Wild Dog Control

Simplifying large-scale wild dog control programmes

Bill Stanford of Queensland’s Parks & Wildlife Service was the Queensland finalist in the 2005 ACTA awards. He agreed to share his experiences of how DOGGONE® simplifies large-scale coordinated baiting programmes.

One of Bill’s roles is to coordinate feral animal control over 1.2 million hectares of National Park and State Forest across southwest Queensland.

“We are obligated to eradicate wild dogs across all areas within the Barrier Fence. Numbers of other ferals including foxes, cats, rabbits, goats and pigs are also kept to a minimum.”

“We have laid DOGGONE^® and FOXOFF^® Fox bait at hot spots across 600,000ha in coordinated programmes for the last few years with great success,” Bill said.

He explained the previous method of dog control relied heavily on wet meat baiting. Typically they would purchase kangaroo meat, and inject the baits before laying them out.

“Because of the climate here, we needed to hire a mobile coolroom - which in itself is very expensive - and tow it miles out into the scrub,” Bill explained.

“Even if we were to use cow meat, it took days to prepare the baits - you couldn’t leave them on the back of the ute for a day or so until they were injected or they’d go off!”

Bill said the shelf stable nature of DOGGONE^® baits revolutionised his campaigns.

“We simply order the baits, and a few days later they arrive in sturdy plastic tubs. We put the tubs on the ute and head out laying baits,” Bill said.

Another benefit of the manufactured baits is in their use at clearly marked, permanent bait stations throughout National Parks and State Forests.

“With DOGGONE^®, birds of prey and goannas appear less likely to pick up and move the baits - unlike wet meat baits that are often moved by these non-target animals.”

“When the leasees are mustering their cattle, they visit the bait sites and check for and pick up the DOGGONE^® baits before working the area with dogs.”

Bill explained that they get good results using DOGGONE^® in aerial campaigns. “The efficiency of the baits is a major positive in our inaccessible gorge country where we need to use a chopper.”

“With DOGGONE^® baits, we don’t have to keep turning back to pick up more baits- we pick up a couple of tubs and away we go!” he said.

Preliminary monitoring has indicated that baiting in areas with Northern Quolls did not appear to harm these native carnivores. Further research including radio tracking will be ongoing.

“Quolls don’t appear to be taking the DOGGONE^® baits in the areas being baited as the populations remain strong and healthy despite a considerable ongoing baiting program.”

“A reduction in predator pressure from foxes, cats and feral dogs appears to be far more beneficial,” Bill said.

For a free copy of the DOGGONE® Booklet write to: Animal Control Technologies PO Box 379 Somerton
Victoria 3062. or email: enquiries@animalcontrol.com.au.

Animal Control Technologies

Large Scale Wild Dog Control

Simplifying large-scale wild dog control programmes