN THE SUN, GET
IT OUT IN THE WARMTH, IT'LL
SUBARIZE AGAIN, THAT
KIND OF THE OUTSIDE SKIN,
TOUGHEN UP THAT SKIN.
THEN YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO
STORE IT IN A COOL, KINDA DRY
SPOT, OR DRIER SPOT, YOU DON'T
WANT THE HUMIDITY TOO HIGH,
I THINK 50, 60 PERCENT, WHICH
A CRAWL SPACE WOULD BE JUST
ABOUT PERFECT FOR THAT.
- OKAY.
- AND YOU WANNA WATCH AGAIN,
ANY KIND OF WOUNDING, AND SO
DON'T THROW IT IN A WHEEL
BARROW, DON'T GET ANY KIND
OF MARKS, DENTS, SCRATCHES,
ANYTIME YOU HAVE THAT, THAT'S
WHEN YOU CAN GET INFECTION,
THEN THE MOLDS WILL TAKE THOSE
OUT, SO BE GENTLE WITH THEM.
- THEY'LL CONTINUE TO
RIPEN IN STORAGE AS WELL.
SO, IF MAYBE YOUR BUTTERNUTS
DIDN'T QUITE FINISH UP
THOSE CAN CONTINUE TO
RIPEN SOME, NOT NECESSARILY
FROM A GREEN STAGE, BUT.
- OKAY, RIGHT, A COMMENT
FROM HELENA, THIS PERSON
CALLED IN AND SAID RABBITS
WITH TULAREMIA WILL HAVE
WHITE SPOTS ON THE LIVER, THAT
ARE VISIBLE IN A NECROPSY,
AND I THINK THAT'S TRUE,
I THINK I'VE READ THAT.
- YOU CAN DEFINITELY SEE LESIONS
INTERNALLY, BUT YOU CAN'T
TELL EXTERNALLY, IF
TULAREMIA KILLED A RABBIT.
- CLARIFIED THAT.
- THANKS FOR THE CALL.
- NO THAT'S GREAT, WE LIKE
COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS.
FROM BILLINGS, MACK AND
TOBY WHAT'S A SPINNING-TYPE
COMPOSTER, AND THEY FOLLOWED
THE DIRECTIONS, THEY USED
GRASS CLIPPINGS, DRY LEAVES,
WATER, ETC., BUT IT DOESN'T
WORK FOR 'EM, VERY WELL,
ANY THOUGHT ON THAT?
- MAYBE IT NEEDS MORE WATER?
- WELL, THROW A SHOVELFUL
OF SOIL IN THERE, GET SOME
MICROBES GOING, AND IF YOU
GOT TRILLIONS OF MICROBES
IN THAT SHOVELFUL OF SOIL,
THAT'LL HELP THE PROCESS,
THE OTHER PART OF IT TOO, IS
A LOT OF THOSE SPINNING-TYPE
COMPOSTERS SIMPLY DO NOT
HAVE ENOUGH VOLUME AND SO
THEY STAY COLD, AND SO YOU
REALLY NEED ABOUT A CUBIC YARD
REALLY, TO START THAT COMPOSTING
PROCESS, AND MOST OF 'EM
ARE TOO SMALL.
SO, GET THE LARGEST ONE
YOU CAN, AND IF YOU ALREADY
HAVE ONE, SELL IT IN A GARAGE
SALE, GET A BIGGER ONE.
I DON'T KNOW.
(LAUGHTER)
I LIKE PUTTIN' COMPOST
IN COMPOST PILES,
SIZE AS THAT SPINNER AND
IT WORKS A LOT BETTER.
- NOW THIS CAME IN FROM LAST
WEEK, AND I'M BRINGING IT
UP BECAUSE I'M CURIOUS, AND I
DIDN'T REALIZE THIS, BUT THIS
IS FROM A BIRD PERSON, AND
THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED
TO ALL THE FINCHES THIS
YEAR, IS THERE A REASON
THE POPULATION'S DOWN?
- YOU KNOW, I HEARD THAT
QUESTION EARLIER, AND I DIDN'T
REALLY HAVE A GOOD ANSWER
FOR IT, SO I DON'T KNOW MUCH
ABOUT FINCHES, I HAVE TO SAY,
SO THERE'S A LOT GOING ON
WITH MIGRATORY BIRD
POPULATIONS AND THEY CAN BE
SUSCEPTIBLE TO ALL KINDS OF
THINGS, SO THERE COULD BE
LIMITING HABITAT CONDITIONS
HERE, BUT MORE LIKELY
THERE WAS SOME SORT OF
LIMITING FACTOR THAT OCCURRED
ON IT'S WINTERING GROUNDS.
- YEAH, I WOULD AGREE
WITH THAT ENTIRELY.
- IF THERE'S A DRASTIC CHANGE
FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT
USUALLY IT'S ACCOUNTED FOR
BY LARGE DIE-OFF ON THE
WINTERING GROUNDS OR IN
TRANSIT BETWEEN THE TWO.
- [JACK] ALL RIGHT, WHILE
WE HAVE YOU ON FROM HAVRE,
THIS PERSON SAW BLACK VULTURES,
A LOT OF BIRD QUESTIONS
TONIGHT, FEEDING ON A DEER
CARCASS, I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT
BEFORE, ARE THEY NEW TO MONTANA?
IF SO, IS THIS RELATED
TO CLIMATE CHANGE?
THAT'S A TOUGH QUESTION
TO ANSWER, SOME
CONJECTURE ON YOUR PART?
SURE, YEAH, SO BLACK
VULTURES ARE RARE,
OR HAVE BEEN RARE AT
LEAST, IN MONTANA.
TO SEE ONE, UP NEAR HAVRE,
THAT WOULD BE VERY UNIQUE.
BUT I WOULD EXPECT TO
SEE MORE AND MORE BLACK
VULTURES AS WE CONTINUE
TO GET WARMER AND WARMER,
MILDER AND MILDER WINTERS, YES.
- [TOBY] WOULDN'T YOU SAY TOO,
WHEN I WAS A KID, GROWIN' UP
IN MONTANA, IT WAS RARE
IF I SAW A BALD EAGLE.
I REALLY THINK, AND I DON'T
KNOW IF YOU CAN TOUCH ON THIS,
BUT MAYBE JUST THE ELIMINATION
OF DDT, HAS THAT INCREASED
BIRD POPULATIONS,
RAPTOR POPULATIONS?
- WELL, CERTAINLY FOR
RAPTOR AND FOR VULTURES,
THE ELIMINATION OF DDT
HAD SIGNIFICANT AND RAPID
POSITIVE IMPACTS FOR THEM,
SO THAT MAY BE THE CASE.
DDT HAS BEEN ELIMINATED
FOR SEVERAL DECADES NOW,
SO THE RECENT OBSERVATION
OF A BLACK VULTURE, THIS FAR
NORTH IS PROBABLY LESS
TO DO WITH DDT PROBABLY,
THAN JUST A NORTHWARD SHIFT
IN THEIR DISTRIBUTION.
- SOME OF THE WORMING
AGENTS HAVE PROBLEMS WITH
VULTURES IN SOME PARTS OF
THE WORLD, IS THAT AFFECTING
OURS?
- I DO NOT KNOW.
- YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND
BIRD POPULATIONS, I LIKE
TO HUNT DUCKS, AND IN AREAS
THAT I HUNT DUCKS, IN
COLORADO AND MONTANA, WE'RE
SEEIN' IBIS NOW, WHICH 10
YEARS AGO YOU NEVER SAW,
BLACK IBIS, SO YOU DO
CHANGE PATTERNS OF ANIMALS
WHEN TEMPERATURES CHANGE,
FOR WHATEVER REASON.
OKAY, FROM BOZEMAN,
A QUESTION FOR MIKE,
THIS IS INTERESTING, THERE
ARE MANY DIFFERENT STINGING
INSECTS, IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC
TO ONE KIND, ARE YOU ALLERGIC
TO ALL THE OTHER KINDS?
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU'RE
ALLERGIC TO HONEY BEES ARE YOU
ALSO ALLERGIC TO WASPS?
- THIS IS A GREAT QUESTION.
- IT IS.
- AND, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
WE TALK ABOUT A LOT, BECAUSE
SOME OF THESE THINGS, THEY'RE
NOT ALL THAT CLOSELY RELATED
TO EACH OTHER.
THE PROBLEM IS, THERE'S NO
EXPERIMENTAL METHOD THAT
WOULD MEET THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR VALID RESEARCH,
BECAUSE YOU'D HAVE TO JUST
TRY THIS, AND IT WOULD
PROBABLY END UP LOSING SOME
OF YOUR STUDY ORGANISMS.
SO, BASICALLY, YOU WANT TO
AVOID STINGING HYMENOPTERA
IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC
TO ANY OF THEM.
I WOULD NOT SUGGEST TRYING
IT, IT'S JUST NOT WORTH IT,
BUT, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT IT
IS SPECIFIC, BUT IT IS NOT
ADVISABLE TO TEMPT FATE.
- ARE THE BEE VENOMS THAT
YOU CAN GET TESTED FOR
WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN, IS
THAT A GENERIC BEE VENOM?
- GENERALLY, JUST AS FAR AS
I KNOW, AND NOW WE'RE INTO
MEDICAL STUFF, SO I PROBABLY
SHOULD JUST BE QUIET NOW,
BUT, AS FAR AS I KNOW IT'S
USUALLY HONEY BEES, IT MAY ALSO
BE YELLOW JACKETS,
BUT THERE'S A WHOLE
BUNCH OF, WELL THERE'S
TENS OF THOUSANDS
OF STINGING HYMENOPTERA TYPES.
THERE'S PROBABLY 750 KINDS OF
BEES JUST IN MONTANA, OR MORE.
AND THEN YOU GET INTO THE
STINGING WASPS AND SO ON, AND
THEY'RE ALL SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT,
BUT IT DEPENDS ON THE ACTUAL
PROTEIN THAT YOU'RE ALLERGIC
TO AND HOW CLOSE THAT IS.
AND THEY'RE ALL EVOLUTIONARY
RELATED, SO IT'S POSSIBLE
THAT THEY COULD BE.
- YOU KNOW WE ASKED FOR
SUGGESTIONS, AND WE'RE GETTIN'
LOTS OF 'EM, WHICH WE DO
APPRECIATE, FROM LAUREL AND
ALSO FROM MALTA, CALLERS
SAID THAT CAB FRESH WORKS
VERY WELL IN KEEPING AND
CONTROLLING MICE IN TRACTORS
AND OTHER TYPES OF EQUIPMENT.
- HAVE THEY TOLD US
WHAT CAB FRESH IS?
- I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAB
FRESH IS, THEY CAN CALL AND
READ THE LABEL TO US AND
WE WILL ALL LEARN SOMETHING
TONIGHT, EVIDENTLY IT WORKS.
- I'M GONNA LOOK THAT UP
AS SOON AS I GET HOME.
- SOUNDS GOOD, AND THEN FROM
OLESON, FIRST CALL I THINK
WE'VE EVER HAD FROM OLESON,
SUGGESTIONS FOR VOLE CONTROL,
AND WE KNOW THIS, TOMCATS,
CATS IN GENERAL ARE VERY,
VERY GOOD AT VOLE CONTROL.
LET ME JUST COMMENT ON THE
CATS, IF YOU WILL, SO YES,
IF YOU DON'T LIKE SONGBIRDS,
'CAUSE CATS KILL A LOT
SONGBIRDS, SO, IF YOU'RE
GONNA USE CATS THEN PUT THEM
OUT AFTER THE SONGBIRDS
HAVE HATCHED THEIR NESTS AND
THEY'RE FIXIN' TO LEAVE.
SO FROM LATE JULY UNTIL
WINTERTIME, THAT'S A GREAT TIME
TO PUT YOUR CATS OUT THERE
AND BE ASSURED THAT THEY'RE
NOT GONNA HAVE NEGATIVE
IMPACTS ON YOUR SONGBIRDS.
- SOUNDS GOOD, AND I
APPRECIATE THAT COMMENT,
THAT'S VERY, VERY TRUE.
NORTH OF WHITEFISH, LANCE,
DO MINK OR ERMINE LIVE HERE?
HE WAS OUTDOORS SAWING
WOOD WITH HIS SAW, SOUNDED
LIKE A RABBIT SCREAMING AND
SAW A SLINKY WEASEL-LOOKING
ANIMAL WATCHING HIM.
- YES, TO BOTH.
- OKAY, THEY'RE COMMON.
- YEAH.
- SO, MINK ARE MORE OF A
WETLAND, RIPARIAN-TYPE OF WEASEL
AND ERMINE, THEY STILL LIKE
RIPARIAN AREAS, BUT IF YOU SEE
MINK HANGING AROUND
LIKE, BEAVER DAMS.
AND MINK ARE ENTIRELY BROWN,
AND THEY HAVE A LITTLE
WHITE CHIN, WHEREAS ERMINE
HAVE MUCH MORE WHITE ON
THEIR BELLIES.
- OKAY, TOBY, FROM BILLINGS,
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY
TO KEEP CARROTS OVER THE WINTER?
- OKAY, KEEP CARROTS, ONE OF
THE THINGS IS, SO, IN STORING
YOUR VEGETABLES, WHAT YOU
WANNA DO IS YOU WANNA HAVE
A HIGH HUMIDITY, KINDA LOWER
TEMPERATURE, WHICH IS KINDA
HARD TO DO, SO MOST OF THE
TIME IT WOULD BE IN THE CRAWL
SPACE OR, IF YOU HAVE A
ROOT CELLAR OF ANY KIND.
A ROOT CELLAR CAN SIMPLY
BE JUST A TRASH CAN, BURIED
IN THE GROUND, A LITTLE BIT
OF STRAW IN THERE, THAT'LL
INCREASE THE HUMIDITY
AND KEEP IT COOL ENOUGH.
BUT, YOU WANT A KIND OF A
COOL, MOIST AREA FOR THOSE
CARROTS AND THEY SHOULD
KEEP, PROBABLY FOR A COUPLE
MONTHS ANYWAYS.
- BUT, YOU DON'T WANT THAT
ROOT CELLAR TO FREEZE, RIGHT?
- RIGHT, YEAH, YOU
DON'T WANT IT TO FREEZE.
- YOU JUST WANT IT TO BE
BASICALLY, A REFRIGERATOR.
- BASICALLY, YES.
- MAGIC OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY,
FRESH CAB, NUMBER ONE,
IS A BOTANICAL RODENT REPELLENT,
AND IT IS THE FIRST AND
ONLY GREEN REPELLENT REGISTERED
BY THE EPA FOR INDOOR
USE, SO, IT WORKS, AND IT GIVES
YOU A LOT MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT IT, SO, EVERYBODY
THAT'S CALLED IN, THANK YOU
ABOUT THAT, WE ALL LEARNED
SOMETHING THIS EVENING.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MICE
PROBLEMS ALREADY, SO I'M
GONNA MISS THAT ONE.
THIS PERSON IS FROM
MANHATTAN, MONTANA AND THEY
HAVE BEAVER DAMAGE, HOW
CAN THEY CONTROL THAT?
- I LIKE THAT THE CALLER ASKED
ABOUT CONTROLLING THE DAMAGE,
RATHER THAN THE
BEAVERS THEMSELVES,
SO, I SUSPECT THEY DIDN'T
ASK, THEY DIDN'T SPECIFY
WHAT TYPE OF DAMAGE
THEY'RE HAVING.
- PROBABLY--
- IS IT THE FLOODING OR--
- THE TREES.
- IS IT THE CUTTING?
- PROBABLY THE CUTTING.
- SO, I'LL JUST TOUCH
A LITTLE ON BOTH.
- OKAY.
- SO, FOR THE CUTTING, IF YOU
HAVE ORNAMENTALS OR ORCHARDS
OR EVEN COTTONWOODS AND ASPENS
THAT YOU'D LIKE TO PROTECT.
GET OUT THERE AND PUT EITHER
HARDWARE CLOTH OR SOME SORT
OF FENCING AROUND THEM, OR
I KNOW A NUMBER OF PEOPLE
WHO HAVE HAD LUCK USING LATEX
PAINT WITH A REALLY COARSE
AGGREGATE IN IT, AND PAINT
THAT ON THE TRUNK OF THE TREE,
AND THAT WILL DETER BEAVERS
FROM CUTTING 'EM AS WELL.
WHEN IT COMES TO FLOODING,
BEAVERS ARE EXCELLENT
ENGINEERS, BUT THEY ARE JUST
AS LAZY AS US, SO THEY LIKE
TO FIND CULVERTS, THAT'S A
GREAT PLACE, THERE ARE A NUMBER
OF DEVICES THAT THEY CAN
INSTALL TO PREVENT BEAVERS
FROM BEING ABLE TO CLOG A
CULVERT, OR YOU CAN INSTALL THEM
IN A BEAVER DAM, FOR KEEPING
A WATER LEVEL THAT WON'T
FLOOD OUT IN THE
GREATER FLOOD PLAIN.
BUT, BEFORE THEY DO THAT, I'M
GLAD THAT THEY WANT TO CONTROL
THE DAMAGE ITSELF, RATHER THAN
ELIMINATE THE BEAVERS, BUT
BEFORE THEY DO THAT THEY
SHOULD KINDA CONSIDER ALL THE
BENEFITS THAT BEAVERS
ACTUALLY PROVIDE.
SO, NOT ONLY WILDLIFE HABITAT,
BUT RETENTION OF WATER,
GROUND WATER RECHARGE,
SOIL AND NUTRIENT ADDITIONS
TO THE SOIL, EROSION CONTROL,
THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS.
BEAVERS ARE A LOT
OF NEAT THINGS.
- SOUNDS GOOD, ALL RIGHT,
FROM WOLF CREEK, TOBY, THIS
PERSON, NOT TOBY, WELL,
HE CAN TOUCH ON IT, TOO.
MACK, LET'S THROW THIS ONE
TOWARDS YOU, THEY HAVE A SMALL
FARM-TYPE SITUATION, THEY HAVE
DEER PROBLEMS THERE BUT THEY
ALSO HAVE BUCK DEER THAT
RUB THE BARK OFF THE TREES,
THEY WANNA KNOW WHAT TO DO
ABOUT THE DEER IN THE GARDEN
AND HOW TO PREVENT THE
BUCKS FROM DESTROYING TREES.
YOU GUYS WANNA HAVE AT IT?
- EIGHT FOOT TALL
FENCE. (LAUGHTER)
- HOW TALL A FENCE, SERIOUSLY?
- IT DEPENDS HOW
ATTRACTIVE WHAT YOU HAVE IS
RELATIVE TO THE
SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT.
- USUALLY, GENERALLY
SPEAKING, A SIX FOOT FENCE
OF WOVEN OR WELDED WIRE
WILL KEEP A DEER OR ELK
OUT OF SOMETHING THEY WANNA EAT.
IT WON'T KEEP THEM
INSIDE OF SOMEWHERE THEY
DON'T WANNA BE, SO, WHEREAS
AN EIGHT FOOT FENCE WILL.
SO, YES, I WOULD AGREE WITH
MACK, THAT IT DEPENDS AND
GENERALLY SPEAKING,
PUT A FENCE AROUND IT.
- AT THE HORTICULTURE FARM
AROUND THE ORCHARD AND THE GREEN
HOUSES THERE, WE PUT ABOUT A
SIX FOOT SIX WOVEN WIRE FENCE
AND IT HAS BEEN VERY
EFFECTIVE KEEPING DEER OUT,
THAT I'VE SEEN.
I'VE ALWAYS MENTIONED THAT IT
HAD TO BE A EIGHT FOOT FENCE
THAT THEY COULD JUMP OVER
IT, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN A DEER
IN THERE YET, SO.
- JIM NYE, OUR FORMER WILDLIFE
SPECIALIST, HE DID A NUMBER
OF EXPERIMENTS TRYING TO SEE
WHAT THE BEST FENCE DESIGN WAS
TO KEEP DEER AND ELK OUT OF
ESSENTIALLY HAY FIELDS, OR AREAS
FOR HAY STORAGE, AND HE
DETERMINED THAT A SIX FOOT FENCE
OF WOVEN OR WELDED WIRE WAS
EFFECTIVE AT KEEPING DEER OUT
OF FOOD RESOURCES.
- SOUNDS GOOD, AND I'VE NOTICED
THIS MYSELF, THIS PERSON
FROM BOZEMAN'S NOTICED
THOUSANDS OF RAVENS, IN THE AREA
THIS YEAR, ARE THEY MIGRATING?
HOW LONG WILL THEY STAY, ANY
INFORMATION ABOUT WHY WE'RE
SEEING SO MANY THIS YEAR?
- SO, RAVENS CAN BE MIGRATORY,
OR NOT BE MIGRATORY, THEY CAN
BE RESIDENT BIRDS AS WELL.
IT COULD BE ANY NUMBER OF
REASONS WHY YOU'RE SEEING
MORE RAVENS THAN NORMAL.
IT COULD BE YOU'VE CHANGED
THE ENVIRONMENT, YOU'VE MADE
IT MORE ATTRACTIVE TO
RAVENS, SO THERE AREN'T ANY
MORE RAVENS, YOU'RE JUST GETTING
MORE OF THEM ON YOUR PLACE
FOR SOME REASON, BUT AS
FAR AS POPULATION LEVEL,
INFLUENCES OR
FLUCTUATIONS, I'M NOT SURE.
- WHAT DO YOU ACTUALLY
CALL A GROUP OF RAVENS?
- OH YES, I WAS THINKING THAT.
- IT'S A MURDER.
- AND IT'S ALMOST HALLOWEEN
AND THAT'S SO COOL. (LAUGHTER)
SORRY, I JUST HAD TO SAY THAT.
- WHAT ABOUT CROWS?
- I THINK IT'S ALSO A MURDER,
ISN'T IT?
- IT'S A CONGRESS.
- IT'S A CONGRESS, OKAY, SORRY.
- BOY, THE EDUCATIONAL
EXPERIENCE I'M GETTING TONIGHT
IS INCREDIBLE.
- I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY
MADE-UP, BUT IT SOUNDS GOOD.
- ANOTHER COMMENT FROM
MALTA, BLACK VULTURES
CAME TO MALTA FOR 20 YEARS,
ALWAYS ON APRIL 13TH.
AND, I'M NOT GOING TO VERIFY
THAT, BUT THAT WAS A COMMENT.
IN MAGRETTE, TOBY, QUICKLY,
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY
TO STORE CABBAGE?
- IT'S ALL ABOUT STORAGE,
OKAY, SAME THING, YOU'RE GONNA
WANT SOME HIGHER HUMIDITY,
COOLER TEMPERATURES AND
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO HOLD
CABBAGE FOR PROBABLY A GOOD
MONTH OR TWO, AT BEST.
- WELL, THE TRADITIONAL WAY,
FOR HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS
OF YEARS IS TO STORE
IT AS SAUERKRAUT.
- SAUERKRAUT, YES, I LOVE IT.
- THAT'S THE WAY TO KEEP
CABBAGE OVER WINTER AND MAKE
IT GOOD FOR YOU AND HEALTHY,
AND IT DOESN'T TASTE THAT
GREAT.
- IT TASTES BETTER
THAN CABBAGE. (LAUGHTER)
- MIX FIVE POUNDS OF
CABBAGE TO THREE TABLESPOONS
OF PICKLING SALT, I KNOW
THAT, JUST BECAUSE I'VE MADE
SOME SAUERKRAUT.
- SO, HOW IS KIMCHEE MADE?
- OH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T EVEN
KNOW, I DON'T LIKE KIMCHEE.
- JUST LIKE EGGPLANT, RIGHT?
- EXACTLY, EXACTLY.
- IT'S BASICALLY ANOTHER
ASIAN FORM OF SAUERKRAUT,
AND IT'S A PICKLING,
AND IT'S AMAZINGLY NUTRITIOUS.
- IT IS.
- JUST ANOTHER KIND OF CABBAGE
PICKLED WITH SOME
SPICES THROWN IN.
- BUT IT IS, THAT'S
HOW YOU STORE CABBAGE
AND KEEP IT SO THAT YOU'RE
STILL HAVING SOMETHING TO EAT
BEFORE THINGS COME OUT IN MARCH.
- SOUNDS GOOD, WE'VE
CORRECTED THAT PROBLEM NOW,
SO, ALL RIGHT, MIKE, WHILE
WE GOTCHA, A LARGE BEE SWARM
MOVED INTO THE CEILING OF
OUR ABANDONED FARM BUILDING
THIS PAST SUMMER, WHAT'S
GONNA HAPPEN NEXT YEAR?
- WELL, IF THEY WENT IN THERE
AND THEY STARTED A HIVE,
SO THAT THEY'RE PRODUCING
COMB AND HONEY AND SO ON,
IT REALLY DEPENDS ON HOW
PROTECTED THAT WILL BE OVER
THE WINTER HOW SUCCESSFUL THEY
WERE AT MAKING UP A STORE.
THE ABILITY OF HONEY BEES
TO OVERWINTER AS FERAL OR
OR WILD HIVES IN MONTANA
HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN THAT
THAT THEY WON'T MAKE IT.
AGAIN, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE
THINGS WHERE LAST YEAR
I HEARD A REPORT, THIS YEAR,
A REPORT OF A FERAL COLONY
OVERWINTERING LAST WINTER,
WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT
IS EXTREMELY UNUSUAL.
SO, WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS
THEY WILL EITHER DIE OFF OR
THEY WILL MAKE IT, AND IT'S
VERY DIFFICULT TO TELL WHICH.
- ALL RIGHT, LANCE, THIS
PERSON IS FROM GREAT FALLS,
HIS MOTHER HAS LARGE
MOUNDS OF DIRT IN THE YARD,
CAUSED BY SOME UNDERGROUND
ANIMAL, PROBABLY
POCKET GOPHERS, HOW CAN
THEY GET RID OF THEM
WITHOUT POISONING THEIR CAT?
- SO, YES, INDEED, I THINK
THEY DO HAVE POCKET GOPHERS.
POCKET GOPHERS ARE THE ONES
THAT CREATE THAT NICE, FINE
MOUND OF DIRT, AND THOSE ARE
ACTUALLY THE, THEY HAVE A
MAIN TRAILWAY UNDER THE
GROUND AND IT'S REALLY CLOSE
TO THE SURFACE.
AND, THEY CREATE ALL THESE
SIDE TUNNELS AND THEY PUSH
ALL THE DIRT UP THOSE SIDE
TUNNELS, AND THEY DON'T USE
THOSE SIDE TUNNELS.
SO, A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK
THEY CAN TRAP OR POISON
POCKET GOPHERS BY DIGGING
IN THERE AND PUTTING
THE POISON OR WHATEVER IN
THOSE, UNDERNEATH THOSE
MOUNDS OF DIRT, AND THAT
JUST WON'T BE EFFECTIVE,
BECAUSE THEY DON'T
USE THOSE AT ALL.
THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY
TO CONTROL POCKET GOPHERS
IS BY TRAPPING THEM, IF
THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
THERE ARE SOME APPROVED
TOXICANTS FOR POCKET GOPHERS
INCLUDING, I BELIEVE IT'S
STILL APPROVED, STRYCHNINE.
IT'S ACTUALLY THE ONLY APPROVED
USE OF STRYCHNINE, I THINK,
IS UNDERGROUND.
SO, IF YOU HAVE POCKET GOPHERS
AND YOU WANT TO GET RID
OF THEM, POCKET GOPHERS, IN
CONTRAST TO GROUND SQUIRRELS,
ARE MUCH EASIER TO CONTROL,
SO TRAPPING IS THE MOST
EFFECTIVE ROUTE.
- ALL RIGHT, FROM CONRAD,
THIS PERSON WANTS US TO SPELL
THE NAME OF THE RODENT PRO
PRODUCT USED INSIDE EQUIPMENT.
WHAT I HAVE HERE IS C-A-B
F-R-E-S-H, AND IT MIGHT BE
HYPHENATED.
- OR, FRESH CAB.
- OR FRESH CAB, MAYBE IT'S
FRESH CAB, OKAY, THAT WORKS, ONE
OF THE TWOS.
QUICKLY, HOW DO YOU STORE
RED POTATOES, THE BEST WAY?
- THE SAME WAY, GET YOURSELF
A ROOT CELLAR FOLKS, THAT'S
GONNA BE IT, OR A COOL,
WET, HUMID ENVIRONMENT.
- OKAY, HERE WE HAD ANOTHER
QUESTION, ABOUT WHERE HAVE
ALL THE GRASSLAND BIRDS GONE,
ANY QUICK COMMENT ON THAT?
- OH, WOW, THAT'S A GREAT
QUESTION, AND IT WOULD BE A VERY
LONG ANSWER, SO, GRASS
AND BIRDS ARE ACTUALLY
THE MOST PRECIPITOUSLY
DECLINING GUILD OF BIRDS IN
NORTH AMERICA, AND MOSTLY
THAT'S BEEN DUE TO HABITAT
LOSS, OVER THE LAST
30 YEARS OR SO.
GRASSLAND HAS BEEN
DECLINING RAPIDLY.
I THINK WE'RE AT THE END
OF THAT DECLINE, PERHAPS,
IT DEPENDS ON WHERE THE
COST OF BIOFUELS GOES
IN THE FUTURE.
- IT'S HABITAT.
- BUT, IT'S ALL HABITAT DRIVEN,
SO POOR BREEDING HABITAT
RESULTS IN RAPIDLY DECLINING
GRASS AND BIRD POPULATIONS.
- WE'RE DONE FOR THE EVENING
FOLKS AND WE APPRECIATE
ALL THE PHONE CALLS, ALL THE
SUGGESTIONS, AND THE COMMENTS.
WE LOVE TO LISTEN
TO YOUR COMMENTS.
NEXT WEEK, KATE FULLER WILL
TALK A LITTLE BIT THE FARM BILL
AND SO FORTH, WE'LL SEE
YA THEN, GOOD NIGHT,
AND HAVE A GOOD ONE.
(BANJO MUSIC)
- [VOICEOVER] MONTANA AG
LIVE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY
THE MONTANA DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE, THE MSU
EXTENSION SERVICE, THE
MSU AG EXPERIMENT STATIONS
OF THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE,
THE MONTANA WHEAT &
BARLEY COMMITTEE, THE
MONTANA BANKERS ASSOCIATION,
CASHMAN NURSERY &
LANDSCAPING, AND THE GALLATIN
GARDENERS CLUB.
(ELECTRIC GUITAR FANFARE)