FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2017
Classifieds / Outdoors
HELP WANTED
BAKER SCHOOL DISTRICT 5J is currently accepting applications for a Paraprofessional at Haines Elementary. Closing date is
August 3, 2017, at 4:00 p.m. For a complete description of the position go to www.baker5j.org. You may also call Cathy Martin at 541-
524-2261 or email cathy.martin@bakersd.org. 7.28
LAWN / GARDEN
PUBLIC EVENTS
LAWNMOWER. Craftsman lawnmower. Works
great but owner has upgraded to an easier to
start mower for herself. Retailed for around
$350. Asking $100 OBO. 541.519.0572. Leave
a voicemail.
LIVE MUSIC SUNDAYS. 4 to 6 pm at Geiser Pollman
Park Baker City Events presents Powder River Music
Review. Public invited, attendance by suggested $5 per
person donation. Weekly raffle winner! For complete list of
events: www.facebook/powderrivermusicreview or www.
bakercityevents.net.
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 7
ODFW
Weekly
Recreation
Report
Northeast Zone Hunting
OPEN: COUGAR, COYOTE, BEAR (opens Aug. 1)
Is it really roadkill?
roadstruck
deer or elk
as simple
as possible,
but that also
discourage
poaching,’
says Doug
Cottam,
ODFW wild-
life division
administra-
tor.”
This “Free-
way to Fork”
THE OUTDOOR COLUMN
program
may
or may
By Todd Arriola
not go as well
Not long ago, we learned
as planned,
that the State Legislature
since the Commission will
passed Senate Bill 372,
undoubtedly have a dif-
requiring the Fish and
ficult task ahead in drafting
Wildlife Commission to
“simple” rules to simulta-
adopt rules for issuing
neously allow the salvag-
permits to salvage deer
ing of road kill, while
and elk accidentally killed
curbing poaching.
by motor vehicles, subtly
In partly addressing this
known as “road kill.”
balancing act, according to
Hearing this news
ODFW, the new legislation
prompted obvious ques-
says that “...deer and elk
tions, such as how the
can only be salvaged for
Oregon Department of
human consumption; that
Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) antlers must be returned
would know if road kill
to ODFW; and that people
was the result of an ac-
will recover the roadkill
cident or not.
and consume the meat at
The Department certainly their own risk.”
considered that when it
Despite having trav-
issued its press release,
eled on highways through
without really providing
country that should have
an answer: “Salvaging
virtually guaranteed that I
roadkill has been unlaw-
hit a deer or elk, miracu-
ful to discourage people
lously, though I’ve come
from deliberately hitting
close many times, the only
a game animal with their
animal I ever hit with a
vehicle in order to keep the vehicle was a dog.
meat or antlers. ‘ODFW
I thought I’d killed him,
will work to write rules
and I informed the rancher,
that make getting a permit
who was feeding cattle not
to legitimately salvage a
far from the highway at
the time, of the sad news,
but, to my relief, I was told
later by his wife that I just
knocked the dog uncon-
scious, without having
broken one bone.
I nearly added a couple of
animals to that record, by
Lake Bob, heading north
on Old Trail Road one day.
As I passed the lake, just
for a second, I glanced at
some of the birds in the
water, and as I turned my
attention back to the road,
I shot the gap in between
two dogs, both of whom I
recognized as belonging to
a local rancher who lives a
few miles from there.
Luckily, both had the
deer-in-the-headlights look
and reaction, rather than
being in the sprint-for-the-
speeding-truck mode.
I’ve seen, and still see,
my fair share of road
kill, but I can’t say that
the idea of salvaging the
meat really came to mind
whatsoever, since, unless I
knew of the circumstances
and when the accident (if it
was one) occurred, I would
just pass on it anyway.
Having said that, I can
understand the desire to
salvage whatever can be,
assuming the kill’s still
fresh enough, and the
carcass doesn’t look like
it went through a meat
grinder.
I mostly have avoided
making a habit of thor-
oughly “investigating”
road kill I happened to
come upon, but one recent
incident is an exception,
though it can’t be strictly
labeled “road kill.”
One morning, as I was
leaving my house, I
noticed a small, reddish
form out in the road, and I
panicked initially, because
I thought it was one of my
cats, since they all have
varying orange and white
fur patterns, a few almost
completely orange.
I got out of my truck,
and I was quickly relieved
to discover that the animal
wasn’t one of my cats, but
I was less than thrilled to
see that it was a red fox
pup, which had been shot
with what looked to be a
.22 caliber bullet, judging
from the hole in approxi-
mately its shoulder.
Rigor hadn’t set in, and
other than the small hole,
the fox appeared to be in
remarkably good shape, as
far as the condition of the
hide is concerned.
I have no idea who’d
shot it, and I didn’t keep
any part of it. The fox
may have been harassing
someone’s chickens—
who knows—but I hadn’t
noticed any of the foxes
posing a threat to my cats
yet, though I do hear their
“alarm” barks at night,
which have a distinctive
sound.
I don’t personally have
any “dog in the fight,” and
I can see both sides of the
road kill debate, but it will
be interesting to see how
the topic is addressed in
this State, a discussion
which I’m sure will con-
tinue for some time...
Fire danger means increased
restrictions on private lands
Fuel Conditions and Fire
Danger Prompt Fire Man-
agers to Increase Restric-
tions on Private Lands
Recent hot and dry weather
has increased fire danger
in northeast Oregon. The
indices that fire managers
use to measure seasonal
fire severity are indicating
extreme fire conditions
across the region. Oregon
Department of Forestry-
Northeast Oregon manag-
ers are instituting addi-
tional wildfire prevention
measures in the Regulated
Use Closure.
Effective at 12:01 a.m.
July 26, 2017 the Oregon
Department of Forestry
(ODF) has added addi-
tional restrictions to the
Regulated Use Closure for
lands within the North-
east Oregon District. The
Regulated Use Closure af-
fects private, state, county,
municipal, and tribal lands
in seven counties: Union,
Baker, Wallowa, Umatilla
and small portions of Mal-
heur, Grant and Morrow
Counties. The Regulated
Use Closure is intended
to prevent or minimize
human-caused wildfires
and to protect natural
resources and public health
and safety.
“The increased restric-
tions are put into place to
help prevent human caused
fires. The fuel conditions
have reached the point
where we need to try and
prevent as many fire starts
as possible.” said Matt
Howard, Wallowa Unit
Forester.
So far this year, ODF’s
Northeast Oregon District
has had seven human-
caused fires that have
burned 22.6 acres. Ad-
ditionally there have been
five lightning-caused fires
that have burned 1.2 acres.
The Regulated Use Clo-
sure includes the following
fire prevention measures:
• Open fires are prohib-
ited, including campfires,
charcoal fires, cooking
fires and warming fires,
except at designated loca-
tions. Designated locations
within the Regulated Use
Closure area includes,
but is not limited to, the
following Oregon State
Parks: Emigrant Springs,
Ukiah Dale, Catherine
Creek, Hilgard Junction,
Red Bridge, Wallowa
Lake, Minam and Unity
Lake. Portable cooking
stoves using liquefied or
bottled fuels are allowed.
• Debris burning is pro-
hibited, including the use
of burn barrels.
• Chain saw use is pro-
hibited, between the hours
of 10:00 a.m. and 8:00
p.m. Chain saw use is per-
mitted at all other hours, if
the following firefighting
equipment is present with
each operating saw: one
axe, one shovel, and one 8
ounce or larger fire extin-
guisher. In addition, a fire
watch is required at least
one hour following the use
of each saw.
• Smoking is prohibited
while traveling, except
in vehicles on improved
roads, in boats on the wa-
ter, or at a cleared area.
• Use of motor vehicles,
including motorcycles and
all-terrain vehicles (ATVs),
is prohibited except on
improved roads, except
in the commercial culture
and harvest of agricultural
crops.
• Cutting, grinding
and welding of metal is
prohibited, between the
hours of 10:00 a.m. and
8:00 p.m. Cutting, grind-
ing and welding of metal
is permitted at all other
hours, if conducted in a
cleared area and if a water
supply is present, unless
specifically waived by the
State Forester.
• Mowing of dried and
cured grass with power
driven equipment is pro-
hibited between the hours
of 10:00 a.m. and 8:00
p.m.
• Use of fireworks is
prohibited.
• Any electric fence
controller in use shall be:
1) Listed by a nationally
recognized testing labora-
tory or be certified by the
Department of Consumer
Business Services; and
2) Operated in compli-
ance with manufacturer’s
instructions.
Also prohibited during
fire season is the use of ex-
ploding targets and tracer
ammunition. Sky lanterns
are illegal in Oregon.
Citizens are asked to
continue to use caution
and adhere to regulations.
Possession of the follow-
ing firefighting equipment
is strongly encouraged
(except on state highway,
county roads and drive-
ways): one shovel and one
gallon of water, or one
2 ½ pound or larger fire
extinguisher.
The public is also re-
minded that the Umatilla
and Wallowa-Whitman
National Forests, as well
as the BLM are currently
under public use restric-
tions.
Free pheasant hunts for youth hunters – Sign up
now
Free hunts are being held in Baker City, Irrigon,
John Day, and La Grande. These events are only
open to youth who have passed hunter education.
(ODFW has many hunter education classes and
field days available before the events.) An adult 21
years of age or older must accompany the youth to
supervise but may not hunt. More info.
Wolves in Northeast Oregon: Wolves are pro-
tected by state law and it is unlawful to shoot them.
Coyote hunters in northeastern Oregon need to take
extra care to identify their target as wolves can look
like coyotes, especially wolf pups in the mid-summer
and fall. Please report any wolf sightings or wolf sign
to La Grande office (541) 963-2138 or online with
the Wolf Reporting Form.
BAKER COUNTY
Cougars can be found throughout Baker County
but hunters should target areas with high concentra-
tions of deer and elk. Setting up on a fresh kill or
using distress calls can all be productive techniques.
Hunters are required to check in the hide of any
cougar taken, with skull and proof of sex attached.
Remember a 2017 cougar tag and hunting license is
needed to hunt as of Jan. 1.
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.
GRANT COUNTY
Scouting in the Murderers Creek Unit? Most of the
visitors to Rainbow Gathering have likely left Mal-
heur NF by now.
Ground Squirrels are starting to emerge. There
are some good hunting opportunities on private land
along the John Day Valley, Fox Valley, and Bear Val-
ley. Most hunting areas on private land so remember
to get permission before you hunt.
Cougar hunting remains open. Successful hunters
should remember that check-in of the hide with skull
and proof of sex attached is mandatory; see the
regulations for details. Remember a 2017 cougar
tag and hunting license is needed to hunt.
Coyote numbers are good in most of the district.
Coyotes may respond to distress calls. Try calling in
the early morning and late evening.
MORROW, GILLIAM AND WHEELER COUNTIES
Cougar hunting is open. Cougar are well distrib-
uted in our forested areas. Calling with distress calls
or cougar vocalizations can be effective. However,
locating a fresh, naturally made kill has the best
chance of success. Remember a 2017 cougar tag
and hunting license is needed to hunt as of Jan. 1.
The Coyote population is healthy with good
numbers of coyotes available for those who wish to
pursue them. Watch wind direction to help prevent
giving away your location. Calling with game dis-
tress calls can be very successful.
UMATILLA COUNTY
Cougar are well distributed in forested areas of
the Walla Walla, Mt. Emily, and Ukiah units. Hunters
will have best success by finding a fresh naturally
made kill and sitting on it, or by using predator calls.
Some success has come from following tracks until
the cougar is located. Remember a 2017 cougar tag
and hunting license is needed to hunt as of Jan. 1.
Coyote are numerous throughout the County and
hunters should have good success calling. Remem-
ber to ask permission before hunting on private
lands.
UNION COUNTY
Cougars are common in Union County. Focus
on game rich areas with long ridgelines or saddles
that cats typically travel. Setting up downwind of a
deer or elk killed by a cougar can be productive.
Nonresident hunters can include a cougar tag with
others tags for only $14.50. All cougars taken must
be checked in within 10 days of harvest; call for an
appointment before check in. Remember a 2017
cougar tag and hunting license is needed to hunt as
of Jan. 1.
Coyote numbers are high throughout the district.
Try calling in early morning and late afternoon.
Remember to ask for permission before hunting on
private properties.
Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area: Hunting on all lands
North and East of Foothill Rd are closed.
The Glass Hill portion of the wildlife area is open
to hunting during authorized seasons only. Please
refer to the ODFW big game and game bird regula-
tions for season dates.
WALLOWA COUNTY
Cougar: Populations are moderate throughout
Wallowa County. Most lions are taken incidental to
other hunting; however, calling with fawn bleat, or
locating a cougar kill and waiting for a cat to return
are often successful techniques.
Coyote: Good numbers of coyotes can be found
throughout Wallowa County. Calling coyotes with
rabbit distress type calls has been effective for hunt-
ers. It is important to choose areas with abundant
coyote sign and little human activity.