www.LovellChronicle.com March 10, 2011 I The Lovell Chronicle I 3
Are you my mother?
BRAD DEVEREAUX
After being reported to the Chronicle by a truck driver, a baby moose was
spotted all alone on the ice of the banks of the Big Horn River near the causeway
outside of Lovell.
Predator control
increase
in
num
BY KARLA POMEROY
The Big Horn County
Wildlife Enhancement Proj-
ect continues to receive pos-
itive comments from ranch-
ers and farmers.
The Big Horn County
Predator Management Dis-
trict Board and Jim Peh-
ringer, Northwest Wyoming
District supervisor for the
Wildlife Services, met with
the Big Horn County Com-
missioners recently. Peh-
ringer presented a written
report to the commissioners
on the 2010 project.
In the report, Pehring-
er wrote, "The purpose of
the project is to improve the
pheasant populations and
to reduce damage for agri-
the first year the project was
initiated they have raised a
quality crop of sweet corn
without extensive damage
and have observed a notice-
able decrease in the amount
of damage and consequent
maintenance to irrigation
systems."
There are two project
areas -- on the Greybull
and Shoshone rivers near
Otto and Byron.
The report states that
the most damage was
caused by raccoons. In the
first year of the project,
2007, raccoons removed
were 61 percent juvenile. In
2009, there were 81 percent
adults and just 19 percent
juveniles.
cultural producers and res: • Pehringer reported that
ents of Big Horn County. "Due to the urban nature of
Byremoving St pe i skunks, this area, trapping efforts
raccoons, feral c a ts, red fox- were limited to areas where
es and coyotes, our goal is
to enhance the wildlife re-
sources, to reduce the dam-
age caused by predators for
farmers, livestock producers
and residents."
Along with removing
predators and reducing
damage, the project also al-
lows the Wildlife Services to
collect samples and test for
a variety of diseases.
In his report, Pehring-
er wrote that there have
"been numerous reports
from farmers and sportsmen
about the positive impacts
the project has had with re-
ducing crop damage and im-
proving pheasant produc-
tion in both areas. Many
farmers in the project areas
have commented that since
landowners requested pred-
ator removal. Specialists
targeted areas providing
pheasant nesting habitat
and where chronic irriga-
tion and crop damage oc-
curred."
To monitor the success
of the project, the board and
Wildlife Services worked
with the Wyoming Game
and Fish Dept. to conduct
pheasant and crow count
surveys.
"Both project areas
show very high densities
of pheasants due to project
activities. We have noticed
increased hunting pressure
due to more availability and
access for sportsmen and
yet we continue to prove
higher numbers of pheas-
ants than in non-project ar-
eas with similar habitat,"
Pehringer wrote.
As for the overall preda-
tor animal control program
in the county, Pehringer
said they covered 1.6 mil-
lion acres addressing live-
stock issues and the wildlife
project areas.
"As a whole, livestock
losses dropped (in the past
year)," he told the commis-
sioners.
He said they have seen
a decrease in the number of
coyotes, but there is an in-
crease in the number of ca-
gles, which has meant few-
er rabbits.
"The board has been
good at reaching the public
and who needs the service,
so the calls have increased.
We've responded to every-
thing from woodpeckers on
cedar siding to wolves kill-
ing sheep," Pehringer said.
He said they have tried
to address the problem of
crows in feedlots and have
received an increased num-
ber of reports of blackbirds
damaging sunflower crops.
He said there is an increas-
ing market for sunflowers
so this will be an ongoing
issue.
Board member George
McGregor of Emblem ended
the presentation by thank-
ing the commission for its
past support.
"We're a broad-based
program looking out for the
health and welfare of citi-
zens. We're fortunate to be
aligned with Wildlife Ser-
vices," McGregor said.
BY KARLA POMEROY
Big Horn County's new
4-H educator is a familiar
Cooperative Extension ed-
ucator.
University of Wyoming
Cooperative Extension As-
sociate Director Duane
Williams said in an inter-
view last Wednesday that
Gretchen Gasvoda-Kel-
so, who has been serving
Big Horn County as the
Cent$ible Nutrition educa-
tor, has been hired as the
new educator, replacing
Jenny Good, who resigned
last fall. Kelso's first of-
ficial day as 4-H educator
will be March 14.
"We had a good pool of
candidates and strong par-
ticipation from local people
involved in the interview
process," Williams said.
"We're thrilled about hav-
ing Gretchen as the 4-H
educator."
Williams said Cent$ible
Nutrition Program Direc-
tor Mary Kay Wardlaw
oversees the Cent$ible
Nutrition program, which
is funded through federal
grants. He said he did not
know if a decision has been
made on replacing Kelso in
that position.
"A lot of things are
up in the air right now
with federally-funded pro-
grams," Williams said.
Wardlaw was out of
the office and could not be
reached for comment about
the position.
Williams also provided
an update on the ag educa-
tor position in Washakie
County that has been va-
cant since Jim Gill's retire-
ment last summer.
The educator position
will be a Cooperative Ex-
tension educator with par-
tial funding provided by
the Natural Resource Con-
servation Service, who will
have access to the educa-
tor.
Applications for the po-
sition were being accepted
through Monday, Feb. 28,
Williams said.
According to the po-
sition announcement
through the University of
Wyoming, "emphasis for
this position is crop sys-
tems on private and pub-
lic lands with emphasis
on crops, crop/livestock
systems, horticulture and
small acreage management
education.
Rocky Mountain
students played a
game recently to
celebrate Ag week.
Students had to
answer questions to
get every ingredient,
including the bowl
and spoon.
Above: Mary
Schwope is pictured
at the banana
station at Rocky
Mountain High
School.
Left: Terry Stingley
showed his fellow
classmates how
to hold and eat a
couple scoops of ice
cream after failing
the question toearn
a normal bowl for
his frozen treat.
ERIN HENSON PHOTOS
Would you like to be a part of the
Lovell Mustang Days?
Volunteers are needed for all the events.
Need someone to chair the
Kiddie Parade and Rose Parade.
If you are interested call
Linda Mangus at 548-2031.
Lunch Buffet $699
Tues. - Fri. 11 am - 2:30 pm
Sat. & Sun. 11 am - 4 pm
Dinner Buffet $9s°
Tues. - Fri. 4:30 - 9 pm
Sat & Sun. 4 - 9 pm
151 E. Coulter, Powell, 754-7924
11 am - 9 pm
Carry-Out Available
Invitation to all members of
Sat., March 12, 2011
Greybull High School Gym
Company Reports will be presented.
Registration - 9:45 a.m. • Meeting - 11:00 a.m. • Lunch- 12:00 p.m.
Your Touchstone Energy* Cooperative
ii
...... ii iili¸
ALso, there witt be great prizes and a
GRAND PRIZE DRAWING
for $250 credit on etectric bitt
5490,000 in Capital Credits will be Refunded
