REGINA — The Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation wants to help landowners fend off Richardson’s ground squirrels.
It and the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities announced June 25 they would work together to provide “practical assistance” for those who request it.
SWF executive director Darrell Crabbe said within five minutes of the announcement, he’d already received a call from a landowner. Within an hour he’d had seven calls.
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“Obviously there’s a want and a need out there,” he said.
Landowners can contact the SWF, which will find members available in their areas and make arrangements for “responsible and ethical” control of the rodents, more commonly known as gophers. Crabbe said he hopes this will create a longer term positive relationship between landowners and hunters.
One example is a group of SWF members from north of Yorkton who spend a week in the Shaunavon area each year on gopher control duty.
He also said SWF members carry an additional $5 million in liability coverage, will take proper safety precautions and respect landowners.
SARM president Bill Huber said the SWF asked for support for the initiative, and some landowners likely do need some extra help.
Huber said the dry conditions are a big factor in high populations in some regions, although the provincial crop report notes concerns across the province. Most areas report minor to moderate damage so far.
Gophers can cause significant crop loss and land degradation, which impacts farmers’ bottom lines.
“Even on our own farm we’ve lost not hundreds of acres but it’s several acres of canola last year, and wheat,” he said. “And of course they’re in hayland continually, and they erode topsoil and make it unsafe sometimes for cattle and horses. It is a concern and it’s a cost to the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp.”
He said gopher populations seem to be getting worse since strychnine was deregistered, even though other products are available. Some say these products don’t work as well, and SARM wants strychnine reintroduced. At the annual meeting this past spring, a resolution called on the province to use the Saskatchewan First Act to have that done, and premier Scott Moe said he would look into it.
However, it seems unlikely it will be made legal again.
Provincial vertebrate pest specialist James Tansey has said growers should make sure to place bait in burrows early in the year to get the best control.
Huber also said he believes adequate rainfall would take care of much of the problem, giving crops and pastures a better chance against the rodents.
In the meantime, he said SARM will support any option that helps control gophers, as long as it’s safe and doesn’t intrude on landowners’ rights.
Landowners who are looking for help from SWF members should contact the main office in Moose Jaw.
