FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2015
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 7
Outdoor Rec / Local
Brooklyn’s glow run shines
• WALK / RUN
BENEFITS SCHOOL’S
FIELD DAY
ODFW Weekly
recreation
report
Viewing
BY GINA K. SWARTZ
BAKER COUNTY. Bighorn sheep can be seen in the
Burnt River Canyon west of Durkee or along the Snake
River Road south of Richland. The best viewing is in the
early morning and late in the evening. Winter bird species
are starting to migrate through the area. Bald and golden
eagles can be seen along the Snake River. Take the
Snake River Road between Richland and Huntington.
GRANT COUNTY. Sandhill cranes have started to mi-
grate through the valley. They can be best viewed early in
the morning along the John Day River.
Bighhorn sheep may be viewed from the South Fork
near the Murderers Creek road. Early mornings are your
best chances for catching them out on the rocky outcrops.
Watch for deer and elk crossing the highways. This is
the time of year when deer begin to migrate. Dawn and
dusk are the most active time for deer and elk and are not
easily seen due to low light conditions by drivers along-
side the road.
Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com
There was no race. No
first, second or third place
winners.
Last Friday night the
Brooklyn Parent Teacher
Organization (PTO) hosted
a Glow Fun Run and Walk,
a fun family friendly event
to benefit the school’s
Field Day held in June at
the end of the school year.
It was all about having
fun and creating a sense of
community—all benefiting
Brooklyn Primary.
The event was held at
the Baker Sports Complex,
began at dusk and encour-
aged those that participated
to wear their brightest
colors and decorate them-
selves with glow sticks.
A loop around the sports
complex was marked by
creative guides made from
a simple glow stick in a
milk jug and each par-
ticipant decided how many
times they wished to make
the half-mile loop.
Entry fees were $5 for
individuals or $20 for
families and when regis-
tering a raffle ticket was
filled out for each person
for the chance to win do-
nated prizes like ice cream
cones, movie tickets or
solar lights.
The over 100 prizes
were provided by spon-
sors of the event, Betty’s
Books, The Eltrym, Char-
ley’s Ice Cream Parlor,
Tupperware and Kicks
Hunting
Gina K. Swartz / The Baker County Press
Students donned their finest glow attire for the Glow Fun Run and Walk.
Sportswear.
St. Alphonsus provided
bottled water and hot co-
coa for the event.
This was the first time
such an event has been
held as a fundraiser, a
different twist from the
traditional Taco Feed and
similar events.
“We just wanted to
promote something healthy
for kids to do and thought
this would be a good way
to encourage families to be
active,” said Kcia Fletcher,
PTO member on the orga-
nizing committee.
All of the PTO mem-
bers in attendance to help
were heard agreeing that
with the success of this
event they would definitely
have to plan more similar
events.
Turnout for the event
included families with chil-
dren enrolled in Brooklyn
Primary School, to retired
teachers to community
members that wanted to
offer support.
Baker City Fire Chief
Mark John was in the
crowd supporting the event
and Mayor Kim Mosier
and her family were par-
ticipants.
“Field day has been a
practice at Brooklyn for
many years. Funding it,
the bouncy houses and all
the other activities, takes
money. This was an idea of
our PTO this year, to help
fund that. Lisa Jacoby is
our new PTO president this
year. We have a great turn-
out, a great community,”
said Brooklyn Principal
Gwen O’Neal.
Vice Principal Molly
Smith, new to Brooklyn
this year, added, “Last year
they had a family event in
the evening for staff and
their families.”
Baker High School
National Honor Society
students assisted in the
event.
Looking at an estimated
crowd of well over one
hundred people for the
event, Jacoby said, “It is a
successful night.”
Although the run and
walk did not foster indi-
vidual winners, Brooklyn
Primary was definitely
first.
Blue Mountain Forest Plan revision
meetings scheduled around area
Upcoming United States
Forest Service public
meetings are currently
scheduled to discuss the
Blue Mountains Forest
Plan Revision.
A facilitator will ensure
that everyone in attendance
has time to speak, listen to
others, and propose solu-
tions.
The Forest Service is
working with partners
to schedule additional
meetings, which will be
announced in the near
future via email and news
updates.
Mon., Nov. 9, 2015
6 p.m. - 9 p.m. (doors open
at 5:30), Blue Mtns. Forest
Plan Baker County, Wal-
lowa-Whitman National
Forest, National Guard Ar-
mory, 1640 Campbell St.
Baker City, OR 97814
Tues., Nov. 10, 2015
6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
(doors open at 5:30)
Livestock Grazing
Umatilla National Forest
and Malheur National For-
est, N. Fork John Day Dis-
trict Office, 401 West Main
St., Ukiah, OR 97880
Thur., Nov. 12, 2015
6 p.m. - 9 p.m. (doors open
at 5:30) Pace and Scale
of Restoration, Wallowa-
Whitman and Uma-
tilla National Forests Blue
Mountain Conf. Center, La
Grande Armory, 404 12th
St. La Grande, OR 97850
Tues., Nov. 10, 2015
11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
(doors open at 10:30)
Technical Pack Goat Meet-
ing, Blue Mtns. National
Forests, Pendleton Con-
vention Center, 1601 West-
gate, Pendleton, Oregon
97801.
Thur., Nov. 12, 2015
10 a.m. - 4 p.m., (doors
open at 9:30) Technical
Forestry Meeting, Blue
Mtns. National Forests
Blue Mountain Conf.
Center, La Grande Armory,
404 12th St. La Grande,
OR 97850.
The public is encour-
aged to attend any and all
meetings.
A previous meeting
was held this week in La
Grande at the Armory and
was well attended.
Technical meetings are
also open to the public.
BAKER COUNTY. The 39 road near Halfway is now
open.
Elk- Second season runs Nov. 7-15. Elk numbers are
good in most units. Elk may be scattered and hard to lo-
cate. Look in areas of green up from late summer rains. It
has been dry for the last several weeks and there has not
been much green up in the lower elevations.
Chukar, Hun, and California Quail - The season ends
Jan. 31. Hunters should expect another season similar
to last years. Chukar numbers were up from last year
however.
Grouse season starts September 1. Blue grouse can
be found in the higher elevations while ruffed grouse are
more common in wetter areas. Hunters should expect an
average year for grouse. Successful hunters are asked to
place the tails and wings from harvested birds in the col-
lection barrels.
Cougars can be found throughout Baker County but
hunters should target areas with high concentrations of
deer and elk. Setting up on a fresh kill or using distress
calls can all be productive techniques. Hunters are re-
quired to check in the hide of any cougar taken, with skull
and proof of sex attached. Remember to pick up a 2015
tag.
Bear season opened August 1. Successful hunters,
remember check-in of bear skull is mandatory; see the
regulations for details. Biologists recommend propping the
bear’s mouth open with a stick after harvest; it makes for
easier tooth collection and measuring.
Coyote numbers are good throughout the district. Try
calling in early morning and late afternoon. Remember to
ask for permission before hunting on private properties.
MALHEUR COUNTY. Cougar hunting is open. Popula-
tions are healthy and distributed throughout the district in
any area with a big game prey base. Successful hunt-
ers must check-in cougars no more than 10 days after
harvest; please bring cougar in thawed and with mouth
propped open for easier tissue sampling, teeth collection
and tagging.
Coyote hunting is available throughout the district.
Reproduction this year appears to be good which should
enhance calling opportunities. Areas with livestock feeding
and calving operations are always strong attractors.
Chukar surveys on established routes yielded 45 chukar
per 10 miles and good production with 10.3 chicks per
brood. This is a 6% decrease from last year when 47
birds per 10 miles were measured and is 11% below the
10-year average of 50.5 birds per 10 miles. The Succor
Creek/Leslie Gulch area has only experienced limited re-
covery. The poor range conditions caused by an ongoing
invasion of medusahead likely limits the ability of birds in
this area to successfully raise broods.
The most productive routes were South of Harper in
the Cottonwood Canyon, Freezout/Dry Creek (west side
of the Owyhee reservoir), Cottonwood Mountain and
Brogan Canyon. A mild winter and below average precipi-
tation helped with over-winter survival of adult birds but
was unfavorable for chukar and quail in the rangelands.
Fortunately, much of the county received above-average
rain fall in May and early June which helped improve
range conditions. While brood sizes are good, overall bird
populations are still down. Hunters should expect hunting
conditions similar to last year.
Pheasant. The surveys along established routes yielded
10.8 birds per 10 miles which is a 45% increase in number
of birds observed from last year’s survey and 32% above
the 10-year average. Chick production was above aver-
age at 4.3 chicks per brood. Hunting prospects will vary
depending on the farming practices in the area where
you have permission to hunt. The outlying areas around
Willow Creek and Vale have higher bird numbers than
areas closer to Ontario and
Nyssa. There is little public
land pheasant hunting
opportunity in the area and
few parcels that are avail-
able tend to get hunted
daily. One option for
private lands access is the
Cow Hollow fundraiser to
benefit Cow Hollow Park.
California quail. Quail
production was up in ag-
ricultural areas and good
in rangelands. Surveys
on established routes
showed 56 quail per 10
miles, up 26% over last
year and 41% above the
10-year average. Produc-
tion was good at 8.4 chicks
per brood with similar
production observed in
rangelands. Overall quail
populations still remain low
in rangelands due to de-
pressed populations from
previous years.