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Show Page 10 The Ogden Valley News Volume XXIX Issue XII May 1, 2022 Yurts Open in North Fork Park for How to Stay Safe If You Encounter a Summer Camping Season Rattlesnake This Spring or Summer Weber County Parks is happy to announce the three yurts constructed in North Fork Park in 2021 are ready for the upcoming camping season. The yurts are located in a secluded area of the park but are accessible by car. The chosen location is near trailheads for easy connection to hiking, biking, and fishing. The structures’ names are a shout-out to three common tree species found in North Fork Park: Aspen, White Fir, and Elderberry. The yurts are adjacent to restrooms and a covered bowery with picnic tables and a nearby fire ring. They are equipped with a dining table with bench seating, a Camp Chef wood burning heater, one double bed, and one set of bunks, so they comfortably accommodate four people. Campers need to supply firewood and their own sleeping bags. They can be reserved individually or as a group. Reservations can be made by calling the Parks Office at 801-3998230, Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. “With the park’s location in Upper Ogden Valley in such close proximity for the majority of county residents, this addition will allow visitors to experience the park for a unique camping experience with very little investment in gear,” said Todd Ferrario, Parks Director. Funding for the yurts was made possible with a generous Outdoor Recreation Grant from the State of Utah’s Outdoor Recreation Office, as well as from Weber County’s Municipality RAMP grant. Weber County Parks also contributed to the yurt construction by supplying labor and equipment. For more information visit www.webercountyutah.gov/Parks/North_Fork_Park/amenities.php Three Bills Passed During The 2022 Legislative Session That Hunters Should Know A lot of bills were passed during the 2022 legislative session, and April 1 was the deadline for Gov. Spencer Cox to sign or veto them. Here are three bills that were signed into law this legislative session that impact wildlife and outdoor recreation in Utah that you should know about. HB142 Donation of Wild Game Meat While hunters could previously donate wild game meat from animals they harvested to individuals in need, this law now allows them to donate the meat to local food banks or other non-profit charitable organizations. The meat must be harvested legally by a licensed hunter and can only be donated, not sold. The meat must come from animals that are in good health before they are harvested, and the animal must be field-dressed immediately after harvest and processed by a custom meat processor as soon as possible after harvest. Road-kill animals cannot be donated to local organizations. The new law also sets up an account managed by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources where people can donate money to those who are processing the meat, in an effort to help compensate them for their time and service. Interested donors can contact the DWR and specify that the donation should go toward covering the costs of processing donated game meat. SB205 Air Rifle Hunting Amendments - This law directs the Utah Wildlife Board to determine which wildlife species can be hunted With the warmer weather, rattlesnakes will begin emerging from their winter dens, and you may encounter one while hiking or spending time outdoors. Rattlesnakes often strike fear in people, but they shouldn’t. Knowing a little about how these reptiles behave and doing a few simple things can go a long way in keeping you and the snakes safe. There are five rattlesnake species in Utah, the most common of which is the Great Basin rattlesnake subspecies. This is the time of year when Utah rattlesnakes are on the move, looking for water, warmth, and rodents. Due to ongoing drought conditions, Utahns may see more snakes in their yards or irrigated fields, as the snakes search for water and prey. Snakes need water, but don’t need as much water as most mammals and birds. Rattlesnakes are most active during the hot summer months at dawn and at dusk, though they can be encountered at all hours. Snakes mainly eat rodents, birds, and other reptiles. Rocky, high-elevation slopes are the most common place in Utah to encounter rattlesnakes— typically while someone is out hiking. However, you can encounter rattlesnakes in lower-elevation areas, as well. A rattlesnake’s camouflage helps it to blend into its surroundings, so you may pass by a rattlesnake and never know it. Rattlesnakes are protected under Utah law, making it illegal to harass or kill one. The only exception to this is if you are threatened and defending yourself; otherwise, it is a class B misdemeanor to kill a rattlesnake. They are an important part of Utah’s ecosystem and help keep the rodent population in check. Snake bites are quite rare and harassing or trying to illegally kill the snake greatly increases the risk of being bitten. “Like most animals, rattlesnakes fear humans and will do anything they can to avoid us,” DWR Native Species Coordinator Drew Dittmer said. “However, that changes if a snake thinks it’s threatened and there’s no way to escape. In that situation, the snake will often strike to protect itself. Just don’t approach it — give it plenty of space and leave it alone. Respect the snake and its space, and you will be safe.” In the rare event that you are bitten by a rattlesnake, remain calm and seek immediate medical attention. When you are out hiking, make sure to always watch the trail ahead of you, and to check carefully before stepping over rocks, reaching onto ledges or sitting down on a rock or log. What to Do If You Encounter a Rattlesnake • Remain calm and do not panic. Stay at least 5 feet from the snake. Make sure to give it plenty of space. • Do not try to kill the snake. Doing so is illegal and greatly increases the chance the snake with an air rifle in Utah and also clarifies what type of air rifle can be used. The rifle must be a pre-charged pneumatic air rifle that uses compressed air released from a chamber built into the rifle. It should be pressurized at a minimum of 2,000 pounds per square inch from an external high-compression source, such as a hand pump, compressor or scuba tank. Under this new law, the DWR was directed to review the funding available for the regulation of hunting with air rifles and to report that information to lawmakers by November 2024. HB62 Big Game Amendments - This law amends and clarifies the actions that a landowner and the DWR can take when wildlife cause damage to cultivated crops, livestock forage, fences, or irrigation equipment. It clarifies under what circumstances a landowner may kill big game animals that are causing the damage and also amends and specifies the compensation available for that damage. The new law also sets limitations on compensating people, including hunting guides and outfitters, to locate big game animals during hunts in Utah. The law specifies that the licensed hunter cannot use more than one outfitter or hunting guide in connection with harvesting a big game animal and that the outfitter or hunting guide cannot use more than one compensated individual to locate or monitor the location of a big game animal on public land. “We are confident that these bills, among others, will help us in our mission to effectively MARATHON cont. from page 1 manage Utah’s wildlife and will provide Utah hunters with some additional opportunities,” Huntsville, and Liberty residents are asked to DWR Director J Shirley said. use Trappers Loop or the North Ogden Divide due to the Ogden Canyon closure. All Valley traffic is expected to return to normal by 1:30 p.m. on May 21. Those interested in participating can learn more at ogdenmarathon.com. Note: The GOAL Foundation, producer of the Ogden Marathon, was established after the 2002 Olympics with a mission to inspire the Greater Ogden Community and its visitors to “Get Out And Live!”™ by participating, volunteering, and spectating at recreational events, programs, and activities. GOAL is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation. --- SCHEDULE OF EVENTS --Friday—May 20, 2022 9:00 a.m. – Ogden Marathon Ambassador PRESERVATION. PROTECTION. STEWARDSHIP. Join today to preserve Ogden Valley’s grace. www.OgdenValleyLandTrust.org will bite you. • Do not throw anything at the snake, like rocks or sticks. Rattlesnakes may respond to this by moving toward the person doing the throwing, rather than away from them. • Alert other people to the snake’s location. Advise them to use caution and to respect the snake. Keep children and pets away from the area. • Keep your dog on a leash when hiking or camping. Allowing your dog to roam around increases the chance the dog will find a snake and get bitten. Please note that precautionary rattlesnake vaccines are available to dogs. Contact your veterinarian for more information. If you live in or hike around places with your pet where rattlesnakes are common, it may be worth having your dog vaccinated, which will mitigate the seriousness of a rattlesnake bite if this should occur. • If you hear a rattle, don’t jump or panic. Try to locate where the sound is coming from before you react, so you don’t step closer to the snake or on top of it. Keeping Rattlesnakes out of Your Yard - Depending on where you live, you may occasionally find a snake in your yard. Here are some useful tips to help keep rattlesnakes out of your yard: • Reduce the number of places that provide snakes with shelter. Brush, wood, rock and junk piles are all things you should eliminate from your yard. • Control rodent populations. Bird feeders and water are two of the main items that draw rodents to yards, which in turn can attract snakes. • Avoid scaring away harmless snake species, such as gophersnakes. Having other snake species on or near your yard may deter rattlesnakes. Identifying a Rattlesnake - Gophersnakes (the most widespread and abundant snake species in Utah) are often mistaken for rattlesnakes because when alarmed, gophersnakes hiss and vibrate their tails and are similarly patterned. A rattlesnake’s tail is wide and blunt—and tipped with a rattle, of course—while a gophersnake’s tail is slender, pointed and lacks a rattle. Rattlesnakes also have broad, triangular-shaped heads and vertical eye pupils, while non-venomous snakes in Utah have longer snouts and round pupils. However, you shouldn’t attempt to get close enough to identify what kind of snake it is. If you can’t identify the snake from a distance, leave it alone and treat it as if it were venomous. You can get additional rattlesnake safety tips on the Wild Aware Utah website. You can also listen to the DWR Wild podcast to learn more information about the rattlesnakes in Utah. Shake Out Run (Free) 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. – Fleet Feet Fun & Fitness Expo, 4400 Harrison Blvd., Ogden (Free Entry) Saturday—May 21, 2022 5:00 a.m. – Grant Ave. (16th St. – 26th St.) Closes 5:30 a.m. – Ogden Canyon Closes 7:00 a.m. – Full, Relay, Half Marathon & 12K Starts 7:30 a.m. – Bechtel 5K Starts 7:00 a.m. – Autoliv Finish Line Festival opens to the public with food, music, and fun! (Free Entry) 11:00 a.m. – KidsK Registration Opens at the GOAL Booth 12:30 p.m. – Granite KidsK Race Begins at 25th St. & Kiesel Ave. 1:30 p.m. – Ogden Canyon Reopens 2:00 p.m. – End of Race |