B
Saturday, December 19, 2020
The Observer & Baker City Herald
SEARCHING FOR ANIMAL SIGN ON THE
SNOWY TRAILS NEAR THE SUMPTER DREDGE
T RACKING
W INTER
B
eavers are reclu-
sive and elusive,
but they can’t do
much about that telltale
tail.
The paddle-shaped fl ap of
fat, sinew and muscle will
betray the beavers’ presence
even though the animals
spend much of their time in
their lodge or underwater.
The appendage leaves espe-
cially conspicuous evidence of
its passage when fresh snow
covers the ground.
The erosive forces of wind
and the freeze-and-thaw cycle
can obscure or even erase the
marks left by beavers’ paws.
But the smooth depression
made by the tail, reminiscent
of a child’s toboggan track,
tends to persist.
Beavers are nothing like
as numerous in Northeast
Oregon as they were a couple
hundred years ago, before
trappers decimated the popu-
lations to claim the luxurious,
and valuable, pelts.
But the industrious rodents
are still around, and the
Sumpter Valley Dredge State
Heritage Area — I prefer
to just call it a state park
— in Baker County is a fi ne
place to see evidence of their
ON THE TRAIL
Jayson Jacoby/Baker City Herald
JAYSON JACOBY
exploits.
Among its attributes,
Sumpter is all but certain to
have snow throughout win-
ter — and often as not into
spring as well.
We stopped at the dredge
on Dec. 12 on the way back
from a snowshoe hike on a
forest road a few miles away.
While I was preoccupied
fl ying our new drone, my wife,
Lisa, and our kids, Olivia and
Max, went for a short stroll.
The park has about 1.5 miles
of routes built among the lin-
ear piles of stones and gravel
— the tailing piles — that
the dredge expectorated in its
quest for gold.
They found some intrigu-
ing marks beside the Powder
River, which fl ows through
the tailings.
We speculated that these
zig-zagging trails might have
been made by a beaver’s tail.
I showed a few photos to
Brian Ratliff, district wild-
life biologist at the Oregon
Department of Fish and Wild-
life’s Baker City offi ce, but the
The 1,240-ton, three-story gold-mining dredge, which last operated in 1954, is the centerpiece of the Sumpter Val-
ley Dredge State Heritage Area in Baker County.
If You Go ...
The Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area is on
the south end of Sumpter, a town of about 210 residents
that’s 28 miles southwest of Baker City, via Highway 7.
Although the dredge itself is closed during winter, the
park is open and visitors can snowshoe around the frozen
pond in which the 1,240-ton, three-story gold-mining
behemoth rests, and on the 1.5-mile network of trails.
Parking is limited in the area but a small area is plowed
near the state park offi ce.
photos didn’t have enough
detail for him to make a defi -
nite identifi cation.
Ratliff told me that beavers
generally don’t walk in the
zig-zag pattern of the marks
Lisa photographed.
Other possible culprits for
trails in the snow at the park
include, in addition to bea-
vers, their smaller furbearing
rodent cousin, the muskrat,
as well as river otters. All of
these species, none having a
great deal of ground clear-
ance, can impress trails into
Sunset roosters
The sun rested against the
crest of the horizon, a mas-
sive sphere radiating vibrant
magenta. Wind turbines
stood solemnly shadowed in
the foreground while a rich
golden hue settled across
the bunchgrass sea laid out
beautifully across the hills
and swales before us. Yuba
trembled in anticipation as
the GPS collar chimed and
vest straps clicked securely.
Leadership training taught
me the most valuable lessons
of putting “fi rst things fi rst”
and “taking care of myself
and others” to maximize
effectiveness as an em-
ployee and satisfaction
with life in general.
Therefore, as the
clock struck 2:30
p.m. on this gorgeous
afternoon, a run on
the Palouse rose to the
top of my priority list like
the cream materializing in a
freshly squeezed jug of milk.
Silently, I dropped from my
conference call, tossed Yuba
in the back seat and made
haste for the wind farm.
Hitting the ground run-
ning, Yuba bee-lined to the
east. But the faint wisp of
wind suggested another ap-
proach. Whistling her back,
we continued south into the
swale. The plan was to cross
the swale, ascend the far hill,
hunt the ridge line east, then
circle back to the north in a
pattern reverse of how many
hunt the property. Roosters
up feeding would be prepar-
ing to drop into the swale to
roost and I wanted to catch
them on fl anks before they
hit the thick cover.
Dense reed canary grass
envelopes the swale, provid-
ing superb roosting cover
Brad Trumbo/Contributed Photo
Brad Trumbo and Yuba revel in the success of an eve-
ning pheasant hunt in the Palouse.
of quick target acquisition
instinctively kicked in,
UPLAND
securing the roost with an
PURSUITS
instantaneous burst from
the cylinder-choked barrel.
BRAD TRUMBO
Most upland birds begin
entering roost covers ap-
from predators and cold
proximately one hour before
temperature. It also prevents dark, and this guy was just
a pup with bad hips from
on the edge, about to dive in
hunting effi ciently, sapping
for the night.
stamina.
Yuba rushed in, secur-
Hence, I waded quickly
ing her prize and whining
through and across the
excitedly as we marveled
mattress of bent, swishing
over the bronze, bared tail
grasses with Yuba in tow to
and brilliant iridescence of
keep her from expending too the overall plumage. The
much energy in the impos-
Palouse landscape against a
sible cover.
gorgeous fall sunset pres-
Emerging at the toe of the ents a stunning watercolor
hill, a few colossal tufts of
painting. Throw in the varied
Great Basin wild rye stood
tones and fl ashes of setter
clustered along the outskirts and rooster to orchestrate a
of the reed canary tangle.
unique masterpiece worthy of
Strolling past, Yuba encircled marvel and never to be seen
a cluster of bunches and
quite the same again.
failed to reappear. Peering
While those clear, crisp eve-
around a nearby tuft, Yuba’s nings along thick drainage
breathtaking point offered
cover are ideal, draw-bottom
an eyeblink’s notice before
grasses on higher ground can
the rooster exploded nearly
serve as suffi cient roost cover
under my right foot.
as well.
Amid the startling heart
See Hunts/Page 2B
palpitations, my practice
snow as they lumber along.
Otters, of course, are known
for their playful slides down
snow slopes.
Tracks, slides and trails
aren’t the only types of spoor
you can see in the dredge
park.
You probably won’t have to
search long to fi nd streamside
trees and brush that have
been gnawed by beavers. The
animals rely on willows and
other deciduous trees for food
as well as the raw material
for their dams and lodges.
Lisa Britton/For EO Media Group
A sinuous track in the snow, possibly made by a muskrat,
at Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area.
A couple of years ago the
park’s beavers, being inveter-
ate dam-builders, inundated
a section of trail that’s since
been slightly elevated.
The park is also the birth-
place of the Powder River.
The spot, marked by a
trailside sign, is where two
streams, McCully Fork and
Cracker Creek, converge to
create the Powder.
Outdoor gift ideas abound
I had COVID-19
of wherever or however
in April and didn’t
detailed that you want. I
BASE CAMP
recover until May
use them.
TOM CLAYCOMB
6. For six weeks
• Hi Mountain seasoning
prior to that I was
to make your own jerky and
helping a buddy
sausage
over in South Dakota. I left there and it
• I just got a Chard Pro Former Jerky
was pretty much still winter and by the
Gun. Can’t wait to use it.
time I got well, spring was in full swing,
• .511 makes some cool tactical pants
crappie fi shing was on the tail end slide
that are great for hunting
and the mushroom season was over. When
• Spyderco makes a cool little hunting
I went to sleep it was winter and when I
knife called the Bow River knife
woke up it was almost summer. I felt like
• Scopes/binoculars, there’s an up-and-
Rip Van Winkel.
coming new company called Riton Optics.
I got to make the most of summer but
Check out their offerings.
still, even now I feel a little time disori-
• For shooters, Caldwell makes a lot of
ented. And suddenly it’s almost Christmas must-have items. Shooting bags, Hydro-
and here I am writing my annual Christ- sled and their Stable Table. These items
mas list for the outdoorsman article. Wow. help you have a stable rest when sighting
Well, here’s a list of some of the cool
in your rifl es.
items that I got to test out this year and
• Otis Elite Range Box. This is a great
some that are old-time favorites. I say
help when mounting scopes or cleaning
something to this effect every year but if
your guns.
you take time to investigate what your
BACKPACKING ITEMS
little outdoor honey wants/needs you can
• Alps Mountaineering Dash chair
really rack up some points. Most of our
• Alps Chaos 2 tent
outdoor endeavors are pretty specifi c so
• Alps Nimble pad
investigate before you make a purchase.
• Camp Chef Stryker 200 stove
I’ve never thrown this angle in before
• Aquimira fi ltered water bottles and
but with the COVID-19 panic ravaging
businesses in America try to shop in your straws
• Adventure Medical Kits duct tape,
community if at all possible and keep the
mole skin
dollars at home. That way your friends
• Irish Setter Canyons hiking boots.
and neighbors can maintain their jobs and
• Hiking socks. These are worth their
businesses. If your health is compromised
weight in gold.
then yes, you can probably almost do all
• Eating utensils. Outdoor Edge Chow-
of your shopping online. I just wanted to
remind everyone that local businesses are pal. Collapsible cooking utensils.
• Uberleben Stoker Flatpack is a cool
what supports the community that you
little collapsible stove.
live in.
• Smith’s Consumer Products offers I
If you buy a unique or much needed
don’t know how many folding knives that
item, you’ll sweep your outdoor lover off
are great for backpacking.
their feet. And you don’t always have to
• Backpacking meals
spend a lot of money. Well, let’s get started.
HUNTING
• SneakyHunter BootLamps
• Smith’s folding limb saw
• Knives of Alaska professional boning
knife
• Umarex airguns. Check out the
Gauntlet, Origin or the Yukon Magnum
break barrel
• mytopomaps. They will make a map
FISHING
• Heybo makes some cool fi shing shirts.
• Mister Twister plastics. I like their
tube jigs for crappie fi shing.
• I’ve been using a Honda BF 2.3 motor
to fi sh with this summer. I like it better
than my trolling motor.
See Gifts/Page 2B