Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 14, 2005)
2005 Welcome Hunters! PAGE-7 Campfire Safety Checklist 1. Check to see If campfires are permitted In the area. 2. Build fires away from overhanging branches, steep slopes, rotting stumps or logs, dry grass and leaves. 3. Keep plenty of water handy and have a shovel available. 4. If not using an established fire ring, fireplace or stove, scrape away Uttar, duff and any other burnable material within 10 feet of the fire. 5. Keep fires small. Many people believe that big, roaring fires are best. Small flies v4th good coal beds are actually better for cooking and warming. 6. Never leave a campfire unattended. Even a small breeze can causa a fire to spread out of control. 7. Make sure your campfire Is completely out before leaving the area. Drown It with water, stir, and check the fire for any remaining embers. Feel all the malarial with your bare hands. 8. Do not bury hot coals. They can smol der undetected and cause a fire later. Be familiar with mountain lion signs and habitat Almost all of Oregon is populated by mountain lions; a surprising fact to many residents and visitors. Moun tain lions have made a strong come back after being reduced to very low populations in the early 1960s. These large, powerful predators have lived here since prehistoric times. The potential for human/mountain lion interactions has increased in re cent years. However, more people are injured or killed by deer, bees, dogs and spiders than by mountain lions. Since every attack is different, pat terns of attack behavior are difficult to identify. People should familiarize themselves with mountain lion signs and habitat. If you are concerned about safety, the following sugges tions can help prevent an attack: Do Not Hike Alone: Go in groups and supervise children. Do Not Approach a Mountain Lion: Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Give them a way to escape. Do Not Run From a Mountain Lion: Running may stimulate the in 1/liiwiay'ò ÎX iu j S c x v tttÿ S a à te ’ut GxeÿM Sestee 195$ stinct to chase. Stand and face the animal. Make eye contact. If you have small children with you, pick them up so they don’t panic and run. Try to pick them up without bending over or turning away from the mountain lion. Do All You Can to Appear Larg er: Raise your arms, open your jack et, throw stones or whatever you can without crouching or turning your back. Wave your arms slowly and speak in a firm, loud voice. Fight Back if Attacked: Because a lion tries to bite the head or neck, try to remain standing and face the attacking animal. Use rocks, sticks, jackets, garden tools, camping gear and your hands to fend off the attack. Learn to identify Mountain Lion Tracks and Signs: Many mountain lion sightings are often a case of mistaken identity. Large dog paw prints are frequently mistaken for mountain lion tracks. The major difference between dog tracks and mountain lion tracks is that dog tracks have claw marks. Claw marks are usually not visible because mountain lions can retract their claws. They have four toes and three dis tinct lobes at the base of the heel pad, forming an "M” shape. An average sized mountain lion makes a track about 3-1/2 inches wide and 3 inches long. Mountain lions are solitary ani mals. Adult males almost always trav el alone. If tracks indicate two or more mountain lions traveling togeth er, it’s likely a female with kittens. Mountain lion feces are often cov ered by soil, leaves or other debris that is scraped from an area up to 3 feet in diameter. They create similar scrapes (often urine-scented) to mark their territory. They also leave claw marks in trees. All of these marks are signals to other mountain lions that the area is occupied. The mountain lion is usually silent, but has calls similar to an ordinary tomcat, though magnified. They also have a shrill, piercing whistle-scream, a hiss and a growl. POLARIS ATVs and LIQUOR A G E N C Y PHARMACY HALLMARK CARDS HOUSEWARES FLORAL DEPARTMENT F U L L S E R V I C E E S P R E S S O BAR G o u r m e t S p e c i a l t y Dri nks Hot, C old, and B le n d e d 4 ^ Muwuj'j Ditug Morrow County Grain Growers Main Street, Lexington 217 North Main - Heppner - 676-9158 ( 5 4 1 ) 9 8 9-82 21 = 1 - 80 0 - 4 5 2-73 96 WELCOME TO HEPPNER, OREGON1 Visit our web site at www.mcff.net
