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Show PageAlO The Summit County Bee V i e w Bighorn Sheep in Provo on Dec. 17 Provo - A chance to view bighorn •sheep in the foothills east of Provo awaits Dec. 17 at a free bighorn sheep viewing event. The Division of Wildlife Resources will host the free event at Rock Canyon Park in Provo from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. : Rock Canyon Park is at 2620 N. and 1200 E. (Iroquois Dr.) just northeast of the Provo LDS Temple. Biologists will be on hand with spotting scopes and binoculars to help visitors spot bighorn sheep and to answer questions. Before the viewing event begins, a 40-minute presentation aboul these magnificent animals will be given at the Springville DWR off ice at 1115 N. Main St. in Springville. The presentation by BYU student Loren Chase and DWR Conservation Outreach Manager Scon Root .begins at 9 a.m. f~^JTie presentation is limited to 60 ^participants and reservations must rbezmade in advance by calling Root §[£(801)491-5656. EEUhere is no limit to the number of who can view the sheep at Rock Canyon Park, and reservations are not required for the viewing event. Participants are encouraged to bring binoculars or spotting scopes and to dress warmly. Directions to Rock Canyon Park From 1-15 take either the University Parkway or Provo Center Street exits. Drive east to 900 East.: Turn north on 900 E. to Temple View Drive (easl of the Missionary Training Center at approximately 1900 North). On Temple View Drive, proceed east past the LDS Temple (the road will curve to the north). At the stop sign, continue north {the road is now called Iroquois Drive) about 200 yards. Rock Canyon Park is on the cast side of Iroquois Drive at 2620 North. Wild Sheep are Making a Comeback Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep are native to Utah and had climbed the hills of Utah County until about 1930 when sheep in the northern portion of Utah were thought to be extinct in that part of the state. Since January 2000, many bighorn sheep have been reintroduced into the mountains overlooking Utah County's larger cities (from American Fork Canyon to Nebo Mountain) through a joint effort among the Utah Chapter of (he Foundation for North American Wild Sheep, the Division of Wildlife Resources, sportsman and conservation groups, and private citizens. Utah is home to three subspecies of bighorn sheep. Desert bighorns live in several locations in southern Utah. California bighorn sheep have been trans-located to Antelope Island State Park and the Newfoundland Mountain range. Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep are found at several Utah locations, including Utah County, Flaming Gorge Reservoir, the North Slope of the Uinta Mountains, Desolation Canyon and Dinosaur National Monument. The Utah County bighorn sheep population is thriving and now numbers more than 100 animals. Elk Viewing Began Dec. 15 at Hardware Ranch ; Hyrum - Taking a sleigh ride at 10 a.m. through the middle of hundreds of Ride tickets cost $5 for those ages ;wj]d elk are among the activities 9 and above and S3 for children ages people can enjoy at the Hardware 4 in 8. Children under 3 years old can ride for free. Tickets may be ;Ranch Wildlife Management Area this winter. purchased in the visitor center. A new season of viewing elk at the Please purchase your tickets before 4:30 p.m.. which is when the last ranch began Dec. 15. Elk began arriving in the meadow ride of the day leaves. The resLmrant i>* open from 10 at the ranch on Dec. 1. Heavy snow will continue to push elk inio ihe a m lo 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays and meadow through most of the winter. noon tn 4:30 p.m. on Sundays. Hot Sleigh Rides drinks and snacks are also available. Hardware Ranch has been offering A "moonlighi sleigh ride and dinhorse-drawn rides to view the elk for ner" package is also offered every more than 30 years. When there's Saturday night beginning New snow, big draft horses pull 25-pcr- Year's Eve. son sleighs through the herd. When The package includes a wagon there isn't enough snow, the horses ride among the elk and an all-youpull wagons. can-eat Dutch oven and prime rib During the rides. Division of buffet for $25 per person. WHdlifc Resources personnel talk The ranch will also offer moonwith, visitors about the elk and the light rides on Valentine's Day this other animals at the ranch. They also year. Reservations are required for provide a short history about the all of the moonlight packages and ranch and talk about its habitat. may be made by calling (435) 753AVhile the rides are the main 6206. attraction. Hardware Ranch is also Programs for school children well known for its informative visi- begin in January. The programs tor center and the excellent food include two-hours of educational served in the Hardware Cafe. Stock activities that are tied lo the core Crossing Catering is operating the curriculum and are focused on elk. restaurant this year. The restaurant is The program also includes a ride open on Saturdays and Sundays and through the elk herd. offers a full-service menu. To reserve a time for a program, Operating Hours school teachers can call (435) 753The ranch is open for business 6206 or send an email to Thursdays through Mondays, from marnileeC^utah.gov. noon to 5 p.m. The sleigh rides and How To Get There visitor center open at noon. On The Hardware Ranch WMA is Saturdays, the ranch is open from 10 located at Mile Marker 22 on east a.m. to 5 p.m., with rides beginning State Road 101 in Blacksmith Fork Snowmobiles Canyon. The ranch is about 115 miles north (about a 2-hour drive) from Salt Lake City. It's aboul 17 miles east of Hyrum and 22 miles southeast of Logan. Good lodging, food and entertainment are readily available in Cache Valley, within 45 minutes of the ranch. The roads up Blacksmith Fork Canyon are usually plowed and sanded by noon each day. For more information about ihe Hardware Ranch WMA. call (435) 753-6206 or visit www.Hardwareranch.com on the Web. Lots Happening Through the Year Personnel at Hardware raise all of the hay that is fed to the elk through the winter. The ranch also includes facilities and equipment to conduct numerous wildlife and habitat studies, including grazing programs that promote healthy rangelands and reduce fire danger in forests. The ranch is owned and operated by the Division of Wildlife Resources as a resting and feeding area for big game animals, including elk, deer and moose. The ranch's managers are also working to develop year-round educational programs and to provide improved recreational opportunities for the public. Hardware Ranch is already a prime location for hunting and fishing and is seeing a marked increase in the number of people who visit the ranch through the year to view wildlife. Rangers 801-829-6403 800 East 100 South • Morgan, Utah December 16, 2005 Hunting Bears in The Spring Fewer female bears should be taken in Utah under a proposal that would allow more of the state's black bear hunting to take place in the spring. People can learn more about the proposal and provide their comments at a series of meetings in December. Citizens representing Utah's public Regional Advisory Councils will take the input received at the meetings to the Utah Wildlife Board when it meets Jan. 5, 2006 in Salt Lake City to approve Utah's 2006 Black Bear Proclamation. Meeting dates, times and locations arc as follows: Central Region: Dec. 20: 6:30 p.m.. Department of Natural Resources, 1594 W. North Temple, Salt Lake City Northern Region Dec. 21: 6 p.m., Brigham City Community Center, 24 North 300 West, Brigham City Spring Bear Hunt Fewer female bears should be taken in 2006 under a Division of Wildlife Resources' proposal that would switch more of the stale's bear hunting from the fall to the spring. "Over the past five years, we've conducted an experimental spring bear hum on four hunting units to compare the number of female bears taken in the spring with the number of females taken on four fall-hunting units," said Kevin Bunnell, mammals program coordinator for the DWR. 'The four fall units chosen for the experiment are close to the spring units and have bear popula- tions that arc similar in size." The results from the five-year experiment are encouraging. On the four spring units, 21 percent of the bears taken by hunters were females. On the four fall units, 30 percent of the bears taken were females. "We're happy with the results," Bunnell said. "If we switch more of Utah's bear hunting from the fall to the spring, hunters should take fewer females and the state should have healthier bear populations." Spring hunting reduces the num- ber of females taken by hunters two ways. "Male bears usually come of their dens in the spring earlier than females, so it's more likely hunters will encounter male bears in the spring," Bunnell said. "Also, a female bear's cubs stay close to her in the spring. When hunters see cubs close to a bear, they know they've found a female." For more information, contact the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR's Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700. Few gifts actually improve with age. Your bank sells one of them. Take Stock '"America A piihlk service nf ihL* newspaper Ranchland Buy Direct and Save fitit-olatural • No steroids (growth horrrfbnes) • N o Antibiotics ,:, . f:/ • Notgrginfed ••#8^Pi% "' (435)731-0257 • USDA Certified, All-Natural Beef flivaila6le In Quarters, Halves and Whole beef packages J Notice of Public Hearing Weber Basin Water Conservancy District will hold a public hearing on "Thursday, December 22, 2005 at 6:00 p.m. at 2837 E. Highway 193, Layton, Utah for the purpose of complying with UCA§17A-1-448 prior to increasing fees for groundwater replacement services. Fees to be discussed will be limited to those associated with groundwater replacement services only and will not impact municipal & industrial, secondary irrigation or agricultural irrigation allotments. These fees to be discussed are separate from contractual increases assessed from time to time for regular maintenance of District facilities. Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, formed in 1950, is the operating entity and repayment agent of the Weber Basin Project which was constructed by the Bureau of Reclamation. As part of the Project, facilities included new and enlarged dams, canals, aqueducts, pipelines, wells, pumping plants and other facilities that were constructed to provide an adequate and reliable water supply within the District boundaries. Included in this water supply is water used for groundwater replacement services which provides a water source that permits drilling of a well for those who do not have access to a municipal or community water system and must depend on alternative sources for their domestic water. Www Ilioij^H ISrn] It'.ypt *1;t 11 * . c o i n Findburied treasure in your basement CreitJnga NewC«ntury _ „ ^Savings COME AND SEE OUR REMAINING 2 0 0 5 INVENTORY PRICED UNDER DEALER INVOICE PLUS ON ALL 2 0 0 5 SPORTSMANS GET A FULL YEAR WARRANTY FREE ^SAVINGS [BONDS Do you have old Savings Bonds? Check out the Savings Bond Calculator at wwwjayln6?feonds.goy to discover their value. 1-80O-4US BOND A public service of this newspaper DON'T GET LEFT BEHIND FIND THE WAY OUT ON A 2005 POLARIS OFFER VALID TILL DECEMBER 31, 2005 Federal regulations require all dams to meet stringent safety requirements, often resulting in upgrades to these facilities. Additionally, the demand for increased groundwater replacement services has required the District to develop additional water sources. The increased costs associated with these groundwater services necessitates increased fees be applied to these services. ( Published in The Summit County Bee December 9th & 16th, 2005 |