A2
FAMILY
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, July 28, 2021
Final archery elk proposal released for Aug. 6 Commission consideration
Single general season tag
for units not proposed for
controlled hunting
Blue Mountain Eagle
Contributed photo/Gary Lewis
A bull elk in Northeast Oregon. The hunting season for archers could change
from a general season to a controlled season starting in 2022 in many parts of
the region.
wildlife managers meet elk plan
objectives in areas with low bull
ratios and in areas with a high per-
Darwin Leslie “Les” Rasmussen
In Remembrance of
Darwin Leslie (“Les”) Rasmussen
December 5, 1929 – June 14, 2021
Les was born on December 5,
1929 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to
Lois (Negus) and Darwin L.
Rasmussen. He grew up in Min-
neapolis spending many summers
with his grandparents, Cliff and
Jen Negus, on their farm in Geor-
gia, South Dakota until they sold in 1942 and moved to
Crescent Oregon and then later to Mt. Vernon.
When Les was 14 years old, his father died an he
knocked around a bit, ending up in Crescent with his
grandparents and working at the family-owned service
station. During this time he had many adventures,
including working as a “canvas man” for a circus that
toured the small towns in Minnesota and North
Dakota.
Les joined the Navy in 1948 where he was assigned
to a minesweeper, the USS Grosbeak, as their “tech
guy” (radarman, radioman and sonarman). After his
discharge in 1952, Les headed back to the Mt. Vernon
area, where many of the Negus clan had migrated from
South Dakota in the 40s.
Les got a job at the Central Oregon Lumber Com-
pany in Mt. Vernon and later married Clea Leach (nee
Green) of Mt. Vernon. He moved his family to Albany
and then Corvallis, Oregon so he could attend college
on the GI Bill. Shortly after the move in 1954 the
“twins” were born and it was a challenging time for the
new parents. Another child, Randy, was born in 1956.
Les brought his family back to Mt. Vernon in 1958,
four credits short of graduating with his bachelor’s de-
gree. He fed cattle and went back to work at the mill.
Educators were in short supply in the rural areas back
then and friends encouraged him to finish up those last
courses and he was able to obtain a provisional teach-
ing certificate. Les started teaching 7th and 8th grade
at Mt. Vernon School in the fall of 1958 until 1961.
In 1961 Les received a VA scholarship to attend
Portland State University. He packed up the family
and headed for Portland, Oregon. After graduating
with his Masters of Education, Les began teaching at
Dale Ickes Jr High in Milwaukie, Oregon as a guidance
counselor. In 1972 Les moved back to Mt. Vernon,
bought property outside of town, and fulfilled a life-
long dream of building a home with his own hands.
During this time, his marriage to Clea ended after 18
years.
In 1974 Les accepted an offer to work for Curry
County Human Services as a Vocational Rehab coun-
selor in the Coos Bay office. It was after moving to
Coos Bay that Les met Connie Neimi, who became his
wife on July 5, 1976. They were married for nearly 35
years until her death in March of 2009.
After Les’s retirement in 1991 the couple moved to
Brookings, Oregon. There Les kept busy with his ham
radio club, volunteering with Curry County Search and
Rescue, and helping his stepson, Dayle Neimi, with his
car club projects.
After his wife’s death, Les lived in a travel home on
Kimball Creek Bend on the Rogue River, with his dog
pal, Sadie, until moving back to Brookings in 2012.
He lived there happily with his canine friend until
his blindness necessitated a move to assisted living in
September 2020 where he died quietly in his sleep in
the early hours of June 14, 2021.
This undated message from Les was found among
his papers: “It’s been a really good life, and it is just
too bad that I didn’t figure that out until I was about
75 ++ Now I am smiling about all ‘them’ things I
thought were so important and sometimes painful for
me during those years. If a wish is granted to me – it
would be that my kids and their “treasured ones” will
continue to find joy and happiness in their lives in the
years to come … Be whoever and whatever you want to
be. Take – and cherish – friends where you find them.
Good-bye”
He is survived by his children, Ricky Rasmussen
of San Marcos, California, Penny Godwin of Portland,
Oregon and Randy Rasmussen of Prineville, Oregon,
their “treasured ones” his seven grandchildren and
four great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by
his wife, Connie, her two children and his stepdaugh-
ter, Pat Sweet.
At Les’s request, no memorial services are planned.
If you would like to send your memories of Les to his
family, please email them at penny.godwin@comcast.
net. Paid for by the Family of Les Rasmussen.
centage of branch-antlered bull har-
vest occurring within the general
archery season. Current manage-
USDA provides pandemic relief opportunity
for timber harvesters and haulers
Blue Mountain Eagle
The U.S. Department of
Agriculture is providing up
to $200 million in relief funds
to timber harvesting and tim-
ber hauling businesses that
experienced losses due to
COVID-19 as part of USDA’s
Pandemic Assistance for Pro-
ducers initiative.
The Pandemic Assistance
for Timber Harvesters and
Haulers program is adminis-
tered by USDA’s Farm Ser-
vice Agency in partnership
with the U.S. Forest Service,
and was authorized in the
2021 Consolidated Appropri-
ations Act.
Loggers and truckers can
apply for assistance July 22
through Oct. 15, 2021.
Timber harvesting and
hauling businesses that have
experienced a gross reve-
nue loss of at least 10% from
Blue Mountain Eagle
Country artists Shenandoah will perform in Grant County in
August.
The Grammy, Country Music Association and Academy of
Country Music award-winning group will give a special acous-
tic performance at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 8 at the Retreat & Links at Sil-
vies Valley Ranch near Seneca.
A local band may open the show beforehand.
Attendance is limited to 200 guests.
Concert and dinner packages, including a concert ticket, bar-
becue dinner, three drink tickets and parking, cost $200.
For more information, call 1-800-SILVIES or visit silvies.us/
packages.php.
Contributed photo
South Fork John Day Watershed Funding Available
The South Fork John Day Watershed Council, in partnership with the
Natural Resource Conservation Service, is offering funding through the
Regional Conservation Partnership Program for juniper removal, forest
health, upland water developments and pasture fencing.
Funding is available to private landowners within the South Fork John
Day Watershed.
Award-winning country artists Shenandoah will perform at The
Retreat & Links at Silvies Valley Ranch Aug. 8.
OBITUARIES
TO LEARN MORE CALL: 541-792-0435
Byron L. Rudishauser
S253483-1
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender
Byron L. Rudishauser, 86, died Saturday, July 17, at his
home. A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, July
31, at the Prairie City Cemetery. LaFollette’s Chapel is in charge
of funeral arrangements.
To the family and many friends of the
late William (Bill) R. Thomas, we wish to
extend our sincere thanks for your many
kindnesses, flowers, cards and for the
condolences and support that we have
received. We wish to thank the Blue Mtn
Hospital staff for their care of Bill while he
was resting in their presence; to Pastor
Randy for his ministry and help to Bill and
the family; to the ladies of the Nazarene
Church for providing a wonderful luncheon
where we could all meet and reflect on
present and past memories; to Driskill’s for
their service and to the American Legion
and Color Guard for their participation and
presentation of the US Flag at the grave-
side services. Most of all, we wish to thank
the LORD, Almighty for relieving Bill of all
his pain and sorrows as He welcomed him
home.
TOM CHRISTENSEN
CHRISTENSEN
TOM
CONSTRUCTION
(541) 410-0557 • (541) 575-0192
CCB# 106077
REMODELS • NEW CONSTRUCTION • POLE BUILDINGS
CONCRETE EXCAVATION • SHEET ROCK • SIDING
ROOFING • FENCES • DECKS • TELESCOPING FORKLIFT SERVICES
S250278-1
Your many acts of kindness and sympathy
continue to be a great comfort to us in our
time of sorrow.
Shawna Clark, DNP, FNP
541-575-1263
In loving memory of Bill,
235 S. Canyon Blvd. John Day, Oregon 97845
his family - Judy, Linda, Bill, Chuck,
Marvin, David, John & Brad
Accepting new Patients! Go to:
S254292-1
Last Week’s Temps
24/7 F ORECAST
A UTOMATED : 541-575-1122
R OAD CONDITIONS : 511; TRIPCHECK . COM
NOAA W EATHER R ADIO FOR J OHN D AY
162.500 MHz
Jan. 1 and Dec. 1, 2020, when
compared to Jan. 1 and Dec. 1,
2019, are encouraged to apply.
For
more
informa-
tion, visit usda.gov/media/
press-releases/2021/05/20/
usda-announces-assistance
coastal-communities-priori-
ty-national.
Grammy-winning Shenandoah to perform at Silvies Aug. 8
S254844-1
John Day ...........................................................HI/LO
Tuesday ........................................................... 89/62
Wednesday ..................................................... 87/57
Thursday .......................................................... 88/52
Friday ............................................................... 91/51
Saturday .......................................................... 93/55
Sunday ............................................................. 99/59
Monday............................................................ 85/63
the September commission meeting.
Under the proposal, 13 wildlife
management units (WMUs) and
three sub-unit hunts would move to
controlled archery seasons. These
hunts would be added to the cur-
rent seven WMUs within the Blue
Mountains already managed for reg-
ulated archery seasons. These con-
trolled hunts would be the only
opportunity for archers who draw
and purchase those tags.
Within the units proposed for
regulatory change, ODFW is pro-
posing a mix of single WMU and a
zone hunt to obtain the reduction in
harvest that is the goal of moving to
controlled archery. Both alternatives
provide the control necessary for
wildlife managers to regulate take
to achieve the overall bull harvest
reduction needed to meet agency
objectives.
WMUs not proposed for con-
trolled hunts would remain under
the current statewide general season
framework, allowing archers to con-
tinue to move in response to condi-
tions throughout the state during the
archery season.
www.canyoncreekclinic.com
W EATHER F ORECAST FOR THE WEEK OF J ULY 28 - A UG . 3
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Mostly
sunny
Chance of
thunderstorms
Hot
Chance of
thunderstorms
Chance of
thunderstorms
Chance of
thunderstorms
Mostly
sunny
92
96
99
98
90
92
96
61
64
66
65
61
57
57
S252139-1
The Oregon Department of Fish
and Wildlife has released the fi nal
proposal for commission consid-
eration regarding changes to how
archery elk season is managed for
portions of Eastern Oregon within
the Blue Mountain region, according
to a press release.
This fi nal proposal includes two
major modifi cations from the origi-
nal draft proposal released in March:
Five units would be combined into
a single Eagle Cap Zone hunt, and
there would be a single general sea-
son hunt for any part of the state not
proposed for controlled hunting. A
map on the big game review page
has more information. (The original
proposal was for a general Western
Oregon and general Eastern Oregon
tag for any units not managed as con-
trolled hunts.)
These changes are needed to help
ment strategy only allows manag-
ers to alter harvest during the con-
trolled any-legal-weapon hunts,
resulting in signifi cant changes to
the season structure and tag num-
bers for rifl e hunting over the
last 30 years.
This proposal will be presented
at the Aug. 6 commission meet-
ing for potential adoption. To see
the full proposal, see Exhibit B at
https://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/
commission/minutes/21/08_Aug/
index.asp.
Additional information about the
big game review process can be found
at
https://myodfw.com/articles/
big-game-hunting-season-review.
The Aug. 6 Commission meet-
ing will be online via Zoom. To
testify about the proposal, regis-
ter at https://www.zoomgov.com/
webinar/register/WN_5F152fCyT-
dyidRFGazlDRw no later than 48
hours before the meeting (Wednes-
day, Aug. 4 at 8 a.m. PT). Com-
ments can also be sent to odfw.com-
mission@odfw.oregon.gov.
The remainder of the 2022 hunt-
ing regulations will be presented at