TREE TALK
by Gary Martin
How’s it going this month! I can’t believe it, but I think July 4th has come and gone already. Thought we’d share some talk, about some small projects that wrapped up this spring. (See, I can’t keep up with the fast moving year.) In the Harrison Creek (Kartar Valley) and Hamilton Ridge areas, we had fire salvage projects. (Also in the Parmeter Creek area. I’m also in danger of losing my memory.) Our objective was to harvest trees killed and badly damaged by the wildfires of last summer. With big time help from our loggers, we were successful in doing this. We’ll now watch over these areas and see how the natural regeneration comes in. On the north side of Armstrong Mountain, we had a project to take care of a “blowdown” event that we had found. These are often tricky situations. Trees are knocked down to the ground in all directions. Some trees get caught up in other standing trees. Logging is extra dangerous. The remaining trees are put at high risk of damage by future wind events. As with wildfires, bark beetles and other insects are attracted to damaged trees and can create problems. Our objective was to salvage the trees that had blown down. We also harvested the high risk trees and additional trees to make room for some tree planting. The way we found things was not good. We feel that by cleaning the area up and planting trees, we’ll have a much better future situation. Thanks again to our loggers for helping us be successful here also. Another interesting project is in the Johnson Lake area. No fire or wind involved. This had to do with the dwarf mistletoe disease in our Ponderosa pine. If you’re a real faithful reader and have a super memory, you may remember our talk of several
years ago, about “getting aggressive” in this pine country. Years ago, we had a two storied stand and did a “seed tree/overstory removal” treatment. Our objective was to remove most of the mistletoe infected sawtimber trees that stood over young, small trees. We also left some seed trees to help us get natural regeneration where we had no little trees. That was about 10 years ago. The seed trees did their job and we have lots of little trees. However, the seed trees had a lot of mistletoe in them and the little trees were being infected. This past spring was a good time to remove all the sawtimber overstory and it has turned out looking good. It does look very different; but “good”. We now have a single storied stand of young, small trees. The little trees have various amounts of mistletoe in them. The U.S. Forest Service helped us get some funding, to survey the condition of these little trees. This is our next step. Our long range objective is to precommercial thin and sanitize these young stands to have a healthier forest in the future. I think we’re well on our way. These types of projects are happening all across the Reservation. Thought it’d be fun to share a few examples with you. As always, we sure appreciate all the good help from our loggers! We couldn’t get these things done without you! I’m going for a walk in the forest and see if I can get time to slow down. Keep having a great, safe summer. Talk with you again next month. J
NOTICE OF FISHERY OPENING!
Based upon current escapement levels at Rocky Reach and Wells Dam the Okanogan River Tribal Sockeye Fishery will open on Monday July 11, 2005 and continue through September 11, 2005. The run size for Okanogan River Sockeye is estimated to be 30,000 adults, which projects total harvest at approximately 2,700 fish. Remember summer steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are federally listed as endangered. Use all measures to prevent the harvest of summer steelhead. All fishers will provide Tribal creel census clerks and authorized Tribal Fish and Wildlife personnel with catch information upon request. All fishers who catch salmon or steelhead must immediately record their catch on a salmon card. The salmon cards are available from the Tribal Fish and Wildlife Department and Community Centers. Specific information regarding the fishery follows:
Okanogan River – Sockeye Salmon Fishery
Fishers must contact the Tribal Fish and Wildlife Department to see if this fishery is open/closed before they fish.
Fishing Location – Fishing will be open on the mainstem Okanogan River from 400 feet below Zosel Dam in Oroville downstream to the confluence of the Okanogan River.
Fishery Period – This fishery will be opened by in-season regulation and will be contingent on a Rocky Reach Dam escapement level of at least 900 adult fish by the end of the first week in July or a projected tributary minimum run size of at least 2,000 fish. The Okanogan River fishery will commence on July 11th and continue until September 11th or until stopped by Emergency Closure.
Harvest Rates - The following harvest target rates will apply: 3% harvest for projected tributary escapements of 2,000 – 4,000 fish, 4% harvest for escapement of 4,000 – 6,000 fish, 5% harvest for escapement of 6,000 – 10,000 fish, 7% harvest for escapement of 10,000 – 16,000 fish, 9% harvest for escapement of 16,000 – 30,000 and 15% harvest for escapements more than 30,000 fish. This number may increase as sockeye continue upriver.
Species Restrictions – Incidental catches of summer steelhead, an endangered species, must be recorded on the salmon and steelhead card and returned to the Fish & Wildlife Department. If a steelhead is entangled in a gill net but is alive and in good condition it must be released immediately.
Authorized Gear – Gill nets, hook and line, hand dip nets, and spears.
Gear Restrictions – Gill net mesh is maximum of four and one-half (4 ½) inches stretched. Gill nets must be fished upstream of the Highway 97 Bridge.
Harvest for Traditional/Subsistence/Ceremonial Use – A certain number of fish may be harvested by the Tribes of the Colville Reservation for distribution to the general membership or for traditional or ceremonial purposes and gatherings.
Joe Peone,
Director, Fish & Wildlife
NOTICE: Fishery Open!
Okanogan River - Summer Chinook Salmon Fishery
2005 Fishing Regulations
This regulation authorizes Colville Tribal Members to fish for summer chinook salmon from the confluence of the Okanogan River to 400 feet downstream of Zoesel Dam.
Justification: This fishery targets summer chinook salmon. This fishery is regulated to avoid significant take of endangered Upper Columbia River (UCR) steelhead.
Fishing Location: Fishing will open on the mainstem of the Okanogan River from the confluence to 400 feet downstream of Zoesel Dam. The Similkameen River is closed.
Fishery Period: This fishery will commence on July 11, 2005 and end on October 16, 2005.
Harvest Rates: This fishery targets summer chinook salmon that migrate into the Okanogan River. The following target harvest rates will apply: 5% harvest for projected tributary escapements of < 1,500 fish, 10% harvest for escapement of 1,500 fish – 5,000 fish, 20% harvest for escapement of 5,000 – 15,000 fish, and 30% harvest for escapements more than 15,000 fish. Based on projected run sizes for 2005 (~ 20,000 over Wells Dam, ~ 70% for the Okanogan River), the 20% harvest rate would be employed. As many as 2,800 fish may be harvested in this fishery (20% of 14,000). This fishery is regulated to avoid significant take of endangered Upper Columbia River (UCR) steelhead needed for escapement.
Species restrictions: Incidental catches of summer steelhead, an endangered species, must be recorded on the salmon and steelhead card and returned to the Fish & Wildlife Department. If a steelhead is entangled in a gill net but is alive and in good condition it must be released immediately.
Authorized Gear: Gill nets, hook and line, hand dip nets, and spears. No snagging is allowed in this fishery.
Gear Restrictions: Gill net mesh size is a minimum of six (6) inches stretched. Gill nets may only be fished upstream of the Highway 97 Bridge.
Special Regulations: All fishers will provide Tribal creel census clerks and authorized Tribal Fish and Wildlife personnel with catch information upon request.
Joe Peone,
Director, Fish & Wildlife
We can make the Fish & Wildlife program a success
Dear Tribal Members,
My name is Aaron Carden and I’ve recently accepted the position of youth coordinator for Fish & Wildlife.
This late in the year I am trying to schedule events for our children to better educate them in the outdoors to help our future wildlife aspects.
Hunting is not just killing an animal but a resource of food. To educate our youth that hunting is not the only thing to do outdoors, for example, taking pictures, hiking, camping, etc.
By being successful at my job not only do I educate our youth as well to install a secure future for the next generation. I will be reaching out to all four districts of the reservation. During this time I will be seeking out kids wanting to get involved in our program as well as scheduled events. With support from our elders and you we can make the Fish & Wildlife program a success. Thank You.
Sincerely,
Aaron Carden
2005-06 HUNTING SEASONS
ON THE COLVILLE RESERVATION
& NORTH HALF
Submitted By Jim Priest
CLICK HERE FOR ARTICLE
2005 RESERVATION MOOSE HUNT
APPLICATION FORM
2005 NORTH HALF MOOSE SPECIAL HUNT
APPLICATION FORM
2005 NORTH HALF BIGHORN SHEEP SPECIAL HUNT
APPLICATION FORM
