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Show 4B Emery County Progress, Castle Dale, Utah - Tuesday, October 20, 1998 Wilderness designation locks up land: Illegal elk poaching investigated ( Continued from page 8A) status, ...hordes of OHV riders, bicyclists, and Jeep drivers will rip up every square inch of land JEREMIAH STETTLER Staff reporter By with their knobbies and turn the land into ajunk The illegal harvest of approximately 20 elk along the Manti La Sal mountain range has resulted in the investigation of several incidences along Tough Springs Ridge. Head law enforcement officer Mike Milburn indicates that no dramatic influx has in been seen statistics-wis- e comparison to the violations of heap. Simply put, once land is designated wilderness, it means that there are only two acceptable forms of travel: on foot or on horseback. No Jeeps, OHVs, mountain bikes, skateboards, wheelchairs cars - in short, nothing mechanical whatsoever. You cant land a plane or helicopter, even if there is a medical situation. Lost andor injured hikers can only be rescued on foot, horseback, or by magic fairy dust. Violation of wilderness designation for any previous years, but states DWR personel concerned are reason is subject to fines or criminal action. considered with the nature of Toward the end of July 1998, the Utah the incidences reported. Wilderness Coalition proposed that 8.5 million Milburn explains that much of acres be set aside in Utah as wilderness. This it was due to illegal party equals 13,600 square miles. hunting and careless flock Thats more than 1 12 times the size of New shooing. Jersey. Emery County alone would lose 48.3 We see problems whenpercent of all its land to wilderness if this goes e ever hunters are in through. the field. There will always be First of all, why should we care about what unethical hunters who will goes on in Utah? The same reason I care if the kill animals illegally. Yet the The Division of Wildlife Resources is offer a significant reward Statue of Liberty gets knocked down out in New majority of our calls this sea- for information leading to the arrest of poachers. York, or that someones trails get closed in New son appear to be a direct reJersey: because were fellow riders. sult of party hunting. HuntBecause when you or your kids or your friends ers enter the field with a mix- antlerless tags and believe its it be a vehicle, from some other state come here, unless you have ture of spike bull tags and their responsibility to kill or firearm. lots of time and some good horses, or unless you whatever they can. The direct Although deliberate de- can hike a bazillion miles, you will be locked out result is that people have struction of wildlife is a real- of some of the most beautiful scenery in the killed animals in excess of ity for law enforcement offination what permits they had. cials, a majority of the inciThink about it: How far do you think your An example emerged on dences covered by the DWR can hike? And how far will your Trough Springs Ridge during involve accidental killings as go without his CD player? And you: Are you the opening week of the elk illustrated on Trough Springs ready to hike 50 miles carrying your tent, food, hunt when hunters Ridge. bug repellent and TP? The Division is concerned opened fire on a herd of elk. We need the help of every rational human A group of kangaroos is called to investigator that further carelessness and being out there, According whetheryoure east, west, north, a mob. Roger Kerstetter, hunters a lack of public understanding south or living in Kansas. were allegedly aiming for a regarding the capability of Rational would be those of you that believe cluster of approximately seven firearms will man and nature can coexist and that spike bulls near the center result in additional damage have not destroyed the ozone when poor shot placement re- during the buck deer hunt. layer. Hunters need to be certain sulted in the inadvertent Your voice to your elected official is as powerof of elk. their target is and what ful as mine, because final decisions on wilderseveral what cow wounding Three of those elk were later is beyond it. points out ness areas are made by Congress, not by the found abandoned in that same Milburn. Proper shot placecitizens of the state in which the wilderness area. Although no arrests have ment is important, but people exists. been made at this point, should also consider that a Our nations freedoms are being decided by a One metric ton equals the Milburn emphasizes the serifle is perfectly cahandful of politicians (i.e., lawyers andor people weight of a small automobile. verity of such incidences. pable of going through one aniwho have a higher credit line on their Visa than Current regulation re- mal and killing another. the average persons mortgage). Thats who makes The DWR is currently in- up Congress. quires that you harvest your own animal. Any other volved in several investigations That should scare you worse than seeing a method of harvest without a throughout both Carbon and dead, fermenting cow lying in the middle of your valid permit is considered Emery Counties. trail. wanton destruction of wildAccording to Milburn, a 6x5 These politicians decide if you can own guns, life. Under that statute, viola-- ; hull elk has been located on priif you can ride your motorcycles on trails they tors can receive a substantial vate property near Cleveland never see and dont care about, if you have to fine of up to $5000 or serve Reservoir. Studies indicate that wear helmets and seatbelts, how much tax you jail time. A lengthly revoca- it was likely harvested on the pay, and whether or not you have the right to Spectacled bears are the only tion of hunting privilages typiopening day. burn a flag, discipline your children, or send hate bears that live in South America. cally follows, as does restituAs is the case with this incimail to the IRS. tion for the crime committed. dent and all other major hunting-These elected officials have a fairly simple wildlife violations, agenda when it comes to passing legislation: Will That restitution has been es- related Charm is a way of getting the tablished by the Utah Legis- substancial rewards are are beit get them more money? Will it get them reanswer yes without asking a lature as $750 for one elk. In' allotted to anyone releasing elected so they can get more money? ing clear question. violators could also information leading to the Thats fact. If you, I, and a few million other Albert Camus addition, face the loss of any equipment identification and arrest of voting citizens out there dont make our voices relating to the event whether those involved. heard, then gobs of beautiful land are going to come under lock down. So Im adding to your list of things to do. Write Ci: editorials; send letters to your representatives. Inform your friends and neighbors; watch out for own state. What happens in Utah sets a your The Little League Football can once again be seen tomorfor other states and their wilderness precedent League action continued Oct. row night at 5:30 and 7 p.m. decisions. 13 after having a one week The Superbowl for the But dont go yelling from your pulpit - you Youth Football League will be break for UEA recess. need to sound informed. Heres some very basic Castle Dale took Orangeville Oct. 27. Games will be at 5:30 history. Back in the early 1960s, public lands and Cleveland walked and 7 p.m. were afforded little, if any, protection. Most Come out and see some of away from Ferron with a environmentalists were in diapers. win. Emery Highs future football In 1964, the Federal Wilderness Act was No games were played last stars in action. These teams passed, and since 1976, all lands remaining to Saturday but football action have great players. the government are to be owned by the federal government in perpetuity. All these lands are now subject to all federal environmental laws, the majority of which have been passed since the 1964 Wilderness Act. For example, since 1964, it is impossible to even Why not let your kx.tl Farm build a road on federal land without federal Bureau Insurance are representative help you fit together the permission; mining operations must now prove that they are economically viable; and there are pieces of your retirement plan? Farm Bureau can help manage stringent requirements for mine reclamation. all the retirement income plans The Endangered Species Act of 1973 has in your household many have provided additional federal protection for threatadv antages. ened birds, mammals, insects, and yes, even & So, let a Faint Bureau repreplants. how sentative show big-gam- four-wheel- er 12-1- 5 high-powere- d two-strok- single-handedl- y high-power- ! .,;l Youth football action 7-- 0, 20-1- 2 Now Accepting New Patients Price Medical Clinic Pamily you you can defer taxes. Farm Bureau Insurance can help you put your retirement pieces together. Broker Dealer: FBI. Marketing Services, Inc. 5400 I diversity Avenue West Des Moines, Iowa 50266 Occupational Medicine Women s Clinic William II. Brady, MD, MPII Medical Director, Board Certified Uu-4- Raymond A. Doris Christensen, RN, MS, i lamilv Nurse Practitioner Cerlil ietl Richens - Agent Castle Dale 410 E. Main Li ring beside you. Working for you: Mon.-Ir- Located in i. Appointments Available 68 North Carbon One Aw., Price For complete information about Farm Bureau's vanable products and mutual funds, including charges and expenses, get a prospectus from your registered representative with FBL Marketing Services, Inc. Read the prospectus carefully before you invest or send money A7 lot of land to ride on, the BLM land in Utah currently open to trail riding looks pretty much like it did 30 years ago. There are some Jeep trails, motorcycle trails, old mining trails, abandoned railroads from the late 1800s, but, in short there is a wonderful history and legacy out here that is available to every person in this nation who can hop in a Jeep or truck, ride a mountain bike, OHV, hike, horseback ride, ride a motorcycle, roller-bladskateboard, ride a camel, whatever. This means that everyone has the opportunity to view much of Utahs spectacular country, including those disabled by physical andor medical problems. We currently have wilderness-studareas, and most of us would agree with designating between 1 and 2 million acres of wilderness here in Utah. Despite what you may have heard or read, no one is carving swathes of mines, trails or building McDonalds to destroy the view. Many trails in Utah are often decades old. They are the very same trails that our ancestors used. Fifty years from now, we can continue to walk down these trails and somehow connect ourselves to the past. The radical environmentalist groups would have us believe that preserving the past is more important than living in the present. Arent we - as a culture, as a people - every bit as important as any culture or civilization that walked before us? When did someone decide that all that has been created - the roadways, the trailways, the paths walked for years - were things that were of no value? Have you ever carved your name on a tree? How about on a school desk? (Cmon, fess up.) Have you put your handprint in the cement and left your name and date? Isnt there something innately human in leaving behind the proof that we have been here? Is this desire any less wrong because we live in the 20th century? Whether covered wagon or motorized vehicle made the roads, they are still trails that carry a history. To protect our land and resources is necessary - and is currently being done even now, without wilderness designation. Wilderness areas are essential for areas whose contact with man has indeed been so infrequent or rare as to leave a scant trace of ever having been there, or for areas whose rare ecosystems are truly endangered. But to wipe out established trails, to insist that because a road or trail exists we have somehow damaged the land and we must allow it to return to the wild, is to make us burn the tree that bears our name. It is saying that we are. not entitled to our connections to the past, and we are not entitled to share these connections with our future. It is taking away the freedom of many because ofthe wishes of a powerful, elite group who think granola bars are a delicacy and know bottled water by its bouquet. I think that as users of trails we can all agree that we are not asking to open new lands, but we are asking to leave the trails we have now. We need to demand that all people be allowed continued access to currently open federal lands and fight the pressure being applied by those who think that only they can make the best decisions for the rest of the world. A And if that doesnt work, ...Ill start blockading granola bars and bottled water. So, what do you do while Im blockading? You become educated on land issues and the trails you ride.. First and foremost, everyone must be actively concerned with his or her own little comer As time passes, you will find that OHV use will become threatened nationwide I will stake my brand-nemotorcycle on that. Use your local clubs, your AMA districts - even your mean Uncle Fester - as collective means to fight trail closures where you live. Dont just allow it to happen by your own passivity. There are organizations now whose purpose it is to fight to keep trails open And pick up that pen or computer mouse and send a letter to your political representatives. Tell them that you oppose increasing federal control in e issues. If you want to help us in Utah now, then specifically mention the 8.5 million-acr- e proposal and plagiarize this article as much as you want. We are a minority - we have to band together for the future of motorized use. But come ride the trails in Utah, and I promise you will have the ride ofa lifetime - and you will see why these trails are worth every battle we are going to fight. e, y t t ' (A, ht I I w i i 1 land-usag- off-roa- d i , 6375517 Abbey Carpet Stores Nationwide -- Obviously the biggest and best Building buying power in Motors the area -- Hansen Plaza 1375 S. 100 IL Come Price out our prices!! -- nt of over 800 Farm Bureau insurance farm Buraau Ut Insurant Company Watt Oas Monas Iowa WaatamfaimBuraauUtainsuianc Company Oanvat CokxMo fart ot farm Buraau financial Sarvtcas here is this: Because of current techniques, and because there is a KEVIN'S ABBEV CARPET lieliiml M In. 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