By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Spring is the time of new life. Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Manager Jason Wagner joined Steve Webster on the Cheyenne Bottoms Show earlier this week and discussed some strategies that could be implemented to help save some of that new life.
As farmers move to the fields for cutting, or even as property owners begin to mow ditches and vacant lots, Wagner said thinking ahead can save bird chicks and fawns. Starting at the end of a field and working to the other, instead of making rounds in the field, can prevent a lot of wildlife loss.
"What that does is pushes all the wildlife into the center of the field and really concentrates them down," Wagner said. "They have less chance of escape, and when they do flush out of that last little strip that's left in the exact middle of the field, they have a long ways to go before they get back to cover."
The benefits can be furthered if cutting begins on the side opposite of good cover, like CRP ground. That allows the wildlife time to move toward safety.
With many small birds now active in tall grasses, Wagner also encouraged those mowing ditches or vacant lots to wait until July if possible.
"If that can wait a couple more weeks, that would be a lot better than right now," he said. "Those little pheasant and quail chicks, they're not that mobile. If you could wait even a couple more weeks, their mobility increases substantially and they can actually fly and get out of there."
Wagner also reported there are many cottonwood saplings free for the take just east of the Cheyenne Bottoms office in the inlet canal. While he does not want heavy equipment used to remove the trees, the public is welcome to remove them with hand tools for transplant elsewhere.
"Normally that's not allowed on public land," he said. "You're not supposed to remove trees, rocks, anything like that from public land. In this case, I'll make an exception."
The Cheyenne Bottoms Show airs the third Wednesday of every month at 8:30 a.m. on 1590 KVGB and 95.5 FM.