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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (April 3, 2019)
A16 REGION Wallowa County Chieftain Wednesday, April 3, 2019 Nez Perce issue new rules for Precious Lands Restricts lead in ammunition and fi shing tackle By Ellen Morris Bishop Wallowa County Chieftain With black bear sea- son on the horizon, hunters should be aware that non- lead-based ammunition is now required on the Nez Perce Precious Lands. The Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee has adopted several new rules for public use of its 16,268- acre Precious Lands Wild- life Area, Héte’wits Wétes, in Wallowa County’s far-northeastern corner. The property has long been open for “reasonable public use” as guided by a set of public use rules outlining approved activities. Those rules were updated on September, 11, 2018, and are in effect now. The new rules include requiring use of non-lead- based ammunition and fi sh- ing tackle. The Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NWPCC) coop- erates with the Nez Perce Tribe in conserving habitat, and restoring the land here. “They asked us to restrict the use of tackle and ammu- nition that contains lead,” Precious Lands, Héte’wits Wétes Manager Angela Son- denaa said. “Lead has unin- Angel Sondenaa The terrain of the Nez Perce Tribe’s 16,268-acre Precious Lands Wildlife Area (Héte’wits Wétes) in the northeastern corner of Wallowa County is rugged. New rules include restricted use of ammunition and fi shing tackle that contain lead to avoid unintended mortality of avian scavangers and diving birds. tended, and often lethal con- sequences for non-target wildlife species, especially avian scavengers.” Lead- based tackle can also affect diving birds, including cor- morants, and osprey that fre- quent the lower portions of Joseph Creek. Don’t bring any pack- goats along to carry your gear. They are banned as well. Horses, mules and lla- mas, are still welcome. Bar- ring pack goats, no matter how cute and easy on the land they might be, makes sense at Precious Lands, Héte’wits Wétes. “We have bighorn sheep here,” Son- denaa said. “Goats, like domestic sheep, can carry the Pasteurella pneumonia pathogen that is lethal to the bighorns.” The new rules also pro- hibit gathering of plant resources for commercial purposes, i.e., wildcrafting, along with cutting live trees or fi rewood to sell or take home. The practice of com- mercial wildcrafting—for- aging for wild plant materials to make medicines, edi- bles and other products for ELECTRICAL & PLUMBING SUPPLIES WALLOWA COUNTY Equine Tooth Float SAVE 10% ELECTRICAL & WATER SYSTEM CONTRACTOR PUMPS • IRRIGATION HARDWARE• APPLIANCE PARTS Health Line sale—has not yet impacted The Precious Lands Sonde- naa noted. But it’s another of those issues that the Nez Perce and NWPCC want to prevent before over-har- vesting damages the popu- lations and habitats of native plants. “These are emerg- ing issues,” said Sondenaa. “We are trying to get ahead of things so we don’t have problems in the future.” Most of the previous rules for Héte’wits Wétes remain in effect. They include requirements to remove litter and waste, fol- low all applicable state hunt- ing regulations, and camp for a maximum of seven days in one place, and 14 days total on the property. Additionally, all access must be non-motorized--by foot, bicycle or stock. “We want people to enjoy this beau- tiful place, but use it with care, in ways that preserve it for future generations,” Son- denaa said. Maps of the lands and posts of the revised regula- tions are posted on kiosks at major entry points on USFS Road 4655, and off County Road 614 off Rye Ridge Road. 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