# Open CRP for Grazing



## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

Okay so on the news a lot lately ranchers have wanted to open up CRP for grazing but the answer was no with one of the reasons being nesting. However on the Souris Wildlife Refuge there has been cattle grazing for several weeks in prime nesting cover. I guess this confuses me as I would think the refuge would be closed to anything especially during nesting periods.

Not trying to start a heated debate. Just confused.


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

The NWR have grandfathered the families that lost land to the NWR the right to hay and graze some of the lands they previously owned before the NWR took it from them. Or I should say made them offers they couldn't refuse.

By the way Leo, if thats you in your avatar I saw you at the mall last week..... :lol:


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## frosty (Dec 6, 2002)

I'm not sure about that buckseye-- however, grazing can be and is used by various natural resource agencies as a tool to manage native grassland. By doing so, much of the time that includes grazing before July 15 to reduce invaders like kentucky blue and brome grass.


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

I'm sure about it frosty, I have many friends who do this every year. They are allowed a certain % each year. I'll show you if you want!

I live by JClark Salyer NWR and have hunted it for 30 years at least. I helped find lost people out there too, mostly city folks.


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## Stu_Loves_His_GSP (May 6, 2008)

I dont know how it is where your at? We have CRP all over the place here, but its all on private ground that I cant hunt. I dont think the government should pay unless all can hunt it.


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## tsodak (Sep 7, 2002)

If push ever comes to shove those grzing rights are not written in stone. I suppose I should say it is different on easement refuges verses regular refuges, but if the FWS wanted to shut off grazing they could.

It would be a terrible idea.

In the fifties that is the direction they went. All the way into the eighties they went with a plan of leaving it lay. the result was a landscape heavily invaded by prome and kentucky bluegrass as well as trees and shrubs. Noen of which is good for ducks. So starting in the eigties they started to put management backinto the equation with mainly grazing and burning. Both need to be done in the nesting season sometimes to have a real impact, but research shows beyond any shadow of a doubt a huge return on future productivity by tkaing some losses in the short term by doing the management in the nesting season. Unlike CRP, these will be managed for wildlife for the next hundred years,so you have to look at true longterm impacts.

Look at those cows as a plus, not a negative.

MHO,

Tom


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