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Show 28 Vernal Expresifldvertiser vednesdoy, Morch 13, 1985 Starvation, dogs are greatest threats to deer herds By Frank Hanchett Vernal Express Outdoors Writer The greatest threat to our deer herd isn't so much the hunting pressures during the season, nor is it the "do-gooder" "do-gooder" wilderness groups who gain injunctions from the courts to prohibit the re-planting of browse and food for the native wildlife (in the name of 'natural' and 'wilderness preservation'). preserva-tion'). The greatest threat isn't so much the slop hunter who poaches for a game head to enter in next year's big buck contest and leaves the body to rot. The problem is starvation. The winter snows that cover what little food is available becomes a deadly menace as it crusts over, coyotes and lions are able to run upon it. Well, that, is "nature's way" we say, and properly proper-ly so, but what about the dogs that band together and start their chase? The deer with their sharp hooves are not able to run atop the snow and become virtual prisoners ensnared by the deep, white coverlet intended to be a blessing, is now another foe. Ever try running in deep oozy mud? Most people, peo-ple, because of their feet can almost traverse a crusted snow pack. A deer cannot. A dog needn't catch a deer to kill it. A few moments exertion and a deer will simply struggle to the next ridge; lie down (or fall from exhaustion) exhaus-tion) and in minutes stiffen up and die. Sometimes it takes a day or two. In any event, the few moments of strain weakens them to a point that they will not eat, nor have the desire to...they just die. Sometimes they are found next to a shrub that under ordinary circumstances would have provide them a meal. Fawns are the most affected. af-fected. Young buck fawns die and their mothers are allowed to live another year...do you still wonder why we see so many does even though our hunting has improved due to the buck only DEER SEARCH for food and hope dogs don't greet them up in the mountains. Rowlina arouo fit j j i elects officers The annual meeting for the Womens Bowling Association was held March 10 at the Hilton in Ogden. Presiding over the meeting was President Ruby Haskins. Representing W1BC was Mrs. Hazel McLeary of Victoria. B.C., Canada. A WIBC director since 1970, Mrs. McLeary spoke on proposed amendments for the annual WIBC meeting which should be of value for the delegation to take back to their members throughout the state. The delegation of 78 voted in new legislation and elected officers and directors as follows: Ruby Hasking, president; Alora Hawker, second vice president; Dorothy Tosak, director; Elsie Jarvis, director; Peggy Latham, director and Daryl King, director. Local representatives from Vernal that attended the meeting were local association president and state director, direc-tor, Peggy Latham, Bettye Guffey, publicity chairman and directors Kala Brewer, Annie Hacking and Brenda Foster, hunts? Can a dog be trained to ignore his instincts in-stincts for a chase? As a general rule the answer is no. A year ago I thought that my beagle would never have given a deer a second look, but on the last day of the rabbit hunt we went out and tried our luck near "Donkey Flat." I guess the old hound had a bad case of cabin fever and just had to chase something. He had been cooped up for a full winter. He spotted some deer and went bananas. He refused to honor my calls to return. He disappeared disap-peared over a hill and was gone. I searched for several days to find him all to no avail. What I am saying is that we never truly know our pets, we think we do, but personal experience has told me different. Can something be done with our dogs? Yes. If we can make sure where our children are and we should, then why not give the same love for our pets? Keep them inside, pen 'em up or as a last resort, tie them-up. When a dog's pals come around wanting him to go on a little chase, he won't be able to. This may even stop the other dogs from leaving. I have seen this on our ranch in southern Utah where friendly friend-ly dogs give way to their natural instincts in-stincts and raise hell with the sheep we have. The "Jeckyl-Hyde" personality exists in all pets and we must realize this in spite of our love for them. There are two more points which must be covered. What about people harassing game? Snowmobiles? If the majority of people knew what happens to the deer when disturbed during the critical time for survival, they wouldn't consider running their snowmobiles anywhere near the wintering areas of wildlife. People would be more careful when encountering en-countering deer along the roadway and not honk their horns or scare them in any way. Most people, when properly proper-ly informed, will give our wildlife a break. We are always going to be cursed curs-ed with the slobs who give sportsmen a bad name ; of those people who think hunting is evil, and yet will run wildlife to death during these critical periods and refuse to support them with the planting of additional foods -which would help lessen the minor competition competi-tion between elk-deer and livestock. They are the ones who are killing our deer not the sportsmen. Last but not least the crucial time for survival is nearing. In the early spring while snow is still around in patches pat-ches and new plants and coming forth, (this is the time when a deer's digestive system undergoes a change) a new enzyme enters into their system to accommodate the different food on which they are now feeding. Without this enzyme, the deer will starve as they will when they eat alfalfa hay only, on-ly, they do not have the proper constitution con-stitution to digest it. Deer, if bothered or disturbed now spells certain disaster for them. They came through a hard winter only to die on top of food they are unable to digest. Deer are very sensitive creatures. The next time you happen on the remains re-mains of a deer and its partially exposed expos-ed skeleton is available, try breaking a leg bone and examine the contents. The marrow, if red, will denote the deer was in a starved state at the time of death. If the marrow is yellow and fatty, the deer was in better health at the time of death. Your examination can give you a rough idea of the condition con-dition of the deer in that area and how they wintered over. The amount of dead deer can tell you much and sometimes when will be found dead in a small area. Their size, or what condition con-dition their teeth were in tells much, smooth teeth that are ground down and not sharp tells of an old deer. Sharp teeth says they are young and should have been healthy. Take some ' time and closely examine the next deer you find, you can learn a lot and appreciate much more. I am sure you will conclude that sportsmen have little lit-tle effect on what happens to deer from hunting, but you may realize how much effect sportsmen can have in honoring their duty to wildlife. A major ma-jor duty is to become more informed and not give knee-jerk criticisms to why fish and game harvests may or may not be down. Disregard the stories and rumors of the uninformed. With the license fee increase and the minor considerations the recent legislature has rendered, I am expecting expec-ting to see better fishing, better hunting hun-ting in the future, but most of all I hope that the improvements in understanding understan-ding between the Division of Wildlife Resources personnel and the sportsmen sport-smen will continue. The sportsmen have become fed up with the slobs who are dirtying up our waters with trash fish and poaching, etc. The information informa-tion received from vigilant sportsmen sport-smen is allowing the DWR to provide ' a greater service than ever before and some good arrests have taken place. I hope the courts will set an equitable example. I was reading just recently that a surcharge (or what have you) was assessed on top of the fines imposed impos-ed by an eastern court and given to informants in-formants as a reward. Seems like a good practice to make the violator pay. - I know and appreciate that emotions ran hot over the license fee increase, but let's do our part as sportsmen and then we can complain if things are not up to snuff. It is pretty hard to criticize legitimately when we are unable to of-i of-i fer an informed solution. May the best of everything be to you and yours. New Information: Research on dating a trophy head is being con-ducted. con-ducted. Tests will be able to tell if the' head was collected during the season or later in the year when game is most vulnerable to poaching. Congratulations in order for those sporting goods dealers who give prizes and require the whole carcass and not just the game head before-awarding the prize. This is reducing the chance of abusing our vested trust by poachers. IfftAOHOINAMV Moviir JHE KILLING o Fis m Starti t 7.30 Or Show Nightly Starts Friday Till CLVEMAS THEATRE I Start at 7:15 One Show Nightly The Aviator Rated PG Sun tt 00 Or Sho Nightly t. Start! 9i 7.30 & 9 20 TfMOtHY HUtlON Start at 7;40 4 9 2S THE t) It V A K r AST CLUB 2 4 3 Start Frtday Ticket Trkfi 411 1150 12 ft over 13 50 Mo'? Li"? lnfotmal'01 7896139 8g i i . r i i PS nxuJl it -1- J Ik H-H- New & Used Furniture Complete Liquidation of Present Stock Bring your checkbook. Let's make a deal. Sofa's Love Seats Hide-a-beds 6 pc. Ranch Sets Book Cases Dressers Appliances Bunkbeds Box Springs Mattresses Dinettes Lamps Mirrors Microwaves Everything Goes! Make us an offer! SAVE SAVE SAVE We will close at G p.m. March 1G and reopen April 1 with nil NEW INVENTORY No tayaways No ramchccl'S No special orders Vernal 182 E. 100 S. 789-7286 Roosevelt 106 E. Ugoon 7224870 Open 10 6 Mondays thru Saturdays. : :i: : :i:U - |