Protection of Agricultural Resources 



attached to traps and snares set to capture coyotes and 

 wolves. The tranquilizer will immobilize the captured 

 animals for up to 24 hours, thereby helping reduce stress 

 and trap-related injuries. 



The first building of a state-of-the-art research facility for the 

 National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) was completed 

 in January 1995 on the foothills campus of Colorado State 

 University in Ft. Collins. The new facilities, being completed 

 as part of a master plan for NWRC, will allow for the future 

 relocation of all DWRC headquarters activities to Ft. Collins. 

 Initial research will emphasize developing attractants and 

 repellants, a research area that promises to produce new, 

 effective, and socially acceptable wildlife management 

 methods. Planning and design activities are under way to 

 develop additional facilities on the remainder of the 43-acre 

 site. These plans include offices, laboratories, a conference 

 and technology transfer center, maintenance shops, and 

 outdoor animal holding and research facilities for a variety of 

 mammal and bird species. 



Birds and mammals of many species cause damage to food 

 crops and livestock worth several hundred million dollars 

 annually. Blackbirds and starlings regularly consume grain 

 crops in all stages of growth, from sprouting seeds to mature 

 crops. Affected crops include wheat, corn, rice, sorghum, 

 and sunflowers. Ducks and geese trample, eat, and foul 

 swathed grain and seeds. Fish-eating birds cause serious 

 losses to catfish and other fish grown at aquaculture 

 facilities. Mammals, such as deer, prairie dogs, gophers, 

 and raccoons, also cause damage to a wide variety of foods 

 crops. Certain predators cause significant damage to the 

 livestock industry by killing or injuring sheep, goats, cattle, 

 poultry, and other kinds of livestock. 



Here are some specific examples of ADC's 

 accomplishments in protecting U.S. agriculture in 1995: 



• ADC responded to more than 1 ,400 black bear complaints 

 in Wisconsin during the year. Over half of these complaints 

 involved bears damaging agricultural resources. As a result 

 of the requests for assistance, ADC trapped and relocated 

 607 problem bears. 



• A sheep producer in southwestern Montana lost 30 ewes 

 to coyotes in 2 nights during January 1995. At the time of 

 the attacks, the sheepherder observed two coyotes decoy 

 the livestock guarding dogs away from the sheep and over a 

 hill. Six other coyotes then attacked the sheep. ADC 

 specialists removed several coyotes from the area with 

 aerial hunting and ground control methods before the losses 

 stopped. 



• After coyotes killed an emu valued at $15,000, a Madison 

 County, TX, resident contacted ADC for assistance. 

 Although the bird was penned along with others, coyotes 

 managed to enter the pen and make the kill. An ADC 

 specialist surveyed the situation and used traps and M-44's 

 at the site to remove four coyotes to prevent further losses. 



• Many Wisconsin corn farmers experienced extensive crop 

 damage from raccoons during the 1995 growing season. 

 Although raccoon damage is not new to corn producers, an 

 unusually high number of Wisconsin fields were affected 

 during the year. ADC responded by recommending 

 integrated damage management utilizing temporary electric 

 fencing, scare devices, and trapping. 



• In January 1995, sandhill cranes caused $4,000 in 

 damage when they grazed on a winter wheat pasture in 

 Kearney County, KS. ADC specialists provided the farmer 

 with technical information on harassment methods and 

 suggested the use of Mylar^^' flags and propane cannons to 

 scare the birds away from the area. 



ADC Program Highlights, 1995/7 



