Plague in a dog town

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222 mag

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Was in Broadus Montana last week shooting prairie dogs. One town that was ok last year was totally dormant, not one dog to be seen. It's about a half mile square. The next town, about a mile away was dead on one end but had dogs on the rest. This one is over a mile long X half mile wide. Pups we seen were really small, landowner said a month late. He thinks winter kill, they had a hard winter/deep snow...
Plague??
Your thoughts please...
 
Very possible the plague but in my personal experience it is poison but the landowner won’t admit it for two possible reasons, one he doesn’t want the hassle from animal right nuts or from shooters, second reason some are using non-approved poisons. At least one ours got caught but most get away with it
 
Quote: it is poison but the landowner won’t admit it
That's my bet too. Is it on public land, like BLM ?
I have seen where the leasee will do that to help out his grazing .
PD's don't hibernate
 
Don't think it's poison, the town that's dead is poor pasture land compared to the town that has dogs left. Overall population is down on all the towns
 
While Inhave no way of knowing exactly what’s happening, take it from an old farm boy. Many do not want to wipe them all out, just keep then under control. The pasture that is bare will not support a decent population so they will move and expand, you don’t want that so you wipe them out. The pasture that has enough grass to keep them does not need to be eliminated just reduced and the remainder will stay put and not expand their territory
 
The numbers sound like they are down a fair amount this year compared to other years. I know one guide service that already shut down his MT PD hunting trips for the year so they could leave some to repopulate the areas he guides in.
 
We have had a very bad winter and the towns I hunt have expanded to levels far exceeding any thing I have seen in 50 years...
 
Thanks for the replies. The landowner said he would let us know what happens through the summer, if it's worth going out there next year or not. Will update this when I hear from him....thanks for your replies
 
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