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Show 9 The SunNews. Wednesday. April 1. 1992 The Natural Side Terry Messmer Utah State University Where have all the pheasants gone? Pheasants in Utah once were so numerous they were considered staples for many families during the ants are established, changing land use patterns can wreak havoc on local populations. Although the is pheasant highly adaptable, it, like any other organism (humans included), has requisites of food, water and cover. Utahs highest pheasant populations occur in areas devoted to diversified agriculture principally irrigated croplands. Areas with 20 to 45 of the land in small grains and wild hay, and less than 40 in com and alfalfa, typify the best pheasant habitat here in Utah and throughout the country. Where cultivated lands and permanent vegetation are interspersed, pheasants thrive. Pheasant populations in areas without much croplands are not stable. In Utah, most of not all of the states cropland is the hands of farmers and ranchers. Thus, the same hands that produce the foods to feed the remaining 98 percent of Utahs population also hold within them the fate of the states pheasant population. The secret to the survival of the pheasant in Utah is not to put more private lands into public ownership. It will be found in working more closely with private landowners to develop long term management partnerships that are equally as dedicated to maintaining profitable agriculture and abundant wildlife. To do anything less will shortchange both the people of Utah and our wildlife resources. For information and assistance on managing for pheasant, write me at USU Cooperative Extension, Logan, UT 84322-521- Depression. Some Utahns who lived through that time say they ate so many pheasants then that just the thought of eating another one now makes them ill. In fact, in the late 1930s all of the suitable pheasant habitat in Utah was occupied by pheasants. In 1958, more than 300,000 birds were harvested by more than 88,000 hunters. By 1989 the harvest dropped to below 90,000 birds. That year 50,000 hunters took part in the harvest. Utah currently has the lowest population ever of pheasants. Despite this, the bird remains the stats most popular game bird. Where did the Utah pheasants go? Why are other states around us, particularly the midwestem states seeing a pheasant boom while all were getting is feather? Utahns cite a number of factors as reason for the decline. These include: ring-neck- over-huntin- - ed g changing land use changing agricultural practices pesticides predators Of these factors mentioned, there is no scientific research available on the specific effects that predation and pesticides have on Utahs pheasant population. Based on research throughout this countrys pheasant range, one factor surfaces above all others as being critical to pheasant survival. Simply put it is called habitat. Once viable populations of pheas- - - 0. A hundred state and federal wildlife law enforcement officers found several poison-lace- d baits when the areas remote of Utah and probed Colorado this week in a massive air and land operation to halt illegal use of pesticides to kill coyotes, eagles and other predators. The cooperative effort involved the Utah DWR, the Colorado DWR, one of Utah's biggest businesses years of age and older engaged in fishing, hunting or activities - such as wildlife viewing, photography, bird feeding, etc, during 1985. Total expenditures in 1990 by Utah residents for wildlife associated recreation amounted to $533 million dollars, said Brad Barber with the Governors Office of Planning and Budget. These figures include expenditures for food, lodging, transportation, equipment licenses, stamps, and tag purchases. Fishing and hunting expenditures accounted for 73 of the total; fishing was highest, foluses and lowed by then hunting. Barber explains that nearly 433,200 people 16 years of age or older went fishing in 1985. Of these, were Utah residents and 37 63 percent nonresidents. Each person fished an average of 1 2. 1 days - total days fished equaled 5,262,800. The 251,800 hunters spent 3,193,900 days stores selling hunting and fishing gear, as well as other specialized sports equipment and books and optics stores selling hiking, backpacking, boating and canoeing equipment, binoculars, cameras, wildlife magazines, books, videos and field guides. Utah is unique because most of the states schools and businesses have a special holiday during the opening weekend of the deer hunt. In some districts, the school board has tried to cancel this holiday only to have angered parents pounding on their doors demanding it be rein- stated. Recent surveys reveal employers and employees believe Utahs wildlife is a major selling point for employment Employees have taken cuts in salary, passed up promotions or decided to take a job offer because they can live close to wildlife and the mountains of Utah. Nine of every 10 residents 16 in the field. And 268,400 Utah residents took trips for the, primary purpose of observing, photographing or feeding wildlife for a total of 2,662,100 days of participating in these activities. When looked at in terms of tax dollars. Barber says ...total direct state taxes from wildlife equaled This includes tax $41.1 million. revenues from wildlife associated purchases for food, lodging and equipment, as well as revenues from purchase of gasoline while on these activities. Barber says the tourism industry generates the most income for the state, accounting for $2.2 billion; however, fish and wildlife is second at $533 million; followed by skiing, $425, million; Banking, $400 million; Railroads, $330 million; oil and gas, $260 million; and cattle and sheep, $260 million. These figures are only a guide and should not be used conclusively to determine the importance of any of these industries. What makes young people want to belong to a gang? You dont have to look far to find areas in Utah that are being bothered more and more by gangs. Planting, harvesting, chopping wood, milking cows, etc., were all important life sustaining tasks that had to be done in order to the family to survive. and responsibility went hand and hand with survival. Sometimes those in rural Utah feel that gangs are a big city problem -but statistics are proving that gangs are on the increase - everywhere. What makes our young people want to belong to a gang and to embrace their lifestyle? Studies conducted on cults note the following: At about the age of 13, we are programmed to break away. This is a very natural process and everyone must go through it to become inde- Self-discipli- As life got easier with modem technology, some of the support systems that have been there for thousands of years were taken away. Many children today do not even know what their parents do for a living, let alone work beside them. Developing Capable Young People lists some of the changes that have taken place through the pendent. Dr. Stephen Glen states. Teens need to feel that they are listened to, taken seriously and genuinely needed as an increasingly mature individual. The bottom line is that youth need to be needed. They need to feel that they are important, and that contrithey are making a significant bution to those around them. Dr. Glen notes that one of the greatest tragedies is that right at the age where the average child develop-mentall- y would like most to find acceptance among mature adults, weve made the peer group the most important element of our culture. In the good old days, most children worked beside their parents and came to realize at a very young needed age that everyones help was survive. to in order for the family . . years: Before World War II: Much family sharing; Consistent role models to observe; No real peer group; Few hours of education; Low technology; Many tasks required for survival; Larger families; Extended families - grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins - close by; Fewer broken homes; Work centered homes. Present Norm:. , Little family sharing or time spent together, . Conflicting role models to the ones replaced by many, many years. baits are killing other wildlife, too Poison-lace- d Wildlife is Wildlife is a big business in Utah. This is represented by the numbers of art, and should outlast Redmond City had their final inspection on the two sewer lift stations recently installed. The systems are state of the Heavy emphasis on peer group; Many hours of education; High technology; Few required tasks; Little family work; Smaller families; Extended families live far away; Many broken homes; Work separate from home. Dr. Glen adds Our missions is not to go back to the good old days - they werent that good, they were just old, thats all they offered us. Our goal now is to have the courage to learn to do the things necessary in our new environment to take advantage of that potential so that it no longer slips away from our children and families just because we did not learn how to do things differently. and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. Not only is the use of pesticides against predators illegal, but the practice is killing hundreds of other birds and animals, said Galen Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Mountain-Prairi- e Region. Officers flew many low level searches looking for poisoned bait stations and dead animal which fed on the bait. They called in response teams on the ground to investigate suspect areas. Until now, some ranchers have felt safe putting out poison because of the remoteness of their lands, said Tim Provan, Utahs DWR Di h. rector. But if these aerial surveys, combined with undercover operations, monetary awards for information leading to arrests, and active involvement by concerned citizens of the fanning and ranching communities are effective, anyone considering using illegal poisons to control predators should think twice. Documented deaths by poisons of hundreds of bald and golden eagles, coyotes, foxes, badgers and domestic dogs and cats have occurred in numerous states, according to Terry Grosz, chief of law enforcement in eight western states. Planes have been used to detect illegal drug operations, such as marijuana crops on public lands. Were experimenting to see if the same methods will expose those illegally killing predators with pesticides, said Director Buterbaugh. March is traditionally a month of heavy poisoning losses among eagles, haws, song birds and other wildlife apparently due to the approaching lambing season. Lacing meat with agricultural pesticides like Furidan, 1080, thallium, cyanide, and strychnine may be more common now than it was ten years ago due to the availability of modem, often more toxic pesticides. After 1080 was banned in 1972, single 8 oz. cans have sold illegally for up to $800. We've got a checking account for your every need. 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