TREE TALK
by Gary Martin
How’s it going this month! Wow, almost September! Summer has flown by and I’m going to miss it. I just enjoyed hiking around in a very cool part of the forest. One of those areas where you think no other human being has ever been before. You’re a long ways away from where you parked your truck. Pretty steep ground. Some awesome rock formations. Timber so thick, that you find yourself in the dark on a sunny day. Some treemendously big trees. I was thinking that if I fell and couldn’t walk out, no one would ever find me in time for our monthly get together. Sounds like an exciting script for a TV show. I think someone beat me to it, with a show called “Lost”. I haven’t watched it, but I like my scenario better. We have the best scenery right here on the Colville Reservation. Anyway, I hiked out and want to explore this area some more. Evaluating these parts of the forest deserves a longer investment of time, when we’re looking at them for potential forest management. A new road will be needed. (Not for me J but for the cable logging machinery.) The rocky, non-plantable ground has to be found. Potential areas for forest management need to carefully located. I run into these types of areas on the landscape a lot and they’re fun to explore. And I rarely ever get “lost”. Or at least I rarely admit to it. We’re talking “lost” this month, because it relates to our fun photo. Nespelem School 4th Graders enjoyed their week at “Lost Lake” this past May. I’m looking forward to seeing you all in 5th Grade real soon and we’ll share some fun stories. Thanks for the great time! Best wishes to all Headstart kids, students, teachers and staff heading back to school! Have a great year! Talk with you again next month, if I’m not “lost” in the forest. J
Colville Reservation Conservation District
The CRCD meets monthly at the NRCS office within the agency campus at Nespelem. The regularly scheduled meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month. Meetings are open to the public. Your conservation concerns are our concerns. There will be time on the agenda for visitors to be heard.
The September meeting date will be the 15th at 10:00 a.m. The District is seeking representation from the Keller area. Qualifying person must be an enrolled Colville Tribal member and at least 18 years of age. Anyone interested may contact Martin Bales at NRCS office, 634-2320.
Fish & Wildlife Outreach Program
My function as Fish & Wildlife Youth Coordinator is to share knowledge with the youth about hunting, fishing, and camping as well as the safety aspects of the outdoors. I will be trying to reach our children in a manner to help promote the outdoors as a way of gathering food, caring for the animal harvested in a manner where it is polite to share with elders or family, etc. During our adventures, I will have volunteers to help aide me in my quest.
My position is considered a safety sensitive position so people who help will have a background check as did I.
Our youth is our future, so now is the time to educate them in traditions and respect for our wildlife. With your help and others, it will make my job an easy task to perform. Not only am I offering hunting information, there is photography, filming, sweathouse building, bow building, and much more to offer.
I would be interested in your ideas, so feel free to share them with me.
Sincerely,
Aaron Carden, Youth Coordinator
Fish & Wildlife Department
Colville Confederated Tribes
Phone: (509) 634-2151
Attention to ALL 13 to 18 yr. olds with knowledge in Archery
I am seeking 3 or 4 Tribal youths interested in harvesting a deer with archery equipment. During our yearly scheduled reserve hunt for October 1st – 9th, 2005, I will work with these individuals to prepare for the hunt. This hunt will be coordinated by Fish and Wildlife staff only.
Things to look forward to are tree standing and a lot of 3-D targets. After learning these skills you will learn to run a video camera. I plan to video these hunts or the youth; they will video each other’s hunt.
I am seeking one individual from each district: Keller, Omak, Nespelem, and Inchelium. If seriously interested, please contact me at Fish and Wildlife (509) 634-2151 or toll free (888) 881-7684 ext. 2151. I look forward to all that contact me.
Sincerely,
Aaron Carden
Annual Hellsgate & Omak Ridge Deer Hunt Oct. 1 – Oct. 9, 2005 season
Attention all Colville Tribal members and youth 12-18 years old interested in annual Hellsgate deer hunt for traditional and subsistant purposes (subsistent – that which furnishes support to life). Fish & Wildlife will be camping in Hellsgate area to help aid our youth in harvesting a deer with a rifle during our yearly reserve hunt. We encourage our elders or community members to assist us in teaching our youth traditional skills of hunting and caring for the animals they harvest.
All are invited to camp with us, there will be scheduled games and target shooting during leisure hours of the day. Camping and hunting equipment will not be supplied by Fish & Wildlife. Please bring a weapon no less than .24 caliber used to harvest an animal. Fish & Wildlife will supply meals during our camping.
If interested in helping us in any phase of the weekend, please contact me at (509) 634-2151. Thank You.
Sincerely,
Aaron Carden
