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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (July 15, 2016)
FRIDAY, JULY 15, 2016 THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 7 Outdoor Rec / Local The drawing for those tags ... regardless of how many applica- tions were received dur- ing the last year, versus the number of tags is- sued. This is simple eco- nomics, i.e., I don’t feel like travel- THE OUTDOOR COLUMN ing a great distance, if I By Todd Arriola don’t have to. As Last month, I reeled in evidence, I provide the horror at the site of the following unsuccessful computer screen, which applications: 100 Series revealed the results of this Buck Deer, Sumpter (151); year’s drawings, for con- 400 Series Antelope, South trolled hunting opportuni- Sumpter (451B); 500 Se- ties: one success, out of ries Bighorn Sheep, Burnt nine total applications. River Canyon (551A); I noticed a similar 900 Series Rocky Moun- pattern with numerous tain Goat, Elkhorn No. 1 others, sometimes a whole (951A1—okay, I admit, family’s hopes dashed, by I didn’t have high hopes a supposedly somewhat for either the sheep, or the random formula. goat); 600 Series Anterless This inspired me to ask, is the game rigged, or did I Deer, Sumpter Unity Agri (651A); Premium Buck derail my own gravy train Deer, Sumpter (L51); Pre- of game meat? mium Elk, Sumpter (M51); First, I should start out by saying, I appreciate that and Premium Pronghorn Antelope, Sumpter (N51). I did successfully draw a All of these locations are South Sumpter Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) within a reasonable dis- tance of where I call home. tag, for a 200 Series anter- This brings me to the less elk. The season runs subject of “preference from October 15, through points,” a factor I didn’t December 31, and I have always take into consid- no doubt, should I also be eration when applying for successful in harvesting an hunts. elk, the meat will also be I had applied for the 100 much appreciated. Series Buck Deer, for the I’m a bigger fan of Sumpter WMU, as my jerky than steaks and burg- fi rst choice (I’ve added a ers from elk or deer, but second, and a third choice either way, the feeling of for different WMUs in the pride and accomplishment past), but I didn’t draw it, would be the same. which means, a preference Second, I should also point was added to my point out, in general, I total points for 100 Series apply for tags for game Buck Deer for future draw- animals in units which ings. are closer to where I live, I didn’t draw my fi rst choice for 400 Series Pronghorn Antelope, and so, a preference point was added also to that total, plus a preference point to the total for 600 Series Anterless Deer, since I was also unsuccessful there. According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), each application is assigned a random, 10-digit number. Members of the public are invited to ODFW head- quarters to pick a random, 10-digit start number for each hunt series (call 503- 947-6108 to participate), and a computer uses those random starting numbers to select successful ap- plications. A far as hunting parties are concerned, the leader’s 10-digit number is the only one used in the drawing. The drawing allocates 75% of fi rst choice avail- able tags for a hunt to those applicants with existing preference points, and the remaining 25% are drawn from a random pool of all applicants, which, according to ODFW, ensures all applicants have a chance to draw a tag each year they apply. Applicants are grouped by preference points, ar- ranged by 10-digit num- bers within the groups, and tags are awarded fi rst to those applicants whose 10-digit numbers are clos- est to the start number. This process continues with the applicant having the second closest number, and so on, until 75% of the available tags are awarded, or until all fi rst choice ap- plicants have received tags. The rest of the appli- cants are rearranged by a 10-digit random number, and awarded the remaining 25% of tags. A few things to consider, when trying to decide on application methods: according to ODFW, a party applicant’s points are determined by total- ing the preference points of all members, and then calculating the average; new preference points, for next year’s drawing, show up on January 1st ; if there is a non-resident in your party, the entire party is put in non-resident status; and only 3% to 5% (depending on the species) of the total tags available for each hunt go to non-residents. The point summary re- ports on ODFW’s website, and the Oregon Tag Draw Percentages website are two resources ODFW recommends in order to determine draw odds, but I ignored that advice this year, since I opted to apply for hunts located near me, in familiar units. If I decide to apply more of a formula to my applica- tions the next time, and use more than familiarity and economics as a basis for applying, I’ll take into consideration factors such as this year’s fi rst choice applicants, versus tags is- sued, for a particular hunt, and the point summary reports. I did pay a total of $72 for my nine applications, at $8 each, so, it would seem I’ve wasted $64, but that’s how the random game goes, I guess, and I did contribute to ODFW’s funding, about 40% of which comes from licenses and fees. I think it may have been just the “luck of the draw,” sans any conspiratorial connection. Plus, I still have two cougar tags, and a possible deer bowhunting opportu- nity, among other potential adventures this year... Comment on proposed changes for disabled hunters ODFW is looking for input on potential changes for Oregon hunters with an Oregon Disabilities Hunt- ing and Fishing Permit. The Commission will consider these changes at The their Sept. 2 meeting in Welches. Permits are given to people who provide written certifi cation of a permanent disability from a medical professional and to veterans of the Armed Forces with at least a 65 percent service-connected disability rating. Permit holders get an expanded bag limit during certain hunting seasons. Hunters Baker County Press Subscribe Today! Name: Address: City, State, Zip: Email address: Phone: E-Only $29.95/yr. Print (Delivery) $39.95/yr. Print (Mail) $49.95/yr. Inside Baker City City Limits Only Outside Baker City City Limits Only 1. Make check payable to: Black Lyon Publishing, LLC 2. Mail the check with this completed form to: PO Box 567, Baker City, Ore. 97814 To pay by credit card, please visit www.Th eBakerCountyPress.com with a disabilities permit may also shoot from a parked vehicle and get assistance from an able- bodied companion. For more information on the program or comment- ing, visit http://www.dfw. state.or.us/resources/hunt- ing/disability. Hells Canyon Motorcycle Rally CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Miller said that while the weather could have been bet- ter resulting in a larger turnout, vendors and business still did well. He said motels were fi lled to capacity throughout the region—John Day, La Grande, and other surrounding communities, and the Truck Corral has seen a spike in business during past rallies of up to 35%. A buffalo burger fundraiser in Halfway to pay for fi reworks for next year’s 4th of July celebration, relies heavily on the motorcyclists’s business, Miller said. Folkestad, whose company produces all of the materi- als for the rallies, jokingly made note of the weather: “They moved the rally to July (from June) to escape the rain, and it didn’t work out that well.” He’s heard many positive comments regarding the rally, and he said that Baker County has geographical sites al- ready appealing to visitors, without needed enhancement. “People are never disappointed (with the region)...” He said that May 19, 2006 marked the beginning of the fi rst “big” rally, attracting about 4,000 motorcyclists to the area, and since that time, the organizational team has been holding the same type of event every year. The rallies were held on Main Street, with the excep- tion of a few years, when they were held at the Sunridge Inn. Support then came from Historic Baker City (HBC), and the City, and the event was again moved downtown, back to Main Street, he said, where it’s currently held. “It doesn’t really matter where it’s held; what matters is that we have well-thought-out routes, and we’ve got plenty of stuff for the riders to do, besides just sitting around town ...Our focus is on motorcycling, and not on partying ...” Each year, Folkestad said, there’s ongoing effort to expand routes, in order to be able to include all types of motorcyclists. Current routes reach as far south as Owyhee Dam, as far north as Joseph, as far east as Cambridge, Idaho, and as far west as Ukiah. “It’s very diverse; we send them out all over the place, and they just have a great time,” Folkestad said. The rally included music performed at six different venues, for the fi rst time “...since I’ve been in Baker,” Miller said. “I think people really enjoyed that. A lot of locals came out, as well.” Among these locations were the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Hall, Lefty’s Taphouse, Barley Brown’s, Lone Pine Cafe, Corner Brick Bar & Grill, and the Eagles Lodge. The music provided at Lefty’s was courtesy of the Best Western/Sunridge Inn, he said. Jerry Peacock, Director at Baker Technical Institute (BTI), said that Baker High School (BHS) hosted around 150 motorcyclists, as part of a camping fundraiser, held on the grounds north of the High School. The accom- modations included outside showers and porta-potties (campers brought their own tents, gear, and other sup- plies), and Peacock said, “We provide large quantities of Baker County hospitality, and they appreciate that ... It’s been a good fundraiser ...We’ve been doing it for around six to eight years.” The money, around potentially $4,000 raised, (still be- ing calculated at the time of this writing) helps to support BHS’s athletic programs, he said, because the general budget falls short of coverage. He said that with a boost in business for area restau- rants and motels, “These are things that are good for the community ... I’ve never had anything but positive interactions with these folks (the motorcyclists). They’re polite, they’re respectful, they’re here to have fun, in a good way ... It’s a good event for us.” The average age of the attendees/motorcyclists is around 52, 80% are married, 80% are college educated, and the aver- age income is well over $100,000, Miller said, and, “It couldn’t be a better demographic,” for an economic boost to the community, and for the potential of long-term resi- dents to migrate to Baker City, as he explained that the rally makes an excel- lent marketing tool, in addition to other benefi ts. Miller said that the planning for next year’s rally is well underway, and the timing of the event is expected to remain the same, along with a large number of vendors already signing on, plus the ex- pected reappearance of the CMA. The VFW’s breakfast on Saturday and Sunday is the biggest fundraiser for that organization of the year. Speaking about the rally itself, Miller said, “It’s the largest economic event of the year, not just for the City of Baker, but really the whole region.”
