OCR Text |
Show rwr FOCUS 4D May 21-M- YtM-r- t ay v&m 27, 1981 Gontmue Lambs Spring By Nan Chalat I'd guess our family has highly controversial, exbeen here as long as any," tremely potent monofluoro-acetat- e says Jeff Bitner of his local poison banned in 1972) is safe and effective heritage. Jeffs grandfather, s Milton 0. Bitner and when used wisely. He is brother, Hoffman, arrisupported on this point by ved in Summit County in almost every sheep rancher 1908. They were among the in Utah. first ranchers to bring sheep By far though the greatest into this country, explains concern on the Bitners' Milton's son. Willis, who horizon is the MX. Willis is runs 2,200 sheep across the not certain whether the race same land his father did. track system will directly Willis Bitner and his son threaten his grazing permits, Jeff admit that ranching has but indirectly it is bound to. Recent MX policy statements changed since Milton's day but they are hard put to say assure ranchers that grazing whether it's easier or harder. will be permitted on most It is a fact that it took Milton MX property after initial and Hoffman three weeks to construction is completed. trail the herd through Salt Considering the MX consLake to their winter grazing truction phase is scheduled on an eight year plan, grounds in the West Desert. The Bitners' sheep still ranchers from all over the winter on the BLM adminisstate, who winter their stock tered West Desert but come on the West Desert, are Thanksgiving, it takes the justifiably concerned. Still Willis explains, a man family only one day to truck can earn a good living raising them out. It's easier on the stock and the hands. sheep, and lie enjoys it. For 72 years, sheep have done On the other side of the well by the Bitner family and coin, ranchers now have to deal with development, with though Jeff works construcmore people, with stiff tion in Salt Lake, he is grazing and predator control, unwilling to relinquish the family's sheep ranching traregulations. Even on the dition. Among Willis's seven opposite side of Interstate children and his brother's 80, the Bitners feel the pressure of Park City's family, there is sure to be a growth. Neighbor's dogs strong flow of ranching now cause as much trouble blood. as coyotes used to, and The ranch's headquarters is located in and around the summer the dirt during bikers in their quest for old stage station. The stone terrain scatter the building was built in 1892 herd. Coyotes are still a and is listed on the National Register of historic places. It problem partly because the served as a rest stophotel Federal government has for the main stage coach outlawed the use of poison. 0 route from back East and it According to Bitner, (a Mil-ion- . off-roa- d 10-8- Whitman rested there before heading East. The original Winnebago: sheep camps are a familiar aachanging sight hi the Summit Coanty Jeff Bitner |