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Show Page 9 Poachers Hurt Big Game Herds Pro Race At Snowbird Will Decide Champion Telemark Wednesday, March 23, 1977 Tales O V 3 ; "5 op By Jim Miller White Pine Touring Center A friend hurt my feelings last week when he seriously asked me it I wasn't "as bad as all the other wilderness destroyers, because I bring so many people into the backcountry, many that might not otherwise go in." His feeling was that the more people that are encouraged to roam the mountains, the more the destruction and loss of aesthetics. I cannot agree, and instead see a dangerous conceit growing in minds of some friends and previous wilderness users. This beautiful land belongs to all of us. The mountains and snows provide water and timber to house us, to grow food and quench our thirst. It also gives us the opportunity to wander about using simple skills and our own physical powers. Many look towards the wild country to help solve some complex problems encountered in dealings with civilized worlds. Other find comfort just knowing it's there as a buffer zone to keep cultures and social emphasis at different levels. Certainly the difference between Salt Lake City and Park City can be partially attributed to the mountains in between. To think that one has any more right to "own" or have some sort of special interest in a piece of land simply because of prior use, is not fair to anyone's head. Aldo Leapold writes, "There are two spiritual dangers in not owning a farm. One is the danger of supposing that breakfast comes from the grocery store, the other that heat comes from the furnace," meaning, of course, that man and his culture have perhaps lost touch with his surroundings. He wrote this in 1948, and probably this situation has gotten even worse. "Pebple; ho" longer understand the1 wilderness and her ways. So, I try to encourage as many people to enjoy our few remaining wild parts - to learn the same lessons that I (we) have, to enjoy the good feelings that have blessed me (us), to get the same satisfaction of a successful ski tour or climb. We will all benefit, as a society as well as an individual, if all of us have a basic understanding understan-ding of wilderness and wilderness travel. Also, the more people that learn to cherish the pure states of land (before intervention of man), the more that will work towards wilderness preservation. preser-vation. Our government officials listen to numbers num-bers of people and money only and a few rag-tag X-C skiers and climbers can't pull the right of wilderness preservation without the help of many more, especially against timber and oil lobby groups. Publicity rather than secrecy and encouragement en-couragement to travel rather than discouragement will save an area for future generations and even the present user. Having more educated people traveling in the backcountry, backcoun-try, even if a sacrifice of some aesthetics results, is our only hope of preservation. Loud voices are easily heard and politics is now the name of the game. Education is a key word. A group of trashlit-tering, trashlit-tering, pine bough-clipping, fire-building, back-country back-country travelers will soon ruin an area, to the dismay of us all. Here is where organized schools come into being. By instilling a high consciousness con-sciousness of "zero impact" in the public our woods will remain clean and fresh even with a large number of people using them. This means carrying out all garbage (or not bringing it in the first place), using no fires, staying out of meadow areas, staying on trails, careful sanitary practices, prac-tices, etc. Proper education will insure a healthy respect for the wilderness and the others coming to enjoy them in their fresh state. Organized schools are the most efficient and quickest way to educate, as well as provide a professional interest in-terest in wild country. Some sort of official-sounding name, such as White Pine Touring Center, I.S.I.A. certified guide lends weight when arguing for preservation. preser-vation. Money and loud voices are easily heard, and remember politics is now the name of the game. So, do not lament if one of your favorite areas is being considered for a "scenic trail" or a cross-country trail is being planned up a favorite skiing area because this will insure that no other uses (such as snowmobile trail or 4-wheel drive trails or a new Kennecott mine) will come in. People will fight to save popular areas, yet, should any area be neglected, you can be sure, it will be "developed." Glen Canyon dam is a case in point. Educate your friends (or send them to us), then show them your favorite spots. Consider Con-sider it an insurance policy or another voice to support preservation. Results of a study on the effect of poaching on big game herds were recently released by the New Mexico Fish and Game Department. The research project indicates in-dicates that illegal game taking activities have a significant effect on big game populations. According to the study, poaching during closed season is responsible for the killing of large numbers of deer and other big game animals. Data shows these losses in New Mexico often exceed legal harvest (for some species) taken by sport hunters during the regular season. The report also stated crippling loss associated with the poaching activities is very high and may equal as much as one animal left in the field to die, for every animal poached and transported from the scene. John Nagel, chief of Law Enforcement for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Resour-ces, said that trying to adapt data derived from studies in other states to Utah is not totally reliable but that the similarity in terrain and wildlife populations and species between Utah and New Mexico tends to support the belief that Utah and other western states have a serious poaching problem. As a concerned sportsman, spor-tsman, perhaps your first thought is to blame the Division's conservation officers of-ficers for failing in their job of protecting the state's wildlife. Nagel stated plainly that Utah's wildlife law enforcement en-forcement program and the Division's officers are progressive and competent. "We have full confidence in our officers' ability and dedication to their responsibilities," respon-sibilities," Nagel said. He continued, "Like other states, the ratio of conservation conser-vation officers to hunters and fishermen is rather unbalanced. un-balanced. In Utah, we currently have about one officer of-ficer for every 9,000 licensed sportsmen. Additionally, each officer is responsible for more than 1,200 square miles of the state. It is, under these circumstances, physically impossible to check every person who goes afield." In an editorial accompanying accom-panying the study results, Bill Huey, director of the New Mexico Fish and Game offered the following suggestions for coping with game law violations. Nagel indicated that they were directly applicable to Utah. 1. Fines must be levied that constitute a real financial deterrent to illegal taking of game animals, including the implementation of jail sentences sen-tences for those who insist on violating wildlife laws. 2 . Public input and involvement in-volvement must be increased in-creased to assure a significant number of persons per-sons who violate wildlife laws are apprehended. This necessitates a mental commitment com-mitment from each outdoor-sman outdoor-sman or woman to recognize and excercise his or her personal per-sonal responsibility. 3. The general public must also be involved in correcting correc-ting the situation by electing Justices of the Peace who have and will maintain a keen interest in wildlife matters. mat-ters. 4. More conservation officers of-ficers are needed to adequately patrol Utah's out-of-doors. This will demand more funds, but is necessary to conduct a thorough and agressive wildlife enforcement program. A communications tool is needed to educate the public about the losses to wildlife and the public's responsibility respon-sibility in helping to protect it. Such a tool would also help convince potential violators that increasing law enforcement efficiency means a greater probability of being apprenenueu 101 violations. Ill Jill. 4 jiff lit r s A m m u x' , ' I II - j 1 fcN Hj ife 4 t-i .t exciting hmd-to-hmd pro Snowbird, Utah, will host the final 1977 World Pro Skiing meet on April 2-3, the $40,000 Hawaiian Tropic Championship, which will determine who will reign as this season's pro titlist. Frenchman Henri Duvillard, the 1976 champion, cham-pion, and current tour fron-trunner, fron-trunner, and Swiss pro Josef Odermatt, the runner-up last season, are separated by only 15 points as they prepare for the Snowbird finale. Duvillard, 29, has accumulated ac-cumulated 455 points and $60,082 for eight wins in 18 starts this season. Odermatt, 24, boasts 440 points and $50,157 for four wins on the year. But Odermatt has been steadily closing on Duvillard since late January and could easily overtake his French nemisis in the Hawaiian Tropic Championship. "I think I have a very good chance to beat Henri," said Odermatt, a handsome third-year pro. "The race competition will come to pressure is on him because he will retire at the end of the season. This is his last chance chan-ce to win the title again. If I finish number two, that is okay; no one thought I could be number one. But for Henri, number two is the same as last." For Duvillard, retaining the title would add the brightest jewel to his pro crown, already sparkling with brilliant accomplishments: accomplish-ments: the former French Ski Team star is World Pro Skiing's greatest money winner over $180,000 in less than three seasons and most prolific race winner 33 victories during his brief career. The only WPS record he doesn't own or share will be his if he can repeat as the circuit champion, done only once before in the sport's eight-year history, by the late Spider Sabich in 1971 and 1972. "Odermatt will be no problem for me," proclaimed Duvillard recen- Snowbird April 2 and 3. tly. "I am returning to France Fran-ce before Snowbird. I will rest my back, which has been bothering me, and I will be ready for the last race. I say the pressure is on Odermatt. Oder-matt. I am the champion; he is only the challenger." Duvillard and Odermatt will face off in the dual-challenge dual-challenge giant slalom of the Hawaiian Tropic Championship Champion-ship on Saturday, April 2, and will battle in the slalom on Sunday, April 3. The events will be held on Lower Bassackwards. Other leading pros who will compete are New Hampshire's Ham-pshire's Tyler Palmer, 26, the top American pro, in third overall. Fourth-ranked Perry Thompson, 26, of Mammoth, Cal, will also compete along with Steamboat Steam-boat Colorado's Hank Kashiwa, 26, the pro champ in 1975, and the winner of the Snowbird pro giant slalom held in 1972, and Vermont's Bob Cochran, third in 1976. "Bloom s distinction 363 Main Street 649-9853 Tin 'Exceptional Selection oj Tine Qijts and Accessories Denny Brothers Pace Jumpers Once Again Still three months from his twentieth birthday, Jim Denney, 19, Dulluth MN continues con-tinues to put the United States on the ski jumping map while younger brother Jeff, 18, provides strong backup. The older Denney placed sixth in a top international field of 96 competitors at Norway's restigious Holmenkollen, March 10-13. Russian Alexei Borotivin led the field with 262.9 points although second place finisher Tomas Meisinger of East Germany set a new hill record with his 98.5 meter flight, guaranteeing him first fir-st place in the junior class. Jim Denney, whose 94.5 meter effort put him in second position after the first fir-st round earned a total of 244.4 points for his sixth ranking. Jeff soared 90 meters in one of his pair of leaps to earn an overall point total of 222.9 for a twenty-fifth twenty-fifth place and a sixth in the junior division. Jon Denney, 17, the youngest of Duluth's dynamic Denney brothers added another jewel to the family crown with his Junior National Jumping Championship Cham-pionship victory at Steam boat Co., on March 13. The midwestern teenager glided 54.5 meters to set a new hill record and earn 208.7 points. Jeff Hastings of Eastern Ski Association placed second with 207.4 points, followed by Reed Zuehlke of Central Division with 207.3. SAVE UP TO 80 ON OVERSTOCKED ITEMS He knows where to take his lady to dine He has no time for anything but the best. He knows what he likes and where to find it. He and his lady dine with us. An average a la carte dinner at La Fleur de Lys costs from $12.00 to $18.00 per person. Now! 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