The Times - Friday, December 15, 2017 A13
Leko’s Conservation Corner – K9 unit Submitted by Ministry of Environment conservation officer Lindsey Leko One might think that police service dogs, or K9 units, only apply to police organizations and border services. Since 1994, Saskatchewan has included a K9 operator among its complement of field conservation officers. During that period, three separate handlers have worked with five different dogs. The trailblazer for the ministry’s K9 program was Inspector Daryl Minter and his dog, Scout. Their dedication and hard work set the foundation for future officers and service dogs to assist conservation officers in their duties. Since then, we have had police service dogs Zoro, Maverick, Keela, and now Jaks, with his handler Cpl. Jamie Chartrand stationed in Prince Albert. Jaks is a seven year old Belgian Malinois, which is a breed very similar to the German Shepherd. Malinois are used by many agencies as service dogs, as they are known for their high drive, strong work ethic and detection capabilities. Conservation officer service dogs are general-purpose service dogs as opposed to single-purpose dogs you would find at the border or an airport for example looking for food types, drugs or other items. All of our dogs are trained in detection, tracking, and apprehension. Jaks and his predecessors have been
instrumental in many investigations, by assisting officers in locating physical evidence left or discarded by poachers. Jaks can search a large area the size of a football field, ten times faster than ten officers searching the same area, and most often locating evidence that may not have ever been found. In addition to finding physical evidence, the dogs assist in tracking wanted persons, such as those who have left the scene of a crime. Jaks is a very social dog, so if you are interested in a visit or presentation by our K9 team, simply contact your local conservation officer who may be able to help you out. In October, the Ministry of Environment launched a new mobile application called the Saskatchewan Co-operative Wildlife Management Survey (SK CWMS) for Saskatchewan people to record wildlife observations. Species include moose, elk, deer and select upland game birds. These observations help the ministry manage wildlife populations and the decisions for draws and quotas. Up until recently, I was like my dad and not very technology savvy. I must confess that I am becoming quite skilled and no longer need my kids to show me how my apps work on my phone. It is quite a slick app once you get it set up. The app is available for download on your iPhone and Android devices from the Apple app store and Google Play. You can locate the app by searching for “Saskatchewan Wildlife Sur-
vey” or “SK CWMS”. Once you download the SK CWMS app, call 1-800-567-4224 toll-free, for your participant number and activation code. Observations are encouraged throughout the year but each game species has a key period that is most important. These are: White-tailed deer and mule deer: September 1 to November 30; moose: September 1 to December 31; elk: September 1 to February 28; sharp-tailed grouse: March 1 to July 15; and Wild Turkey: December 1 to March 1. So getting away from the public service announcements, I have to answer at least a couple of questions. Q: Under what circumstances can a First Nation individual hunt with a nonAboriginal person? In Saskatchewan, it is unlawful for a non-Aboriginal person to aid, assist or hunt with a First Nation hunter who is exercising Treaty rights, unless the non-Aboriginal person is an immediate family member with a valid Treaty Assist Permit issued by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment. For a First Nation person and a non-Aboriginal individual who are not immediate family, to hunt together, both individuals must be in possession of a valid hunting licence appropriate for the purpose of the hunt, and follow all limits and laws that apply. If you have further questions, contact your local officer.
Q: Porcupines and raccoons are causing damage to my yard. Are they legal to shoot? Porcupines and raccoons are two of a number of species classed as unprotected under The Wildlife Regulations. This means that a licence is not required to kill them and there is an open season. However, all safety regulations would still apply, such as no hunting at night, no hunting near occupied residences without permission or no hunting on posted land. Rural landowners have further authorities in that they can protect their property including livestock from damage caused by carnivores (with the exception of swift fox or black-footed ferret), beaver or muskrats. Carnivores include all predator species, except raptors (owls, hawks or eagles). Common occurrences are weasels, mink or foxes killing chickens, or larger predators such as cougars, wolves or bears encroaching on yard sites or corrals. In these cases, landowners must immediately report any large predators they have killed to their local conservation officer. Conservation officers are a valuable source of information regarding nuisance wildlife occurrences and can often provide advice and non-lethal techniques which can discourage animals from remaining near farm yards or limit the damage they may create. Problem wildlife in towns or cities are another matter and these issues may be discussed in a future article.
Controlling Leafy Spurge on Pasture Lands Written by: Melanie Toppi During the 19 th century, a beautiful plant made its way to North America. The yellow flowers are bright and vibrant during the summer, and in the fall, the plants turn beautiful reds, purples and oranges. Although the splendor of these plants can impress the untrained eye, in reality, they are an invasive nuisance weed that can be detrimental to ecosystems and agriculture. This plant, leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula), is a very aggressive invasive plant. It has a deep root system and can produce thousands of seeds. Since this plant is exotic, it has no natural diseases or predators. As a result, leafy spurge can spread easily and quickly. Once established, it can outcompete native vegetation and be very damaging to habitat for species at risk. Southwestern Saskatchewan is home to many species considered to be “at risk”. How does one plant impact their habitat? These species, such as the Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus spragueii), require native prairie for maintaining and growing populations. The Sprague’s Pipit, for example, strongly prefers to nest and forage on large
parcels of native prairie. Leafy spurge, because it is so prolific, replaces the native vegetation. It changes the structure of the pasture, creating a habitat that is no longer useful to species. How is this weed controlled? Well, it is not easy! There are chemicals will kill spurge; however, they cannot be used near water and can be very expensive. Mechanically, plants can be pulled or dug out at the roots, mowed before seed set, or cultivated on cropland. A few species of flea beetles and a species of hawk moth that have been introduced can be effective in damaging the plant and therefore weakening it. Small ruminants, such as goats and sheep, can also be used to control leafy spurge. Sheep will consume 50-60 per cent leafy spurge in their diet, and goats will consume 90 per cent leafy spurge. Grazing can reduce the canopy cover of the spurge and allow native vegetation to better compete. Although each method of control has advantages and disadvantages, no method will completely eradicate leafy spurge with one attempt. Depending on the amount of leafy spurge, and how long the infestation has
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been in an area, it could take several years to reduce the spurge to a controllable amount no matter which method of control is used. Lee Sexton has been working with, and learning about, leafy spurge for many years. He has a lot of information to share, especially about target grazing of leafy spurge. At a presentation this summer, Sexton made the point that “doing nothing about leafy spurge, is the worst thing a person could do”. Landowners need to look at what their land is worth now, and what it would be worth in the future. How would a leafy spurge infestation affect the land’s value? How will leafy spurge affect the carrying capacity of a pasture, or the quality of a crop? Investing money into the problem may seem ineffective, however those costs will perpetuate the wanted plant species and increase grazing capacity, which increases holding capacity. This, in turn, produces more pounds per acre, therefore more profit. “Perhaps the best way to deal with leafy spurge is to do an integrated approach”, said Sexton. Coming up with a plan of action, using proper tools is important. Long-term, multi-species grazing along with other biological control (i.e. beetles), is an environmentally and economically sustainable solution. Small ruminants can consume a substantial amount of leafy spurge. Timing grazing just right will enhance the effects of small ruminants on the leafy spurge. One method used with small ruminants is the “twice-over method”. With this approach, the spurge is lightly grazed in early spring. This will cause the spurge to re-grow, with new shoots. Creating these new shoots
weakens the root reserves of the plants, making it more vulnerable to future grazing. The second time around, the animals will graze the plant again, removing potential of seed development. At this point, the spurge should be grazed heavily. Using small ruminants and insects gives the opportunity for controlling leafy spurge in hard-to-reach and sensitive areas, such along a body of water. Like any method of control, grazing and insects will take a few years to significantly diminish a leafy spurge infestation. Long-term, investing the time and money into controlling leafy spurge will help ensure healthy pastures and habitat, better profits and will help maintain land values. The South of the Divide Conservation Action Program (SODCAP Inc.) is a local stewardship organization that was formed by stakeholders that are interested in using the land while maintaining optimal habitat for species at risk. SODCAP Inc. has partnered with the Frenchman Wood River Weed Management area to map existing areas of spurge infestation. Knowing the size and locations of patches of weeds is the first step in assisting producers in controlling it. SODCAP Inc. is working with two ranches in southwestern Saskatchewan, piloting a program to help control leafy spurge on native prairie that threatens the habitat for Sprague’s Pipit, loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludocicianus excubitorides), and others. One project involves mainly a chemical control, along with the use of beetles in areas close to water. The other project will also use beetles, but will take an alternate approach to chemical and will use small ruminants.
LAND FOR SALE BY TENDER RM of Wood River No. 74 (OWNED BY GARRY KUFFNER) Land
Approx. Acreage
NE 21-07-06 W3 – Surface Parcel #143402868 NW 21-07-06 W3 – Surface Parcel #143402857 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
(159.45 acres) (160.46 acres)
Tenders must be submitted to the law firm, Anderson & Company by 2:00 p.m., Thursday, January 11th, 2018. A cheque for 5% of the amount of the tender must accompany the tender. (Cheques will be returned to unsuccessful bidders). Highest or any bid not necessarily accepted. Bidders must rely on their own research and inspection of the property and confirm acreage (acreages shown are approximate), condition and other particulars. No tender shall be accepted which is subject to financing. Bidders will not be called for an auction to determine the successful bidder. Forward tenders and inquiries to:
JOEL P. FRIESEN - ANDERSON & COMPANY - BARRISTERS & SOLICITORS 51 - 1ST Avenue N.W. 209 Main Street Swift Current, SK S9H 0M5 Gravelbourg, SK S0H 1X0 Phone: (306) 773-2891 Phone: (306) 648-2582 RE: Kuffner Tender