Show Gopher Control By Gar W Workman Extension Fish and Wildlife Specialist Pocket gophers are very common in most areas of Utah from the low desert areas to the top of the mountains The adults arc about six inches long and brown in color though this varies They are characterized by strong front shoulders and forelegs with well developed claws for digging They have large prominent incisor teeth and on each side of the face is a pouch that opens to the outside Gopher problems eliminated by flood irrigation have become extensive on dry land and Helds a year of about four young bom in the spiring The litter have one Gophers usually young stay with the mother until late in the summer Then each seeks its own new territory The gopher lives a solitary life These animals come together only during the time of mating Pocket gophers build an extensive network of tunnels or burrows about inches below the ground surface One gopher may two inches in diameter and have as much as 800 feet or tunnel area It eats roots from underneath but may pull the whole plant down from the bottom to eat it Also it forages out from the mound at night Because of its solitary life spent almost entirely underground in the network of tunnels the gopher suffers very little predation Gophers are active during the winter months They continue to dig and make tunnels under the snow These tunnels are then filled with dirt brought up from underground digging After snow melt the castings of soil from the snow tunnels marks the gophers’ winter activity The presence of the pocket gopher is noted by mounds of dirt that it brings up from its tunnels and pushes out in a fan shape on the surface of the ground This mound covers the tunnel opening that is located where you see a cleavage on one side of the mound Active gopher use can be found by locating fresh mounds Gopher problems in small areas can usually be eliminated with gopher traps designed specifically to be placed in the burrow Probe or dig about 8 inches out from the mound cleavage to find the burrow Clean the burrow out in each direction and put in two gopher traps with the jaws facing opposite ways down the burrows Run a wire from each trap back to the surface and anchor it to avoid losing the trap from the gopher dragging it away Some advocate leaving the hole open to attract the gopher to come and seal the hole However the dirt it pushes may cover the trap so covering the hole w ith a rock is generally recommended to prevent ventilation and light getting into the burrow Poison bail can be placed effectively to control pocket gophers on a small scale feet long with steel rod using a probe A sharpened probe made of 12 to a foot press projection up about 18 inches from the bottom works well in locating the burrow Push it into the ground until it breaks through into the burrow then pull it out and pour about teaspoon of poison bail down the hole Plug the hole with a rock so the gopher won't cover the bait as it tries to block the hole Fora longer poisoning operation on a farm orranch a mechanical burrow builder is useful Contact your county agent or agency personnel in your area to help locate a burrow builder Several farmers often purchase one for use in a particular area The depth of the gopher burrows in the field to be treated is first checked Adjust the machine to that depth The machine is pulled by a tractor It will make an artificial burrow and deposit poison bait at regular intervals in it When the artificial burrow intercepts the gopher burrow the gopher will explore the new tunnel and find the baiL For adequate coverage with the burrow builder follow a pattern back and forth on the field making the burrows no further than 20 feet apart Also make a complete baited burrow around the outside of the treated field to control other gophers moving in grain bait is available from commercial distributors of the US Fish and Wildlife Service at Pocatello Idaho Since it is a restricted pesticide a farmer or rancher must be certified to purchase bail in quantity from the US Fish and Wildlife Service Training for certification can be arranged by contacting the Utah Department of Agriculture Baits should be used fresh to obtain best results If a pierson ingests a gopher poison call the Poison Control Center University of 51 Give them the information on the bail product used and they will Utah (80 1)58 advise you on the correct treatment Tax Course Offered Through Ednet course on current income tax laws and preparing individual tax returns will be offered spring quarter by Southern Utah University through the Ednet system Ednet is an interactive microwave system that creates educational opportunities by linking SUU Dixie College Della Technical Center Sevier Valley Applied Technical Center and Snow College Those interested in taking the Ednet course can do so by attending at any of the above Ednet locations Tax Individual (ACCT 320) will be taught on Thursdays from pm March 24 and running beginning through May 26 James Jensen SUU assistant professor of accounting will teach the course He will teach at least once at each Ednet location during the quarter The course will examine current federal income tax laws and the preparation of individual income tax returns with an emphasis tax planning and tax saving "This course will be beneficial for students transferring from degree program to a degree institution students majoring in busiand accounting ness administration business persons and anyone wanting more knowledge about personal tax preparation" Jensen said Prerequisites for the course are ACCT 202 and acceptance to advanced class standing or approval for registration by Paula Lambeth at the SUU busiFor addiness department tional information on the course conor Martha tact Jack Hill Minnick at the Division of Continuing Education or Jensen at A 1994 Humanities Speakers Bureau need a Docs your organization speaker for its next program? The Utah Humanities Council's 1994 Speakers Bureau may be your answer With more than 40 topics to choose from chances are that we have the speaker you need And since its a free service it's the perfect way to make that next event a success The Speakers Bureau is made up of who present interesting and entertaining lectures demonstrations and multi media forums Speakers Bureau presentations are free and open to the public and are sponsored by nonprofit organizations study groups book clubs and community service commit- expers tees The 1994 Speakers Bureau offers a and variety of topics from literature Indipolitics to history and viduals can learn about regional authors such as Willa Cather's Letters: The or Unpublished Text of a Writer's Mind of current events in Fidel Castro and the End of the Cuban Revolution Groups can advertise their interests with such presentations as the American Shakers TradiNavajo Rug Weaving or Dance tions of Deseret All of these topics and more are well researched and thoughtfully presented by experts who know their material and enjoy speaking about it To receive a 1994 Humanities Speakers Bureau Brochure or for more information contact the Utah Humanities Coun0 Salt cil at 350 South 400 East Suite or call Alexandra Page Lake City 84 at Call For Area Artists for Art The Utah Arts Council's Committee is requesting artist proposals be submitted from Qualified Artists from the Inlcrmounlain West for placing artwork in the 1st Judicial Court Building in Brigham City The Committee will be making decisions based on the most appropriate solution to the sites design and on the proposal that has the greatest impact on the facility Four areas have been defined as appropriate opportunities however two have been given preference at this lime by the committee: The 2nd Level Area upper west wall space With a budget of SI 0000 515000 the space is 12' to 15 high and approximately 16' wide This space is murals and paintopen to Millard County Chronicle Access road temporarily closed Rex Rowley Area Manager for the BLM’s House Range Resource Area today announced that the access road to the white sands Campground in the Little Sahara Recreation Area will be temporarily closed in order to upgrade the dirt and gravel road to asphalt The project will close the only access into the popular campground from approximately March 14 to the end of April “Campers that normally stay at White Sands will need to consider alternative sites for the next month or so” said Rowley "Fortunately the Oasis Jericho Picnic Ground Campground Sand Mountain and numerous dispersed undeveloped campsites offer campers lots of options within the 60000 acre Little Sahara Recreation Area" he said According to Rowley the project was scheduled for this time of year to take advantage of moist soil conditions The contract for the road project has been arded to Cox Rix k Products nc For additional information contact the BLM’s Fillmore office at (801) ‘When God maasuras man ha puts tha tapa tround his hasrt - not his hasd" Electronic filing and TclcFile continue to grow in popularity and many taxpayers are taking advantage of Form HMOEZ’s new availability to married couples according to the latest tax season data from the Internal Revenue Service 292 million returns have so far been received by the IRS down slightly from this time last year Electronic returns accounted for nearly 89 million of the total up 72 percent over this time last year At SI 204 the average refund was also up sightly For the first time Utahns w ill be able to file their 1993 slate refund returns electronically Tax preparers will transmit a person’s state return to the IRS computer simultaneously w ith the federal information The state information w ill then be automatically transferred to the Tax Commission’s computers Filing electronically speeds processing lime for refunds with the average refund being received in three weeks or less compared to the six to eight weeks it takes for a refund hen a paper return is filed TclcFile the system is now available in seven slates for single persons with no dependents who throw away someone's chance lor a clearer tomorrow drop boxfs arf located at: sty le The price in the Sahara Motors ad for the 93 in the March 3rd edi- tion of the Chronicle Progress should have The been $12299 Chronicle Progress regrets the error and apologizes for any inconvenience this may have caused Sahara Motors Donate your used — We Serve ings The Building Entrance Proposals should be Design Art oriented and the site has a budget of 51000 - 515000 With a floor opening on the second level the space creates an opportunity for a suspension treatment from the clear story windows collaboration with the architects and 2D3D lexturalcontex-tua- l surface suspension This can be integrated with the mural concept as a joint artist collaboration for Art Committee reserves The the right to select an artist or artists to create a final solution to the space available which also might include redirecting the sites available Artists with the appropriate background arc invited to request guidelines and submit proposals to the Utah Arts for Art Program Courts Council 617 East South Project Building Temple Salt Lake City Utah 84102 The request for guidelines deadline is 4 1994 April Memorial grant The Utah Humanities Council nounces a special grant category made possible by a generous donation from Robert Kent Fielding and Dorothy Stratton Fielding These new grants will support projects dealing specifically with the Gunnison Expedition of 1853 The Gunnison Expedition was commissioned to explore for a central railroad route from the Missouri River to the Pacific coast through Utah Territory The legacy of this expedition is a rich often undervalued part of Utah's historical tapestry To help mote its importance UHC encourages individuals with interest in the Gunnison Expedition to apply for project grants Areas of particular interest are the distribution of historical materials the creation of historical artworks and the presentation of exhibits displays performances or demonstrations dealing w ith the expedition If your work or interests lie in any of these areas and you want to inform people about the Gunnison Expedition w ith your creativity this new grant category is worth exploring L'HC Board member Carol O'Connor Professor of History at Utah State University will oversee the Gunnison Grant projects For more information contact her at 750-- 294 or UHC at Qifts Unlimited 298 9 Odzoij 6 'Delta Utah i 864-372- 7 Working and raising a family isn't easy now adays Take credit where credit is due and you may be able to get up to 52364 from the Internal Revenue Service The Earned Income Credit 1C) is a r lamilies special refundable credit who earned less than S210‘'0 in 1994 and had a child living with them The IRS estimates that over 4 mil Iron families w ill qualify for the LIC on 199 ' tax returns The credit is subtracted hum the lax you owe so you end up pay mg less tax You may get money back even it you don't owe any tax To qualify for the reel you an he married or single However jxople Id ing a ‘‘married filing septr tie'' return cannot claim the creelit You must also have- a eiiM who lived with you for more that half the year (or the whole year d you hail a foster child) In most eases the child who makes you eligible to claim the Earned Income Credit dm mi have lobe your dependent You also must attach a Schedule 1C to your 1040 or 1046 A tax return There are a few more rules to qualify for the EIC For more information order the free Publication 596 "Lamed In come Credit" by calling the IRS at The IRS also lias spe cially trained volunteers who can tell you if you qualify for the credit arid even help you fill out the lorins I he serv ice os free To find out liete volun leers are located call the IKS toll tree at eyeglasses Delta Drug Service Drug Delta IGA Super Center Oualitv Market 1994 Page Families May Qualify For Extra Tax Credit these used eyeglasses will put But for one person living in a developing country the world in focus May be for the very first time IQ e would otherwise file Form 1040EZ Only those who received a special tax package in January can use the system Callers use a touchtone phone's keypad to enter their income and withholding figures a process that takes about five minutes TTie IRS has received 372 000 Telcfile returns two thirds of its projection for the year Home computer users have some new options to make filing their taxes easier than ever Two on line services have IRS CompuServe and Genie forms and some publications available for their subscribers nationw ide CompuServe subscribers in nine states Illinois Iowa Kansas Minnesota Missouri New Mexico Oklahoma Texas and Wisconsin - can participate in an IRS test of using home computers to file The IRS receives the electronically return and sends an acknowledgement The message to the taxpay er via then mails die IRS a signature taxpayer document w ith forms attached While fewer paper forms have come in the simplest lax form the 1040 EX is closest to last year's levels The IRS now allows married couples with no dependents to use this form Or your They no longer fit your prescription Don’t Progress March Faster Shorter Tax Forms More Popular 3 A |