FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 7
Outdoor Rec / Local
My coyote-shooting weapon
THE OUTDOOR COLUMN
By Todd Arriola
In November of last
year, while I was attending
and covering for this paper
the Baker City Veterans
of Foreign Wars Memo-
rial Club Youth Shoot,
a gentleman asked me a
question that came to mind
again this year, as I thought
about the quest to help
control the predator popu-
lation, during this winter:
Why did I shoot coyotes
with a .30-06 caliber rifl e,
and why didn’t I save the
hides?
These questions—fair
ones, I will admit—may
or may not have been
presented to me, after he
had consumed several
beers, since alcohol tends
to lead to a “freer fl ow” of
thought, but I suspect that
he wouldn’t have been shy
about asking
me about my
particular
hunting pro-
cess anyway.
What
prompted his
interest and
his questions
were some
social media
pictures I had
posted, with
me posed
with coyotes
I had dis-
patched, and
some articles I
had written on
the subject.
He knew about my own
interest in thinning the
coyote population (among
other predators), but he
was confused about my
choice of hunting rifl e
caliber—overkill in his
mind—and my tendency to
do nothing with the hides,
since I left them fully
attached to the carcasses,
which I dragged out of the
fi elds.
At the time of the Youth
Shoot last year, I don’t re-
call making any apologies
to the questioner, for my
standard carry rifl e, a 1917
Enfi eld .30-06 Springfi eld,
or for my standard ammu-
nition, 180-grain bullets,
nor do I make any apolo-
gies for that combination
now, since I consider it
to effectively “cover all
bases,” as far as game
goes. Damage to game
naturally varies, depending
on the size of the ani-
mal, but I don’t normally
carry a full arsenal of rifl es
wherever I go, so, I choose
to routinely stick with the
.30-06.
His issue, of course, was
with the damage done to
coyotes with a .30-06, but
I hadn’t planned on sewing
the holes in the hides, and
the purpose for shooting
the coyotes to begin with
was mainly to help control
the population, and to
minimize attacks on cattle
and other animals.
I have no issue whatso-
ever with anyone hunting
or trapping animals, and
benefi ting from selling the
hides.
It’s just not something
that I’ve focused much
on in the past, though that
may change in the near
future—who knows.
I don’t mind someone
else benefi ting from the an-
imal I’ve harvested myself,
but I can’t be expected to
put forth all of the effort,
since the easier part is the
shooting, while the harder
part is the skinning.
I was asked recently by
a friend, since she knew I
have shot some badgers, if
I could possibly save any
future ones I harvest, for a
friend of hers, who makes
different kinds of jewelry
and other items, with the
various bones and other
parts.
Two years ago, I was
asked by more than one
person, if I save, or if I
could possibly save, the
quills from the porcupines
I shoot.
In either case, the level
of my generosity may de-
pend on how the day goes,
and on following the laws
regarding traffi cking in
animal parts. (It’s hard to
have a truly “bad” hunting
day, unless absolute suc-
cess is expected.)
With the onset of winter,
which brings with it the
cold, wind, snow, and
freezing temperatures,
I see some benefi ts, not
the least of which is the
contrast of a predator’s (or
a big game animal’s) body,
with the white, snowy
landscape. Lovely.
I don’t plan to make
the leap to solely carry-
ing a smaller-caliber rifl e
anytime soon, however,
but I may have one handy,
along with my .30-06—
especially with those two
unfi lled cougar tags still in
my pocket ...
Red Cross issues cold weather safety tips
Build a Kit.
• Be sure you have non-
perishable food items that
can be eaten even if you
lose power.
• Check the batteries in
your fl ashlight(s) and keep
them easily accessible
(avoid candles).
• Make sure you have
batteries in your radio
(to receive information
updates) and keep a spare
battery for your cell phone
handy (also keep your
phone charged).
• Keep extra blankets
on hand or identify a safe
alternate heat source if the
power goes out.
Make a Plan.
• If weather does
become severe and people
are separated, make sure
you have a plan for com-
municating with your
family and/or friends to let
them know you are safe
and well.
• If you have pets, make
sure that you have food
and supplies for them and
that they have access to a
warm and dry area.
Get your vehicle ready
for winter.
Make sure your vehicle
is ready for winter with a
window scraper, shovel,
kitty litter or sand in case
you get stuck, extra clothes
and a Disaster Supplies Kit
in your trunk. Pack high-
protein snacks, water, fi rst
aid kit, fl ashlight, small
battery-operated radio, an
emergency contact card
with names and phone
numbers, extra prescription
medications, blankets and
important documents or
information you may need.
Driving in winter.
While the Red Cross
encourages you to stay off
the road if possible, if you
have to drive in snow or
freezing rain, follow these
tips about how to drive
safely during a winter
storm and what to do if
you become stuck in your
vehicle:
• Fill the vehicle's gas
tank and clean the lights
and windows to help you
see.
• Pay attention to the
weather forecast. Before
you leave, let someone
know where you are going,
the route you plan to take
and when you expect to
get there. If your car gets
stuck, help can be sent
along your predetermined
route.
• If you have to drive,
make sure everyone has
their seat belts on and give
your full attention to the
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or call 541.523.5524
Baker City, Haines
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road. Avoid distractions
such as cell phones.
• Don't follow other
vehicles too closely. Sud-
den stops are diffi cult on
snowy roadways.
• Don't use cruise con-
trol when driving in winter
weather.
• Don't pass plows.
• Know that ramps,
bridges and overpasses will
freeze before roadways.
If you become stuck in
the snow or icy conditions:
• Stay with the car and
call for assistance. Do not
try to walk to safety.
• If you can, move your
vehicle off the roadway.
Stay with it—don't aban-
don it. If you have to get
out of your vehicle, use the
side away from traffi c.
Weather alerts and tips.
People can download the
free Red Cross Emergency
App for instant access
to winter storm tips and
weather alerts for their area
and where loved-ones live.
Expert medical guidance
and a hospital locator
are included in the First
Aid App in case travelers
encounter any mishaps.
Both apps are available to
download for free in app
stores or at redcross.org/
apps.
Crabbing open
on the coast
The Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife announced the opening
of the ocean and bay recreational crab fi shery along the
southern Oregon coast from Floras Creek (just north of
Port Orford) to the California border.
The ocean and bay recreational crab fi shery also
remains open along the northern coast from Tillamook
Head to the mouth of the Columbia River, including the
area inside the Columbia River mouth. Tillamook Head is
located between Seaside and Cannon Beach.
The 210-mile area between Tillamook Head and Floras
Creek will remain closed to ocean and bay recreational
crabbing due to elevated levels of domoic acid recently
detected in the viscera of Dungeness crab.
Commercial crabbing is currently closed along the en-
tire Oregon coast (in the ocean, in bays and in estuaries).
Changes in the status of the ocean commercial crab fi sh-
ery will be considered next week upon consultation with
the commercial crab industry and the Washington and
California Fish and Wildlife agencies. Additional crab
viscera samples from impacted areas are being analyzed
on a weekly basis to determine when and where addition-
al fi shery openings will occur. Two successive tests with
domoic acid levels below the alert level are required to
re-open areas for recreational and commercial crabbing.
It is recommended that crab always be eviscerated prior
to cooking. Evisceration includes removing and discard-
ing the internal organs and gills.
Despite the closure, crab and shellfi sh products sold in
retail markets and restaurants remain safe for consumers
because these products were not harvested in areas closed
for biotoxins.
Domoic acid or amnesic shellfi sh toxin can cause
minor to severe illness and even death. Severe poisoning
can result in dizziness, headaches, vomiting and diarrhea.
More severe cases can result in memory loss and death.
Shellfi sh toxins are produced by algae and originate in the
ocean. Toxins cannot be removed by cooking, freezing or
any other treatment.
For more information, call ODA’s shellfi sh safety
information hotline at (800) 448-2474 or visit the ODA
shellfi sh closures web page.
B2H talks
scheduled
Baker County is hosting an informal discussion about
the latest development in the Boardman to Hemingway
transmission line project, the BLM release of the Final
Environmental Impact Statement, on Thursday, December
15, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. in the Commissioner’s Chambers of
the Baker County Courthouse at 1995 Third Street, Baker
City, Oregon.
Everyone interested in the Boardman to Hemingway
transmission line project is invited to attend; Commis-
sioner Mark Bennett and Planning Director Holly Kerns
will host the meeting and discuss the options for the next
steps in the process.
Contact Holly Kerns at 541-523-8219 or Mark Bennett
at 541-523-8200 with questions.