OCR Text |
Show 36 TOP TIMES Friday, January 23, 1987 HILL Wildlife Resources sows seeds for bird Licen ses d va ildb le New 1987 and licenses are now fishing hunting available at all Division of Wildlife Resources offices and through license agents statewide. Most sporting goods stores sell licenses. Resident combination licenses sell for $35; fishing, $18; big game hunting, $15; and small game hunt. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources The Division of Wildlife Resources and some Utah landowners are cashing in on a new federal program that will benefit wildlife. Division upland game biologists have provided about 33 tons of seed to 36 selected landowners to improve wildlife habitat. The seed was planted on 7,128 acres of private land in Box Elder, Cache, Millard, Juab, San Juan and Iron counties. The landowners are among 428 others who have been accepted in the new Conservation Reserve Program, a voluntary land retirement program designed to reduce soil erosion and cut commodity surpluses. "Undisturbed permanent cover provides excellent - - wintering and nesting areas for game birds," said Jay Roberson, DWR upland game coordinator. Mr. Roberson estimates the potential exists for wildlife habitat improvement on 17 percent of Utah's cropland. Under terms of the program, the federal gover-mewill pay qualifying landowners an annual rental payment up to $50,000 per year to take earth-movin- . nt S p I a Ice qualifying fields out of production.. The rate per acre is determined by lowest bid. In Utah, the highest acceptable bid has been $45 per acre per year. That figure is guaranteed for 10 years. Qualifying fields must be eroding at three times the rate at which soil is formed, and they must have been cropped at least two years from 1981 to 1985. Landowners must establish permanent cover on the fields to reduce soil erosion, but the federal government pays half the cost to establish the cover. Farmers cannot graze or harvest the fields for 10 years. On qualifying fields, the Division of Wildlife Resources contributes half the seed and seedlings, new fencing materials required to protect the planting from grazing, and up to half the labor costs for g to create shallow water areas eligible for wildlife. Total value cannot exceed $5,000 per landowner per year. "We encourage landowners to leave these fields in wildlife habitat after the 10 years," said Mr. Roberson, "but we retain no controlling interest on the cover or fencing." He said landowners are permitted to charge a hunting or trespass fee on fields covered under the program. trout are valuable addition By Phil Douglass Splake are particularly attractive to fisheries managers because of their fast growth rate. Mr. Hepworth hopes the splake, known to be effective predators, will grow quickly at Fish Lake after they begin feeding on the abundance of nongame fish Utah Division of Wildlife Resources When a speckled brook trout is mixed with a lake trout, Department of Wildlife Resource officials get a splake. splake Fishery biologists stocked 38,000 five-inc-h in Fish Lake during the summer of 1984. They wanted to develop a fish larger than rainbow trout, but easier to catch than the trophy mackinaws common to the lake. ' Dale Hepworth, southern regional fisheries manager, says neither the lake trout nor rainbow trout fishery will be jeopardized by the splake. . "Like some other hybrids, splake are sterile, so we can control the number of fish in the lake by adjusting our stocking," said Mr. Hepworth. 1 . there.' - baits and ice fishing techniques. Mr. Hepworth suggests ice fishermen at Fish Lake try for both splake and rainbow trout in 0 feet of water. o away the winter and fuel-u- . Hardware Ranch closed A shortfall in funding and a lack of snow have forced the closure of the Visitor Center and cancellation of sleigh rides at Hardware Ranch. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources began the visitor operation at Cache County's Hardware Ranch, which is located in Blacksmith Fork Canyon, as an educational complement to the elk management program. "Because of the funding shortfall, we were going to charge, for. sleigh rides this year," said Catherine Quinn, information and education chief for the division. "However, because there is no snow and no income, we will close the visitor center." .' Visitors to Hardware Ranch will be able to see the elk in the area. To make the trip more enjoyable, visitors should dress warmly and take binoculars for a better view. Instructors sought The Utah Division Wildlife Resources of is hunthis month to train as recruiting volunteers ter education instructors. Instructors must be at least 21 years old, in good health and possess high moral character, aceducation coordinacording to assistant hunter s tor Leonard Rees. They will receive instruction preparing them to teach the hunter education prowhich of all is Utah resident huntrequired gram, ers under the age of 21. For more information contact your local con- servation officer or regional office of the Division of Wildlife Resources. state-approve- d 30-4- Your Chase" ;.: "If we can get some growth, they will be a valuable addition to Fish Lake," said Mr. Hepworth. Splake have also been stocked in Blind Lake on the Boulder Mountains. There they have grown twice as fast as at Fish Lake because of less com' petition from larger trout. Splake trout are easily caught using traditional ing, $12. America First doss it again! We've lowered our credit card interest rate in Utah! chills this on an p energizing Sunday Brunch (specially prepared by our new chef) at O'Brien's at the Hilton. Hearty. Delicious. Sunday Brunch.Buffet 10:30am-2:30p- m $7.95 Adults $4.95 Children under 12 America mm ill rL . Make rt v-- ii Oqden HilronZJl 247 24th Street (801) 627-119- 0 First Credit Union continues to give you low credit card interest rate. a smart move to afcu visa and en(oy these further benefits: Low annual fee: SI 0. $100 000 travel Insurance when tickets are paid with AFCU VISA. No finance charce if paid In full before the 2 5th. Can be used In Access 24 Automated Teller Machines. it Loan Protection Insurance at no extra cost ! Irs A Smart Move! i AP.SuXA POST ; |