THE WOODS ARE
FULL
It’s hunting season again and that means it is time to become
a little more cautious while adventuring in the bush. Despite
the fact that hunters are said to pack out the entire carcass,
they do tend to leave the entrails. The scary thing is, if there
are a lot of hunters and old kills all over the place, an innocent
hiker, camper or even another hunter, could wander by a couple
of days later and come across a very unhappy bear.
A retired guide hunter, (who we will call Sam), agreed to talk
with the OpenMinder and share some of his knowledge of the outdoors.
Sam knows first hand that bears can be unpredictable and settles
in to tell a story of a pilot who while attempting to land, experienced
an attack on the plane from a very brave bear. “No fear,
eh? And that’s scarymost of them will run, though, just a couple
shots in the air or in the ground in front of them to spit up
dirt at them, will usually spook them off.” Sam tells of
a friend who was just walking through the woods one day when he
passed by a bear. He figured he was safe after he had gone about
150 yards, but the bear came after him. “So he goes up a
tree, and this bear went after him, grabbed him by the leg and
jerked him out of the tree. He hit the ground; the bear slapped
him around a bit and chewed his leg up”. After the bear left,
he had to pull himself along the ground for 1/4 of a mile before
he could summon help. On the other hand, Sam has also been as
close as 50 feet to a Grizzly without incident.
Bears can usually be found around creeks and streams where they
can fish. Swampy areas, where there might be a beaver to hunt,
is another favored area. You’ll also see them on southern slopes
eating berries. “This time of year, though, they are moving
around quite a bit, because they need to fatten up for the winter.
It’s amazing how they can catch these mountain goats and sheep”.
They are opportunistic eaters and although they are mainly vegetarians
they will eat bugs, larvae, squirrels, raccoons, gophers, and
even large game.
Bears can be real crabby in the spring and fall seasons. Females
give birth, sometime in February, during hibernation, to 2 or
3 1-lb. cubs. She has to feed them from her body’s reserves until
spring. The males aren’t happy either. They are also groggy and
hungry, and the females want nothing to do with them.
“If you are with a hunter who wants a bear,” Sam cautions,
” be as quiet as possible and keep an eye out for signs such
as tipped over stumps and circling birds (known to hunters as
the ‘bear calling card’), and stay down wind so he can’t smell
you. If you want to avoid a bear, you should look for the same
signs, make noise, and bring the pepper spray, just in case. To
determine when the bear was last in the area, look to see how
moist the earth is where there are overturned rocks and logs.
Keep an eye out for fresh scat.”
After a successful hunt at the camp, the kill was flown out if
possible, otherwise, the guides would have to transport it back
with a packhorse. According to Sam, it’s not so much a fresh kill,
but one that has had a chance to rot, that attracts the bears.
Typically a bear will bury its kill, returning when it has ripened.
They’ll stay near their carcass stash until it’s gone, except
to go off and sleep for a while.
One of his stories nails that last point home. Another friend
of Sam’s was out deer hunting and he had parked his pickup beside
a little stream. “So he had been up there a few hours and
was headin’ to the pickup, unloading his shells, and as he’s going
through this little ankle deep creek; over the waterfall comes
this bear. Comin’ right at him, his hair was that long! (gestures
about 5″) Just flyin’, just coming right at him, as fast
as he could come, eh. So, (the guy) dropped him and that grizzly
fell so close you could almost touch him!” Sam figured the
bear must have had a kill stashed near by and was protecting it.
Bears have such a good sense of smell that it can be dangerous
for menstruating women, though some claim this is just a myth.
Sam shares a story about a female camp cook who was baking bread
when a bear came crashing through the window. She ran outside,
climbed to the roof and pulled the ladder up with her. The bear
kept her there all afternoon, circling the building and climbing
the woodpiles until the hunters returned. “There’s no doubt
that the bear would have killed her”, Sam added.
We also talked about the high profile incident near Penticton
where three experienced hunters were attacked last year. So the
story goes: two of the hunters were gutting an elk; the other
was near by, when a sow, with 3 cubs, came along. A cub chased
the one guy up a tree, while the others mauled the other two to
death. These bears were not surprised into attacking, nor protecting
any thing; they just wanted to get at the kill. Sam explains that
this can happen quite easily; “When the hunter is gutting
the animal, his hands become slippery with blood and even if they
have the gun handy and see the bear in time; it can be difficult
to get an accurate shot off”. Therefore, it is wise to hunt
in a team, keep the rifles handy and bring a well-trained dog.
“They’ll alert ya, eh. Long before you’d know anything was
around. If you have to shoot a bear aim for the shoulder area,
that will usually be the end of ’em”.
When I asked Sam what he thought about playing dead during an
attack, he felt that would only be good if the bear isn’t hungry.
If he is hungry, “and you don’t have a gun, you are in trouble”.
An older bear is more dangerous, because they would be less likely
to even bother unless they meant business. You have little protection
against a bear. “They can out wrestle you, out move you and
even out think you. But if you have a good gun you have some protection;
but it would have to be a big game gun, any other gun would just
make them angrier”.
After so many years working up North as a guide hunter, Sam had
many stories to share. He tells a story about two guides and a
hunter who had some trouble. The group had gone off on foot for
a while and came back for their horses. The only thing left of
one of them, was the head. The other horses had run off and while
one guide went to look for them, the other guide took off, abandoning
the hunter, because he was afraid it was a Sasquatch that did
it. Sam chuckles at the memory. “That’s a hell of a whollop,
that’s for sure”!
Once, while taking out the garbage, a guide Sam fondly refers
to as the camp mascot, also had a bear encounter. The guide was
driving a tractor pulling a trailer loaded with garbage barrels.
A black bear jumped on the trailer, and the guy was so scared
he got the tractor turned around, and as fast as he could headed
back to camp, bear and all!
Going to the outhouse was dangerous too. Sam says most of the
camps had the outhouses too close to the dump and when “it
is so dark that you can hardly see, and that bear taps you on
the shoulder you want to have a pistol or somthin”! And don’t
shine your flashlight in their eyes; one of Sam’s co-workers tried
that; the bear charged him.
One day, while rounding up some horses, Sam was forced to go up
a steep narrow pathway on horseback. Fighting the thick brush,
they cam upon a bear raised on his haunches in the middle of the
path. Keeping his horse reined, Sam hollered. The bear dropped
down and scooted off the path in a hurry. In doing so, however,
it scared a moose into crossing the path right in front of them,
nearly knocking them over.
If you are involved in a bear attack; roll up in a ball bringing
your knees up to your chin, protect your neck with your hands,
elbows in by your body, keep your head low; and above all play
dead. Don’t ever let a bear roll you over giving it access to
your stomach. Tuck in your head and try to protect it from the
bear’s blows by your hands and arms. Use your backpack to protect
your body. When encountering a bear, never run. Instead, back
away slowly and leave the area. If you are with other people,
stand shoulder to shoulder to look larger. Usually, a grizzly
will only attack if it feels protective or is surprised; black
bears usually attack because they are looking for a meal. For
this reason, it is recommended to play dead for the grizzly, but
fight back for the black bear. Never go out alone; always tell
someone where you are, what route you expect to take and how long
you plan to be.
But, really, prevention is the key. While wilderness camping,
locate the kitchen at least 200 ft. from the campsite to eliminate
lingering smells. A clean campsite is essential; don’t bring any
food in the tent. Common attractants to bears are candy bars,
trail mixes, dried fruits, perfumes, and toothpaste. Pepper spray
in a convenient holster is second best to a gun in effectiveness
and it does not permanently injure animals. It is important to
stress that it must be sprayed directly in the bear’s face to
be effective. Be aware that some oil-based sprays can leave a
residue after usage, which will actually attract the bear.
If you are camping in known bear country, be sure to hang your
food in a bear bag. If you don’t know how, you can get information
from most of the parks branches. Avoid cooking meat, especially
fish. If you do, change your cloths and bear bag them along with
your food because of lingering smells. Position the bear bag site
100′ from campsite, 15′ off the ground, 9′ from the trees and
within site of your tent. Camp at least 200′ from a water source
and 100′ from the kitchen area. Be sure to clean up after the
meal right away and pour the dishwater at least 100′ from the
camp. For defending the camp, prepare a pile of stones in an accessible
place. Pans can be banged together for an effective deterrent.
Be sure to position the tent to face the bear bag, so that it
is visible.
Be aware of national parks where there is no hunting and a number
of people, bearing food, visiting the area. In some heavily used
parks in the United States, bears have begun to associate hikers
with food. Don’t linger in berry patches.
Due to the bears’ wide-ranging habitat, the population count widely
varies from one source to another. Despite the controversial count
and the growing opposition to the hunting, the government still
allows 4% of bear populations to be hunted. There is a hefty bonus
for the economy to continue to allow it, however, as hunters paid
3 million dollars in 1997 alone, just to hunt 300 bears.
Previous unregulated hunting by settlers and habitat loss due
to industry is putting the bears on the brink of extinction. Grizzly
needs conflict peoples needs. The introduction of roads disturbs
female bears from breeding within 2 miles, they interrupt the
migration corridors, damages food sources within 400m along either
side and increases human access. It seems that many people are
afraid that the protection of grizzlies will have negative results.
But in fact, it is the opposite. By preserving BC’s spectacular,
diverse wildlife tourists are attracted to the areas to witness
the wondrous beauty of life. According to Stats. Canada, our area
has experienced a 38%increase in tourism between 1996 and 1997.
As it was once wisely said; “a rocky mountain with out a
grizzly upon it is only a mountain, common place and tame”.
Cactus Music
Splits in 3
John Vere owner of Cactus Music has become so busy that he has
had to split his business into three parts. This move has been
impemented to spread the work load and improve service to customers
and clients.
The retail sales of musical instruments will now be handled by
Merrietta Skold of Artistic Endeavors (pictured below) and the
guitar lessons by Harvey Mathison.
Artistic Endeavors will still carry on the tradition of great
prices and friendly service. They are located at 7615 McCallumview
Drive, right behind the Cheveron Card Lock Depot in west Grand
Forks. Just follow the signs.
They are open regular hours and welcome you to phone 442-3113
for more information.
Harvey will be teaching guitar and bass lessons in the front portion
of the Cactus Music Building at 1980 68th Ave. Laid back and easy
going Harvey will get you started on the road to musical stardom
with ease. Phone Harv at home at 442-2529 to book your time slot
or leave a message on the Cactus answering machine at 442-3855.
So what the heck is John Vere doing with all this free time? John
has become so booked up in the recording studio it has become
a full time job. He will remain on as an adviser to see that his
new people hit it off to a good start, as John remains committed
to keeping the music buisiness alive and thriving in our town.
Over ten years ago I decided to start my own business to get off
the roller coaster ride of seasonal work and UIC. They say that
if you get into something you love then your chances of success
will increase, so I chose the music business. I started by purchasing
some good equipment to become a performing musician, and some
basic recording equipment. I still enjoy this, working as a single
performer, and teaming up with Liz Mason, playing dances and parties
only. The recording equipment was very basic at the start but
I recorded a few fairly successful albums in my home based studio.
It wasn’t long before people started asking me for guitar lessons.
I needed instruments and a building, and before I knew it, I am
way too busy, and not so happy. The retail and lessons had overwhelmed
me and I lost the reason why I started in the first place, which
was to enjoy it.
I will miss retail, and I will miss teaching lessons but I now
have a very busy recording studio with gear that is no longer
basic, but of world class standards. I have carefully chosen high
quality digital equipment, and can record up to 16 tracks as well
as master to all digital formats, including compact disc. I also
have one of those very cool big microphones that makes even me
sound good.
So if you have any questions about the studio of live entertainment,
please call 442-3895.
Because of the nature of studio work, it would be kind of you
to phone, and arrange and appointment so as to avoid interupting
a recording session.
Positively Greenwood
In Co-operation with the Greenwood
Board of Trade
the Greenwood SmelterDrive south past the Greenwood Inn, down
to the Motherlode Confectionary and you will come to the bridge
across Boundary Creek. Take the second left road and stay to the
right and you will be entering the Old Smelter site. You might
also notice the beautiful gardens by the creek as you cross the
bridge. Our local Japanese residents tend these gardens each year.
The British Columbia Copper Company Ltd. was organized in New
York in 1898, with a capital of $1,000,000, to acquire and operate
the Motherloade Mine and adjoining claim.
The same company had the smelter designed and constructed. Mr
Paul Johnson was in charge of the project, and Mr, J. E. McAllister
was the first superintendent of the smelter.
The first furnace was blown in February 1901, and by 1906 the
smelter was said to be one of the finest, most complete and modern
in the Dominion of Canada. The plant had three mammoth furnaces
with a daily capacity of 600 – 700 tons each. The entire smelter
and Motherlode Mine was later powered by electrical energy provided
by the B.C. Construction and Distributing company at Bonnington
Falls on the Kootenay River some 120km east. This company later
became the West Kootenay Power and Light Co. Ltd. The smelter
operated until 1918, and closed when the price of copper dropped
after World War One.
During the years of operation of the smelter and mines that were
whipping ore in the surrounding hills, Greenwood was a flourishing
city.
The smelter site been dedicated as a park, namely the Lotzkar
Memorial Park, in memory of the immediate past owner of the property.
The Greenwood City Council and the Greenwood Board of Trade are
actively working to make the site a memorable tourist and picnic
attraction.
For more information please call the Greenwood Museum at (250)
445-6355 or the
Greenwood Board of Trade at (250) 445-6323.
Trash Talk
Lillian Brummet drumit@bc.sympatico.ca
Trash Talk will be a series of articles, which will focus on ways
the you can make small changes to do your part for the Earth,
by way of responsible consumerism, recycling and reusing items
formally destined for the land fill.
We have found that many feel overwhelmed by the immense environmental
problems our own country faces. Many of us may feel powerless
to do anything about it. Also, many of us may feel we would need
to donate cash or time to a cause to make any kind of significant
difference. Although these are both very important things we can
do; most cannot afford them.
There are many things you can do in your own home that will make
a difference. Not only using the local recycling program, but
reusing recycled items in and around the home, composting and
vermiculture methods of converting food scraps into a reusable
products, and gardening using sustainable and organic methods,
to plant trees and become more responsible consumers.
Trash Talk will help to empower you, allowing you to make a difference
and to show others what you are doing, thereby influencing changes
in your community by being an example.
Those messy, often smelly coffee grounds can quickly urge you
to take out your kitchen garbage long before the bag is actually
full. It doesn’t have to be this way though. Not only reduce your
contribution to the land fill, but also save money in soil amendments,
mulches and even ant deterrents, by reusing coffee grounds.
Fresh grounds can be used as a 3″ thick mulch around any
acid-loving perennial; (incidentally ants donít like itís
acid content and therefore they work well in strawberry patches
as a mulch). The grounds are an excellent addition to the compost
bin, but when the weather is too miserable to venture out, try
drying the grounds. It is much easier to do this process if you
have purchased one of those reusable coffee filters, available
at most grocery stores, instead of toxin-laden, often bleached,
paper filters. Place the coffee basket upside down on a tray and
lightly tap on the bottom until the grounds come out. Because
this process can stain, it is best to reuse a foil tray, or an
old baking dish.
Start off by placing the tray in a preheating oven and when ready
to bake in the oven, simply remove the tray and place it on the
burner that the oven exhausts through. After baking, turn the
oven off, replace the tray, close the door and allow the oven
to cool this way. You won’t have to attend to the grounds as diligently
in a cooling oven as you would in a preheating one. Alternatively,
you can also set the tray on top of your water heater or on your
fridge, reusing their heat.
Reusing a clean container with a good fitting lid, dump the cooled
grounds in the container. Leave the lid off, or at least slightly
ajar, for a day, allowing for any further drying. Label the filled
container clearly and store with your garden supplies.
Our household generates about 20cups. of dried grounds each month,
which means that over the winter we can expect about 100c. Now,
just what are we going to do with the grounds? Well, because the
grounds are an excellent source of Nitrogen, (responsible for
healthy leaf and stem growth), and trace minerals we use them
as an amendment to our starting soil for seedlings, by adding
1 cup. to each gallon of soil. While transplanting, we place 1/4
cup. in the bottom of each hole, cover with about 1/4 inch layer
of soil and plant the seedling. Crops that are typically heavy
nitrogen feeders are corn, melons, squash, pumpkins, cucumbers,
tomatoes, eggplants and peppers. We also feed our trees and bushes
every two weeks until frost by scattering about 1/4 inch layer
around the base of each plant and then lightly rake it in with
either a small hand rake tool or with a large garden rake; depending
on the size of the area.
You may have noticed Grand Forks
Dollars and Sense had plywood all around the front of the store
for the past week, well they have just fininshed repairing the
damage done by a Grand Forks youth who lost control in a stolen
car and drove through their front doors. Doors are working again
and it is buisness as usual once again.
Careful now,
it’s off to the museum!
Redneck Computer
Terms
backup What ya do when ya run cross a skunk in da woods.
bug The reason ya give when ya call in sick.
byte What yer pit bull dun did to yer friend Bubba.
cache Needed when ya run outta food stamps.
chip Pasture muffins that ya don’t wanna step in.
digital The art of counting on yer fingers.
diskette One them femail disco dancers.
hacker Uncle Jeb after 30 years of smoking.
internet Where cafeteria workers put their hair.
keyboard Where ya hang the keys to yer John Deere.
mac address Where ya go fer them big burgers.
megahertz How yer head feels after that 18th beer.
terminal Time to call the undertaker.
Mistranslations
+ In a Tokyo Hotel “Is forbitten to steal hotel towels please.
If you are not person to do such thing is please not to read notis.”.
+ In a Japanese Hotel Room “Please to bathe inside the tub.”.
+ In a Bucharest Hotel Lobby “The lift is being fixed for
the next day. During that time we regret that you will be unbearable.”.
+ In a Paris Hotel Elevator “Please leave your values at
the front desk.”.
+ In a Hotel in Athens “Visitors are expected to complain
at the office between the hours of 9 and 11 A.M. daily.”.
+ Outside a Hong Kong
tailor shop “Ladies may have a fit upstairs.”.
+ On the Menu of a Swiss Restaurant “Our wines leave you
nothing to hope for.”.
Swimming Therapy
Submitten by Grand Fords & District Recreation – 442-2202
Do you suffer from joint pain, musclestiffness or other aches
and discomforts? Often gentle exercise can help reduce pain caused
by arthritis and other conditions and exercisein the water has
an even greater benefit.
ther buoyance you experience in the water reduces weight bearing
and lessens impact to joints. Water also provides resistance during
movement to help strengthen muscles and supportive tissue.
So, do you just go swimming? Swimming is excellent exersise, but
depending upon your specific needs, you may require some guidance.
The Grand Forks Aquatic Centre offers different oportybutues ti
oeioke wutg tgeraot beeds,
If you enjoy being in a pool and like exercising in a class environment
the pool offers two exercise programs that provide excellent therapy.
Th Water Works program was developed by the Arthritis Society
specifically for people who suffer from the pain of this desease.
Safe, enjoyable exercises in the water will improve strength and
flexibility, increase stamina and improve balance. This probram
is held twice weekly in the pool.
The senior aquafit program is held three mornings each week in
the pool This moderately paced 45 minute4 class is open to all
ages and encourages participants to exersise at their own pace.
Swimming skills are not required for either of these programs.
All exercises are done inshallow or chest deep water and flotation
devises are available if requested.
Stop by the Aquatic Centre and talk to the staff of trainde fitness
professionals. They cn help you find a program to suit your needs
or assist you in developing a safe therapy program on your own.
All Candidates
Forum
The Public is invited to attend an All Candidates Forum Wednesday
November 3rd at 6:30 pm in the Grand Forks Secondary School Auditorium.
The Forum is sponsored by the Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce.
The moderator for the evening will be Michael Strukoff.
Admission is free. All candidates running for Mayor or Councillor
of the City of Grand Forks, Area D & School District # 51
have been invited to participate.
YourPolitician.com
If you click above on yourpolitician.com you will arrive at a
web site with a page that represents Grand Forks. You can post
issues that should be addressed, and vote on issues posted. Here
is another chance to become part of the picture instead of a critic.
Mayoral Candidates
Bill Chiveldave, Dan Clermont, Mike Kanigan, Lori Lum,Brian Taylor,
Michael(mich) Van Boeyen
Candidates for Councillor
Linda Ashe, Steve Burt, Dick Chadwick, Walt Chahley, Cherie Chursinoff,
Guy Dubeault, Walter Ehler, Bob Grieve, Nikola Hecht, Jim Holmes,
Neil Krog, Jerome MacDonald, Patrick O’Doherty,| Jake Raven, Bob
Westgate
School Board Candidates
John Greaves
Editors Note: All underlined names at the site are linked to a
special web page where they can let you know all about them and
their platform. you can find e-mail links to let them know how
you feel. Hey whats up with the rest of you candidates. Get signed
up!
Don’t forget that there is free internet access at the Grand Forks
Public Library.