OUTDOORS
BlueMountainEagle.com
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
A7
Baker County man justified in wolf shooting
Male juvenile from
Pine Creek pack was
chasing working dog
By George Plaven
EO Media Group
Contributed photo
Columnist Rod Carpenter says the secret to success is
getting out in the field and trying.
SHOOTING THE BREEZE
The secret to success
I
read an article years
ago about a well-
known outdoors author
on his first successful
Stone sheep hunt. He and
his buddy had commit-
ted to getting a sheep. By
the time they did, they had
been in the mountains for
30 days and were living on
ground squirrels.
Last year, my son got
into fly fishing. I’m an
indifferent fisherman at
best. We went bass fish-
ing down on the John
Day River and the whole
way down he was talking
smack about how he was
going to outfish me. When
we got there, I let him
choose the best looking
water, and I went down to
some slack water below.
On my second cast, I
caught a 3-pound bass.
We are all looking
for that secret to being a
more successful fisher-
person or hunter. What is
it that makes some better
than others? After exhaus-
tive research, I have dis-
covered that the secret to
being successful is to be
out there doing. Big bulls
are killed and giant fish
are caught because some-
one was out there look-
ing for them. It is true that
hunting success in Ore-
gon is not great. Most elk
hunts hover around 12-20
percent success and great
deer hunts hit 30 per-
cent. That being said, the
chances of success are
absolutely zero if you are
sitting at home lounging
on the couch.
The rationalizations for
not going
out today
are legion.
I’m too
tired. We
hiked all
over and
Rod Carpenter didn’t
see any-
thing yes-
terday. The conditions
aren’t right, and on and
on. If you are like me, you
develop a great game plan
and hit it hard the first
couple of days. If you’re
not successful, you start
sleeping in a little later
each day. Maybe take a
day off. Keeping at it day
after day, cast after cast
is hard to do and requires
some mental toughness.
Yes, there is an element of
luck involved. However,
remember the wise man
who said, “I am a great
believer in luck. I have
found that the harder I
work, the luckier I am.”
For most of us, the days
we can get out in the field
are limited by our commit-
ments to work and fam-
ily. When you have the
time, make the most of it
and get out there. Shake it
up and try a new area. If
you have walked your legs
off to the ankles, find a
spot to sit and glass. Nope,
you won’t get lucky every
time, but your luck will
improve.
We welcome your
thoughts and ideas at shoo-
tingthebreezebme@gmail.
com.
Rod Carpenter is a
husband, father and
hunting fool.
ODFW
A rancher near Halfway was justified in shooting a wolf that was attacking his
livestock guard dog, the county district attorney has determined.
to a request for an interview.
Shirtcliff said the wolf was one of
four chasing Aguilar’s dog on the ranch,
“very close to his home.”
“He felt like that wolf was in the
attack of his dog,” Shirtcliff said. “The
dog really was doing its job, so to speak,
in terms of protecting livestock.”
The Pine Creek pack has repeatedly
preyed on livestock in the past. In 2018,
ODFW shot three wolves from the pack
after five confirmed attacks, killing
four calves and injuring another six at
two separate ranches roughly 5-6 miles
apart.
ODFW removed gray wolves from
the state endangered species list in
2015, though the animals remain feder-
ally protected in the western two-thirds
of the state. Wolves can only be killed
legally in cases of self-defense west of
highways 395, 78 and 95.
As of 2018, Oregon has at least 137
known wolves and 16 packs, though
most of the population remains concen-
trated in the northeast corner of the state.
Gun and knife show, bazaar draw a crowd to fairgrounds
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
The parking lot at the
Grant County Fairgrounds
was full Saturday for the
Strawberry Mountain Gun
and Knife Show at the
pavilion and the Spring
Bazaar at Keerins Hall.
Fair Manager Mindy
Winegar said 200 people
came through the pavilion
doors by 11 a.m. Saturday
— a good indication that it
would be a well-attended
event for the weekend.
“Everybody’s enjoying
it,” she said.
The gun and knife show
continued through Sunday.
Ken Larssen of Seneca
showed his gun collection
to Tim Oliver of John Day.
Both said the show is
as much a social event
as it is a place to find a
gun or knife to look at or
buy.
Larssen showed his
1902 Colt Single Action
Army revolver to Oliver,
noting it’s a hard gun to
find.
There were 42 tables set
Eagle photos/Angel Carpenter
Ken Larssen of Seneca chats with Tim Oliver of John Day at
the Strawberry Mountain Gun and Knife Show at the Grant
County Fairgrounds pavilion in John Day.
up in the pavilion and 14
tables for the bazaar.
The bazaar included
vendors for essential oils,
candles, lotions, soaps,
hand-painted signs and
cards, wreaths, cakes and
candy, jewelry, crocheted
pot holders and more.
Winegar noted the JC
Oliver Memorial Team
Roping event that was to
take place Saturday, April
13, had been rescheduled
for May 17-18 at the fair-
grounds rodeo arena.
Ken Larssen of Seneca shows
his 1902 Colt Single Action
Army to a friend at the
Strawberry Mountain Gun
and Knife Show on Saturday
in John Day.
Susie Snyder shows her Young Living products to Kari Wyllie
and her daughter Savannah Wyllie at the Spring Bazaar
Saturday at Keerins Hall. All are residents of John Day.
Hello Grant County,
I never get tired of saying I am so
proud to live in Grant County! With
everything that has been happening
around here recently, it is so amazing
to see how everyone steps up and
pulls together to help each other out.
It looks like the worst is over. Let’s
hope good weather is right around
the corner!
A man wakes up in
the morning after
sleeping on an
ADVERTISED BED,
in ADVERTISED
PAJAMAS.
He will bathe in an ADVERTISED TUB, shave with an ADVERTISED RAZOR,
have a breakfast of ADVERTISED JUICE, cereal and toast, toasted in an
ADVERTISED TOASTER, put on ADVERTISED CLOTHES and glance at his
ADVERTISED WATCH. He’ll ride to work in his ADVERTISED CAR, sit at an
ADVERTISED DESK and write with an ADVERTISED PEN. Yet this person
hesitates to advertise, saying that advertising doesn’t pay. Finally, when his
non-advertised business is going under, HE’LL ADVERTISE IT FOR SALE.
Then it’s too late.
Advertising is an investment, not an expense. Think about it!
115162
AND THEY SAY ADVERTISING DOESN’T WORK?
DON’T MAKE THIS SAME MISTAKE
Blue Mountain Eagle
MyEagleNews.com
An Eastern Oregon cattle rancher
was justified when he shot a wolf that
was chasing his working dog March
12 in Baker County, according to
authorities.
Lawrence Aguilar shot the wolf — a
male juvenile from the Pine Creek pack
— on the property in Halfway, east of
Baker City. The Oregon Wolf Conser-
vation and Management Plan allows for
killing wolves caught in the act of bit-
ing, wounding, killing or chasing live-
stock or working dogs, so long as they
are not intentionally lured with bait or
other attractants.
Baker County District Attorney Matt
Shirtcliff said Aguilar immediately
called Oregon State Police and the Ore-
gon Department of Fish and Wildlife
after he shot the wolf, and cooperated
with the investigation.
“He did what you’re supposed to
do,” Shirtcliff said. “This was in defense
of property, and he did it right.”
Aguilar did not immediately respond
Don’t get left behind, call today! Kim Kell 541-575-0710
The Chamber meeting this month is
Thursday, April 18. The board meets
for their business meeting at 10:30
a.m. at the Chamber office, and the
no-host luncheon is at 12 p.m. at the
Outpost Pizza, Pub & Grill. Everyone
is welcome!
I have been fortunate over the past
few years to have several Grant Union
seniors choose to do their community
service work for their senior projects
at the Chamber. A couple of them
have helped with data entry and
other types of computer work. This
year, Aidan Broemeling will be
displaying her photography of Grant
County. If you have a chance to,
come and check it out!
Blue Mountain Hospital District is
asking for your help to identify
important health needs in our county
by taking this County Survey
and forwarding it on to other
community members. Just use this link
to take the survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/56QSZWD
It should take less than 10 minutes to
complete, and the feedback will help
identify potential programs, services
and initiatives that may be of benefit to
our county.
The Wild & Scenic Film festival will
be Friday, April 19, at 6:30 p.m. at
the Madden Brothers Performing
Arts Center in John Day. They will be
showing 10 films, and there will be a
raffle. For more information, call
541-620-5754.
We hope we see you at our April
meeting!
Tammy Bremner
Manager, Grant County Chamber of
Commerce
100004
115158