Antelope can’t jump en, they’re hell on horses and apparently deadly for sage grouse and prairie chicken. I’m Susan Allen back after a quick break on  today’s Open range. The west wasn’t won by the Conestoga or cowboy but by barb wire’s  ablity to fence the open range. Problem is that while it’s the most cost effective method it  can be the deadliest on stock and wildlife. A directive out of Washington DC’s BLM headquarters has alerted state offices to evaluate and mark  fences so that the sage grouse currently under consideration for protection under the Endangered Species Act can see the fences.  Grouse deaths occur in areas where bird congregate for breeding and fly into the fence.  In Wyoming the BLM has been  monitoring 33 miles of fence near  prime sage grouse  breeding areas and reported as many as five birds per mile hitting the barb wire. They’ve recently tagged that section as a test to see white markers can reduce sage grouse deaths.  The BLM directive also states that guy wires for wind turbines and meteorological towers on BLM land should now be marked to save grouse.  Sage grouse can be found throughout the West and the high desert regions of the Pacific Northwest, Environmentalists  groups love to blame cattle for the decline in sage grouse numbers but research show a host of other factors lets see there is oil and gas development, mining, some areas an increase in predators, cultivation, , water tanks and now barb wire. Quit blaming cows.   I’m Susan Allen