Broke to ride, has been shown in 4H Showmanship, by a Junior, earning a Blue ribbon. Also shown in trail, placing every time. Safe to lead, load, trailer clip etc. Not ready for a beginner rider, unless there is a lesson program involved, but will mature into a very nice horse. suitable for trail riding, ranch work, 4H, gaming etc. Has some experience with a rope and cattle, and minor trail obstacles. Clean gaits, yields to leg and bit.
Subject: horses for sale
From: “Jerry and Lawana Stevens”
Date: Tue, November 17, 2015
To: Marybeth Conger
Thank you taking a look at our horses. Patti and Louis Miller are coming up tomorrow to get the first two attached photos and keep them until they are sold.
The first photo is Diamonds filly born in 2007 which is a grade appy. Sire is SS Bodegah Bay ApHc Reg# 487642. Diamond is out of Angel and Joseph’s Bold One ApHC Reg # 494391.
The second photo is Nikki’s Tonya Bay born 2007. She is a registered potential. Her Dam is Bold One’s Nikki ApHc Reg # 606547 Sire: SS Bodegah Bay ApHc Reg # 487642.
The third photo is the fast horse that would potentially make a great barrel racer. This filly was born in 2006. She is registered and DNA recorded. Dam is Nootka’s Nikitah (Kit) Reg # 551854 and the Sire is Still Maxs‘s Toby ApHc # 605393.
These horses have good conformation and are easy to work with. They need to be trained and loved.
We also have three registered stallions for sale is you know someone who would be interested.
Thank you,
Jerry & LaWana Stevens
Phone 208-963-0650 (cell)
jnls@frontiernet.net
Scott, Bill and Terry
As Presidents of the three chapters in the Boise area, would you ask your members if they would be willing to attend the Idaho Horse Council meetings along with me, representing BCH interests? They can attend as BCH members or if they want to become BCH Directors, they would then have the right to vote on issues.
In the past, BCHI has had the majority of Director votes on the IHC Board. Due to age and/or number of years on the board, we have lost the majority of those Directors.
Two years ago BCH did gain Janene Townsend (Squaw Butte) as a Director. Bonnie & Jim Fox (Boise) also joined but Bonnie said they planned to do more traveling & would cut back on meetings.
Attached is an agenda & registration for the IHC Annual Meeting on Nov 21st. If anyone would like to attend just the meeting, & not have the expense of the banquet, that is fine. There are also IHC meetings in January & June that are just meetings. However, the only time someone from a member organization can be voted in as a Director, is at the Annual Meeting. If anyone does want to attend & become a Director, please let me know.
They will have to be nominated by a standing Director & I would be happy to do that, but need to know who they are.
I hope the three of you will consider joining as well. Thank you, Raenette
Agenda for annual 2015
registration 2015
Our Chapter had another very good year!
In the fall, in the Northern Hemisphere, whitish-yellow flecks commonly appear on the chest, belly and upper front limbs of horses. These flecks are eggs laid by the Bot Fly, a bee-like insect whose life cycle requires the horse as a host. These eggs contain a substance irritating to the skin, and horses often bite at them.
When swallowed, the larvae attach to and live on the lining of a horse’s stomach. Vets often see these larvae when performing endoscopy on horses for stomach ulcers. They are orange to red grubs about 3cm in length.
Bot flies themselves are common and can be highly annoying, sometimes causing horses to stampede but they are not harmful otherwise. You will see them repeatedly depositing their eggs on the skin with their long ovipositor.
WHAT TO DO
Recognize that bots generally do not cause horses much harm and so it is not necessary to completely eliminate them. The eggs are difficult to remove but can be scraped off with a specially shaped bot egg knife or combed out to reduce the number a horse ingests. Soaking the affected hair in hot water may help to loosen the eggs.
In late fall, after a few hard freezes the adult bot fly is inactive. This is a good time to try to remove the eggs. Talk to your vet about the necessity to de-worm your horse in the winter with ivermectin or moxidectin to kill the larval stages in your horse’s stomach. Talk to your vet if you have any additional questions or concerns.
WHAT YOUR VET DOES
Your vet considers bot management as part of a good general parasite control program.
http://horsesidevetguide.com/drv/Observation/57/bot-eggs-yellow-white-flecks-on-hair-or-skin/
Remove Bot Fly Eggs
Bot flies lay sticky pale yellow eggs on horse’s hair, usually on the forearms belly and chest. Adult bot flies lay their eggs on horses in the fall in the northern hemisphere. The flies do this instinctively.
A basic part of the bot’s life cycle requires that the horse bite at and swallow the eggs. The eggs hatch into larvae that over-winter attached to the lining of the horse’s stomach.
Bots are not thought to be very harmful to horses unless they infest a horse in high numbers. However, bot eggs that pepper the hair coat is aesthetically undesirable.
In late fall and winter moxidectin and ivermectin dewormer treatments kill bot larvae in the stomach, an important means of control. However, it is preferable to remove bot eggs before they are ingested, to reduce the number of larvae in the stomach.
PROCEDURE
Bot eggs are notoriously difficult to remove. They are extremely sticky and adhere well to the hair.
I recommend removing bot eggs in two steps. First, use hot water and a sponge to loosen the eggs. Then use a bot knife to scrape them off. A bot knife has a rounded, serrated edge. When it is firmly run down the limb, it scrapes off the bot eggs.
ICL—The Many Things We Do! The Idaho Conservation League is Idaho’s leading voice for conservation, protecting the air you breathe, the water you drink and the Idaho you love. Benjamin Earwicker photo. The Idaho Conservation League is Idaho’s leading voice for conservation. With offices in Boise, Ketchum and Sandpoint, we work hard and smart to protect the air you breathe, water you drink and wild places you and your family love.
We are a conservation community working to keep Idaho the kind of special place you experienced as a child—and to protect it for the next generation of children. Since 1973, ICL has connected people like you—people interested in conservation—to decision makers and to each other.
From the high desert of southern Idaho to the rainforest in northern Idaho and to the mountains and rivers of central and eastern Idaho—we’ve been working vigilantly for more than 40 years to protect what you love about Idaho.
See more at: http://www.idahoconservation.org
Monday, November 09 7:00PM – 9:05PM
at Country Club Reel Theatre
4550 Overland Rd, Boise, ID, US, 83705 (map)
$11.00 General
Four young Cowboys hatch an outrageous plot to adopt, train, and ride a string of wild mustangs 3,000 miles from Mexico to Canada through the wildest terrain of the American West. The trip became an epic journey of self-discovery, tested friendships, and iconic landscapes that included runaway horses, a sassy donkey, perilous mountain passes, rodeos, sickness, injury, and death. The Audience Award winner at Telluride Mountainfilm and Hot Docs Film Festival, Unbranded is a soaring tale of danger and resilience, an emotionally charged odyssey that shines a bright light on the complex plight of our country’s wild horses.
The Idaho Department of Lands is pleased to announce the FY 2017 Request for Project Pre-Proposals for the Landscape Scale Restoration, Western Fire Managers and Community Protection Program Grants.
Grants, valued at $240,000 each, are available to help organizations protect, enhance and conserve forest resources. Non-profit organizations, local and state agencies, tribes and educational institutions are eligible to apply by submitting pre-proposals that support local or state initiatives and address issues identified in Idaho’s Forest Action Plan or County Wildfire Protection Plans.
Within each grant program, a limited number of project pre-proposals will be selected for full development and western competition. The attached contain relevant information and criteria for each grant program. More information about these grants along with examples of past projects can be found at: http://www.idl.idaho.gov/grants/index.html
A webinar on the types of projects that qualify and how to build successful project pre-proposals will be held October 27, 2015. To sign up for the webinar email Tyre Holfeltz tholfeltz@idl.idaho.gov
For questions, contact:
• Landscape Scale Restoration Grant: Dave Stephenson dstephenson@idl.idaho.gov or phone 208-666-8621
• Western Fire Managers or Community Protection Program Grants: Tyre Holfeltz tholfeltz@idl.idaho.gov or phone: 208-666-8653.
Please note, use the attached 2016 WFM and 2014 CPP for the pre-proposal.
Funding for this program is made possible through the US Forest Service State and Private Forestry branch.
Please forward this announcement to potential applicants.
Project pre-proposals are due January 22, 2016
2017 Request for Project Pre-Proposals
Community Protection application
IDL Budget Development Guidelines
Due to deteriorating health, I must sell all my packing equipment & 2 mules. Bernice, my personal saddle mule, rides & packs like a pro. Jake Lemon [shadowpacker@gmail.com]
http://boise.craigslist.org/grd/5239513506.html
http://boise.craigslist.org/grd/5240836399.html
High Quality Packing Equipment For Sale, New & Used-Well Maintained
Riding Saddles
Circle Y Flex 2 (like new) 1300
Rigging for above 300
Circle Y Treeless Bob Marshall Sports w/ rigging 700
Circle Y Pad for Treeless Saddles 150
Kids 1950’s Retro Saddle 65
SEE MORE
2016 Calendar Flyer
Chainsaw Safety – National Interagency Fire Center
Danger! Chain Saw Safety – Training Video
Sharpen a Chainsaw Chain – Tool Tip #10 Making Sawdust? How to hand sharpen a chainsaw chain
BLM Chief Commits To Rehabilitate Soda Fire Damaged Land
Southwest Idaho’s nearly 300,000 acre Soda Fire is the largest this year in areas managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Most of the burned area was habitat for the sage grouse, the bird whose status as a contender for the Endangered Species List could affect ranching, recreation and energy production in 11 western states. That is why the national director of the BLM was in Boise Wednesday to talk about rehabilitating that land.
Neil Kornze says his agency has to quickly start re-seeding the Soda Fire burn scar to keep invasive species like cheatgrass from overwhelming native plants like sage brush. But more importantly the BLM director says, they have to keep working on that land for the decades it could take to bring it back to full health.
Kornze says the bureau has often planted seeds in burned land and called it quits. He says the BLM is shifting its priorities to focus more on land rehabilitation.
Fly Over The Soda Fire: Rehabilitation Teams Already Making Plans To Reclaim The Landscape
The Soda Fire was officially contained this week, at 445 square miles. Now thoughts turn to reclaiming the landscape southwest of Boise.
A team of 40 specialists spent five days in the field, surveying the burned area. Their goal is to find and fight threats to life, property and resources over the next three years.
T.J. Clifford is the Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team Leader for the Soda Fire. The team is working for the Bureau of Land Management but is made up of people from multiple agencies.
Wild Horses That Survived The Soda Fire To Be Rescued
Wild horses that survived the Soda Fire now face another threat: starvation, after the fire burned their food supply. The Bureau of Land Management plans to rescue those animals and feed and house them until the landscape can recover.
Three horse herds – the Sands Basin, Hardtrigger and Black Mountain herds – live on the 445 square miles burned in the Soda Fire. Twenty-seven horses died in the fire, but those that survived now face this new peril, says the BLM’s Heather Tiel-Nelson.
“These horses of course need enough forage to sustain them and there simply isn’t enough out there right now to get them through much longer, which is why we’re doing this emergency gathering of those horses,” says Tiel-Nelson.
Feds Publish Final Plan For Southwest Idaho Wilderness Areas
Federal authorities have made public the final management plan for six wilderness areas and 16 wild and scenic river segments in southwestern Idaho.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management on Monday published on the Federal Register the Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness and Wild & Scenic Rivers Management Plan.
The process allows for appeals to be made within 30 days concerning the state’s newest wilderness areas that include about 518,000 acres and 325 miles of wild and scenic river in Owyhee County.
The six rugged areas became federally protected preserves in 2009 after Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, organized a coalition of ranchers, wilderness advocates, outdoor enthusiasts and others in an effort called the Owyhee Initiative.
The 99-page federal document contains rules ranging from floating rivers to grazing livestock.
In a huge and long-awaited win for conservation, Congress just passed legislation to permanently protect Idaho’s stunning Boulder-White Clouds region as wilderness.
The bill, which was first introduced in the House by Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID), passed the Senate on Aug. 4, designating more than 275,000 acres of snowy peaks and gorgeous lake-filled terrain as wilderness in the Boulder-White Cloud Mountains, one of the largest intact roadless areas in the country that lacked permanent protection. Soon it will head to President Barack Obama’s desk to be signed into law.
Victory! Thank Congress for protecting Boulder-White Clouds as wilderness!
The Wilderness Society has worked for decades with partners both locally and nationally to secure permanent protection for this truly exceptional stretch of wildlands. We would not be celebrating this victory without years of advocacy and generosity from you, our supporters. Thank you!
“The Wilderness Society is incredibly grateful for the stalwart work of Congress to work together for a remarkable place like Idaho’s Boulder-White Clouds,” said Jamie Williams, president of The Wilderness Society. “Legions of Americans can visit this wild landscape for years to come and it will remain unchanged—and for that we have countless local advocates to thank and the dedication of elected leaders like Congressman Mike Simpson, who led his colleagues toward bipartisan agreement. This is truly a time to reflect on the value of the Wilderness Act, fifty years since its passage, and the good work it continues to deliver for nature and the American people.”
READ MORE – Lots of great pictures
READ More
This horse is going up in price by $400 at the end of the week (August 9, 2015) because she is being tuned up and ridden in the hills by Jeff Spencer.
Ellen Knapp
Spirit Horse Ranch
208-365-0737 (c)
spirithorse208@gmail.com
www.SpiritHorseEnterprises.com
July 27, 2015
BOISE, Idaho — A compromise bill put forward by Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho to create a protected wilderness area in central Idaho has passed the U.S. House of Representatives.
The wilderness plan advanced Monday that now heads to the U.S. Senate would protect about 300,000 acres in three different areas in the rugged Boulder and White Cloud mountains.
“I don’t think there are really any big objections in the Senate, so it should pass with ease,” Simpson told the Post Register. “The problem is the procedures in the Senate to actually get it to a vote. We’re working on that. It’s procedural more than anything else.”
Simpson’s bill would create three new wilderness areas, the Idaho Statesman reports. They are the 138-square-mile Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness, the 142-square-mile White Clouds Wilderness and the 183-square-mile Jim McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness.
“Congressman Simpson’s leadership on protecting the Boulder-White Clouds is something sorely needed in Washington right now and we commend his ability to move this bill cleanly through the process,” Craig Gehrke, Idaho director with The Wilderness Society, said in a statement. “It’s now up to the U.S. Senate to demonstrate that it can finally resolve this decades-long debate.”
A previous plan by Simpson to designate a wilderness in the area has failed for years. Groups dismayed with the lack of results are asking President Barack Obama to use his executive power under the Antiquities Act to create a 592,000-acre national monument instead.
Athan Manuel, director of the Sierra Club’s Lands Protection Program, in a statement said passage of Simpson’s bill in the House was a testament to Simpson’s years of hard work pulling together a coalition of wilderness advocates.
“However, if the Senate fails to act this week, the Sierra Club will be forced to support the use of the Antiquities Act by President Obama to protect this region,” Manuel said.
Custer County Commission Chairman Wayne Butts is an opponent of wilderness protections in the area, contending an influx of visitors would cost the county money and might disrupt the way of life for locals.
“For those of you who don’t feel like stepping in a cow turd — this is our way of life,” he said. “I don’t feel bad for you even a little bit. I don’t care if you come here or not, frankly.”
World Trails Network (WTN) http://worldtrailsnetwork.org/
The World Trails Network strives to connect the diverse trails of the world to promote the creation, enhancement, and protection of outstanding trail experiences. The World Trails Network brings trail associations, trail advocates, walkers, hikers and people passionate about the outdoors together from around the world to foster global collaboration and networking for the betterment of the world’s trails.
Vision and Philosophy
The World Trails Network envisions a globally active network of diverse, high quality, environmentally sustainable trails that work in their own regions to further the interests of the trails industry for the benefit of all.
The World Trails Network fosters global collaboration and networking among all trail types that serve to connect people with nature, the outdoors and cultural heritage around the world. The Network encourages: care for the environment; sustainable development practices; sharing best management practices and trail research; a commitment to quality experiences; connections with communities; accuracy of information; promotion of cross-marketing opportunities; and through sharing the common values of world trails, promoting active lifestyles in the outdoors and nature.
Forest Trails Bill
We need your help. Now is a critical time for our “Forest Trails” bill. A hearing has been scheduled this week on the bill before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry.
The hearing is scheduled for 10:00 EST on Thursday, July 16, in Washington DC.
Please contact your senators today. You can call the Capitol Switchboard at 202.225.3121 and ask to be connected to the office of one of your senators. Or you can locate contact information for your senators here.
Once connected, ask to speak to a staff person who handles public land issues for the senator. Then describe your support for Senate Bill 1110, the National Forest System Trails Stewardship Act. Consider using some or all of the talking points, below.
1. I am a resident of (state) and a member of Back Country Horsemen of America;
2. I support Senate Bill 1110, the National Forest System Trails Stewardship Act;
3. The bill is important to trail riders and all trail users in the state;
4. The bill will improve trail maintenance without adding to the federal deficit;
5. The bill is bi-partisan and supported by a wide range of public land trail users; and
6. I would like the Senator to please co-sponsor Senate Bill 1110.
Background
You’ll recall from previous alerts that BCHA, along with partners American Horse Council and The Wilderness Society, are working diligently to persuade Congress to move forward on the National Forest System Trails Stewardship Act. In the House of Representatives the bill’s number is H.R. 845. Your earlier calls and letters have been effective, as the bill now has 52 co-sponsors in the House!
The Forest Trails bill was introduced in the Senate in late April. It was forwarded to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry, whose membership is listed here.
It’s critical you call your senators prior to Thursday.
More information regarding the bill can be found on BCHA’s website, for your reference. Thank you for taking action to support forest trails!
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Get to Know BCHA’s New Chairman
Click here to view a short article about BCHA’s new Chairman, Don Saner, who was voted in during BCHA’s National Board Meeting in late April. The article appeared last week in the Jackson Hole, Wyoming, News & Guide. We’re proud of the story this article conveys about BCHA, the chapter that Don founded, and the passion for volunteer service shared by Don and Karen!
Out-going BCHA Chairman, Jim McGarvey, was term-limited. But he happily signed up to serve as BCHA’s Executive Director–on a volunteer basis, no less–for up to two years. Jim and his wife, Cindy Mitchell, have accomplished much in terms of elevating the profile and professionalism of BCHA. We’re thrilled that this dynamite duo will remain heavily engaged in BCHA’s day-to-day affairs (Cindy maintains BCHA’s Facebook site, among things).
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View Public Land Fact Sheets on BCHA’s Website
Take a look at BCHA’s website for new fact sheets on congressional actions that could affect your use and enjoyment of federal public lands. We recently added fact sheets regarding the need to promote:
• The Wildfire Disaster Funding Act,
• Reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund,
• Keeping public lands in public hands by opposing attempts for large-scale sales or transfers of federal public lands to the states.
Lastly, we added to our website an informative slideshow presented during BCHA’s National Board Meeting (April 2015) by Dr. Rob Atwill, University of California-Davis, titled “Science and Research on Packstock and Waterborne Pathogens: Misconceptions, Realities and the Way Forward.” Check it out.
Dr. Atwill’s presentation contains some eye-popping statistics that help us push back against the (largely baseless) accusations that horses and packstock serve as vectors for the introduction of waterborne pathogens.
Thank you! Please call your senators today in support of S.1110.
Randy Rasmussen, Advisor for Public Lands & Recreation
Back Country Horsemen of America
Back Country Horsemen of America | | peg@bcha.org |
P.O. Box 1367
Graham, WA 98338
It is time for America to come together to celebrate this symbol of the American spirit to help ensure that it will survive and thrive today and for generations to come. Through education we will be able to better understand the needs of the mustang. Through interaction and personal contact we can see and experience their beauty and spirit. Through competition we can fully realize their talents and understand why they played such a critical role in creating the America we know today. America’s Mustang
The America’s Mustang Campaign is focused on raising awareness, providing education, and increasing the placement of wild horses and burros into private care. The campaign involves a series of events and activities organized to help educate the public on how we can all take action to preserve our mustangs and our lands that support them. The national effort will better educate Americans about who Mustangs are, where they are located, what resources they need, and how they can impact the resources they share with other species.
Get Involved: Idaho Celebration
BLM Idaho in partnership with the Idaho Mustang Club invites you to bring your horse and join us on July 19th for an America’s Mustang trail ride through the Hardtrigger Wild Horse Herd Management Area. This is a great opportunity to celebrate America’s Mustang and visit the horses in the areas where they roam on the range!
Ready to ride at 9:00 a.m.
Bring water for your horses
Idaho Mustang will provide the hot dogs, please bring a side dish!
Bring your own beverage and chairs
RSVPs are welcomed: Becky 208-463-0656 or email: idahomustang@hotmail.com
Directions from Nampa: Take Hwy 45 until you cross the Snake River. Follow the signs on to Givens Hot Springs, which is Hwy 78 toward Marsing. Go about 6 miles until you see the Wilson/Murphy fire station on the right hand side (red building). Across from the fire station are signs to the Wilson Creek Feedlot, follow that road past the two cattle guards to the parking lot for the Wilson Creek Trailhead, signs will be posted at all major turns.
Here is a summary from last year 2014 and the Trail Plan for this year 2015. 2014 accomplishments are just that….The Trail Plan FY15 has a lot of stuff that doesn’t matter for BCH, but on page 5 of 26 you will find Central Zone Trails Level One Maintenance Plan. This list shows what we plan to get done this summer in house, but we hope to accomplish more.
Level One Maintenance – “opening of trail” (log out and light brushing)
Unfortunately, with all of this stuff it is just Central Zone(McCall and New Meadows). In the future I am going to get West Zone(Council and Weiser) organized in the same fashion.
Lastly, are the trails we have assigned to the ID State Trail Rangers. We are hoping to get two hitches from them and for them to exceed what is on the list.
Kent May- FS [mailto:kmay@fs.fed.us]
2014TrailAccomplishments Trail ranger request 2015 2015 McCall & New Meadows Trail Plan
By Rocky Barker
Republican Rep. Raul Labrador raised doubts Monday about the support for a wilderness bill Republican Rep. Mike Simpson has pushed for 15 years.
The bill would designate 275,665 acres in the Boulder and White Cloud mountains and the Jerry Peak area of central Idaho as wilderness.
Labrador, questioning a Forest Service official Tuesday at the House Resources Committee’s public lands subcommittee, said motorized recreation users support the bill because they fear the alternative — a national monument designation by President Barack Obama.
“The truth is, the public will is against this bill,” Labrador said.
Simpson, testifying before Labrador arrived at the hearing, offered a long list of groups supporting his bill including the Sawtooth Society, the Custer County Commission, East Fork Ranchers, the Idaho Farm Bureau, the Idaho Cattle Association, Idaho Outfitters and Guides, the Idaho Conservation League and the Wilderness Society. He also included the Idaho Recreation Council, which Labrador argued supports the bill only because of the fear of a presidential monument designation.
Neither congressman spoke of the many groups that have expressed preference for the national monument over Simpson’s bill, including sportsman’s groups, mountain bikers and recreational businesses. Blaine County and the city of Ketchum also are on record in support of the monument, as is Boise Mayor Dave Bieter.
Republican Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo both support Simpson’s bill.
“This bill meets the needs of today’s users and resolves longstanding debates over the management of the Boulder-White Clouds,” Simpson testified. “It will end the discussion of monuments and wilderness in the Boulder-White Clouds and secures the future for generations of Idahoans who want to continue using and enjoying our beautiful Boulder-White Clouds.”
IS THE MONUMENT A REAL PROPOSAL?
Both Labrador and subcommittee Chairman Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., asked Forest Service Deputy Chief Leslie Weldon if anything in this bill stops a future president from using the authority of the 1906 Antiquities Act to protect a larger area as a national monument. Weldon’s answer was no.
Labrador also raised doubts as to the likelihood that the Obama administration would actually seek to create the monument. Weldon and BLM Deputy Director Karen Mouritsen said their agencies had not been involved in any monument mapping or studies.
“I’m not aware of any efforts to designate this area as a national monument,” Mouritsen said. “You should talk to the White House.”
In an interview with the Idaho Statesman in February, a top administration official acknowledged Obama was considering proclaiming the Boulder-White Clouds as a monument. A monument “is always going to be the president’s decision,” said Robert Bonnie, the Department of Agriculture’s undersecretary for natural resources and environment. “I think we’ll watch the process over the next several months. (Congressman) Simpson has asked for time, and that’s fair.”
A hearing already has been held on the Boulder-White Clouds proposal in the Senate. The next step is for the House and Senate committees to mark up the bills and send them to the floor for debate. Once the committees approve them, the bills also can be tacked on to other bills.
Labrador did not say whether he would vote for the Boulder-White Clouds wilderness bill or not. But the attorney-turned-congressman did acknowledge that he had already asked an administration official the same questions before he asked the lower-level agency representatives testifying before the subcommittee.
“Congressman Labrador has spoken to many people about this bill, including a high-ranking official in the Obama administration,” said Labrador’s press secretary, Dan Popkey. “The congressman will continue to review the bill as it moves through the process.”
Both a monument and a wilderness designation would limit some access to motorcycles, ATVs and snowmobiles. The larger monument would potentially close more trails to existing motorized uses, and the wilderness designation could mean more restrictions on mountain biking. The Wilderness Act prohibits all mechanized travel in wilderness
Sandra Mitchell is director of the Idaho Recreation Council, which represents ATV and snowmobile users. Her members’ fears of a monument cited by Labrador are justified, she said. Bonnie told her personally there was a “definite intent” in the Obama administration to protect the Boulder-White Clouds as a national monument.
“I do believe it’s high on their list of national monuments,” Mitchell said Tuesday.
Simpson’s bill would close two trails through the heart of wilderness to mountain bikes. He said the bill opens up two other loop trails to mountain bikes and doesn’t close any motorized trails. His bill, he told the House panel, should not be held up because of the mountain-biking issues.
“This bill seems to have become a proxy for a larger debate between mountain bike advocates and wilderness advocates on whether mountain bikes should be allowed in wilderness areas,” Simpson said. “That is a debate that needs to occur in the larger context of The Wilderness Act and not on this legislation.”
Simpson’s Boulder-White Clouds bill would set aside three separate wilderness areas: the Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness (67,998 acres); the White Clouds Wilderness (90,769 acres); and the James A. McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness (116,898). It releases from wilderness consideration another 153,883 acres that are now wilderness study areas.
OTHER INCENTIVES
The Forest Service’s Weldon questioned the location of four acres to be transferred in the bill from the federal government to the city of Stanley for affordable housing for local workers. He said the agency wanted to identify an alternate parcel that is “appropriate for development.”
Otherwise, she and Mouritsen both offered support for the wilderness legislation.
Simpson said other parcels of land will be conveyed to Custer and Blaine counties and rural communities for public purposes such as cemeteries, water towers and waste-transfer sites. Ranchers, facing major cutbacks in grazing, would be allowed to voluntarily retire grazing allotments in exchange for money provided by a third party.
Also, grants have been provided to the Sawtooth National Recreation Area for trail maintenance and improvements; providing primitive wheelchair access to two existing trails; and for acquiring land to build a bike and snowmobile access trail between Redfish Lake and Stanley.
On Wednesday June 10, 2015 Phil Ryan and Rob Adams at the request of the Idaho Department of AG, International group meet with a delegation of Korean forest service employees and businessmen in the Korean horse industry. The day was to talk about horse trails on public lands. The recreational horse industry is only about twenty years old in Korea, but growing very fast. There is a push by riders to have trail in the public forests of Korea.
We took the group on a loop that included stops at Peace Creek trail head and Boiling Springs trail head in the Middle Fork of the Payette country. We talked about multi-use trails, how a trail should be built for horse use, bridges, fire and clearing down fall. They ask a lot of good questions and got to see some very pretty country. One of the Korean guests, the gentleman wearing the riding helmet was really taken with Phil’s F250.
After a white knuckled ride on the single track road between Peace Creek and Boiling Spring, our Korean guest had a nice lunch at the camp ground. We then took them back to Sweet, so they could see some “American” horses up close. What is more “American” than Rob’s mustangs. We also did a mini-packing demonstration which they found very interesting. More Pictures
Good Morning Phil & Rob,
On behalf of the Department of Agriculture, I wanted to send you big thank you for hosting the Korea Forest Service Delegation last week. We appreciate your efforts putting the tour of the Boise National Forest together and providing them information about trails, trail riding, packing and everything else. This was valuable information for them to develop their plans for increasing trails and services for the growing equestrian market in South Korea. They enjoyed the time spent with you and were excited about the things they learned and were able to see. Especially the time at your home learning about the different horses, pack equipment and saddles. What a treat!
We really appreciate your cooperation and time showing these government officials why Idaho is a leader in the equestrian industry. Thank you again and we value the support your organization provided to us.
Best Regards,
Pam
Pamela Graviet
International Trade Specialist – Market Development Division
Idaho State Department of Agriculture
2270 Old Penitentiary Road
Boise, Idaho USA 83712
On Thursday June 11, 2015 Phil Ryan and Rob Adams meet with John Hidy the trail supervisor for the Boise National Forest to look at the first 1/2 mile of trail at Wilson Corral, on West Mountain.
John crossing the first bog area
This trail starts out in a bog and then goes down the center of the creek for a couple hundred feet. Both the bog and the creek section are dangerous and have been the scenes of more than one wreck. Our goal was to introduce John to this trail and consider possible route changes to the trail to make it safer and more sustainable.
don’t loose a shoe
Phil, John and I looked at a number of different route options, some requiring a lot of new trail to be build, other making the most of existing trail, but still allowing the trail to avoid the problem areas and think we have a viable set of options.
great trail, isn’t it john
John GPS a possible route, will write up a report including some of the pictures we took and present it to the forest service. The plan if approved would be implemented in the 2016 trails season. After completing out work at Wilson Corral we gave John a tour of the other trail heads as we drove back to Sage Hen and then back to Sweet. The road between Wilson Corral and Sage Hen is a mess of ruts, washout and small land slides. A number of BIG rocks were on all the road we traveled over the last couple of days. More Pictures
Rob, Phil, Terry, Jon & Shannon
By Rob Adams
It is Friday; I am sitting at my desk at the Simplot data-center trying to finish stuff up so I might get away from the office by 15:00. My cell phone starts buzzing in my pocket. I answer and it is Phil Ryan. Phil asks” if I carry a tow chain in my truck”, which I do. I said “yes”, and he said “good, because Jon doesn’t have one” and hung up.
Great, I knew they were on their way to the North Fork of the Owyhee wilderness and Phil felt we might need a tow chain. Another thing to fret over! We already didn’t have a clue if we could or even should try and pack the old barb wire out that had been rolled up the year before, now there was concern that we would get our rigs stuck also.
Read More / Pictures / Project Map
On May 16, 2015 nine members of Squaw Butte meet up with four Boise National forest rangers for a sawyer recertification session. We met at the Triangle parking lot and truck pooled up to the third fork ranger cabin.
The weather was expected to be wet and windy so everyone dressed like they were going duck hunting in Maine.
Read More: Sawyer Training 2015 Pictures
Chain Saw and Crosscut Saw Training Course–Student’s Guidebook (U.S. Forest Service)
Introduction and Chapter 1
Chapter 2 – Chain Saw Use and Maintenance
Chapter 3 – Chain Saw Tasks and Techniques
Chapter 4 – Crosscut Saw Tasks and Techniques
Imagine visiting Yellowstone this summer. You wake up before dawn to take a picture of the sunrise over the mists emanating from Yellowstone hot springs. A thunderhead towers above the rising sun, and the picture turns out beautifully. You submit the photo to a contest sponsored by the National Weather Service. Under a statute signed into law by the Wyoming governor this spring, you have just committed a crime and could face up to one year in prison.
Wyoming doesn’t, of course, care about pictures of geysers or photo competitions. But photos are a type of data, and the new law makes it a crime to gather data about the condition of the environment across most of the state if you plan to share that data with the state or federal government.
Wyoming law against data collection: Protecting ranchers by ignoring the environment.
Dear Friend,
I am participating in The 20th Annual Diabetes Ride on May 17, 2015, in support of Camp Hodia, which provides a wonderful service to Idaho Kids with Type 1 Diabetes. I am committed to raising much-needed funds to support this worthy cause, and with your help through pledging, and sharing this link with friends and family, we can all help make a big difference in the lives of Idaho Kids!
You can quickly and easily make a tax-deductible donation today through my secure fundraising website: Cini’s Fundraising Page where your gift will make a big difference for Idaho kids. Any amount, large or small, is greatly appreciated as is your willingness to forward this on and request others help as well.
If you would like to take a few minutes and learn more about Camp Hodia, please view this YouTube video or perhaps check out their website: www.camphodia.org and perhaps even join in your own pledge raising campaign for this amazing organization!
Thank you!
P.S. If you have any questions or if you would prefer to donate by check or cash, please contact me directly.
Cini Baumhoff
208-870-1449
cinibaumhoff@yahoo.com
Dear Interest Party,
The Decision Memo for the Williams Creek Project is now available on the project web page: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=45705 . The Williams Creek Project will implement restoration activities to increase forest resiliency on lands west of Highway 55 in Valley County, just north of Banks, Idaho.
On March 31, 2014 Idaho State Governor, C.L. “Butch” Otter, submitted a request to the Secretary of Agriculture to designate landscape scale treatment areas on National Forests within Idaho that are at high risk of insect and disease mortality pursuant to Section 8204 of the 2014 Agricultural Act, known as the Farm Bill. As stated in Governor Otter’s letter, “Forest Supervisors and their staffs worked with local collaborative groups, resource committees or other local governments and citizens to select the boundaries of proposed landscape areas.”
On May 20, 2014 the Chief of the Forest Service, Thomas L. Tidwell, sent a letter to Governor Otter designating landscape areas requested in Idaho. The Williams Creek Project area falls within one of the 50 designated landscape areas.
The Williams Creek Project will treat nearly 1,600 forested acres to reduce risk to insect and disease disturbance, while improving wildlife habitat and promoting the development of large trees such as ponderosa pine and western larch. An outcome of these activities will increase forest resiliency while providing approximately 11.5 million board feet of wood products that will help the local economy and create jobs.
This decision utilizes the new categorical exclusion authority and environmental review process for a collaborative restoration project in an insect and disease landscape treatment area established under the Agriculture Act of 2014 (Farm Bill). As discussed in the decision, without remediation, risk rating information predicted that at least 25% of the forest within this project area would die over a 15 year time frame due to insects and disease.
Decisions that are categorically excluded from documentation in an EA or EIS are not subject to an administrative review process (pre-decisional objection process) (Agriculture Act of 2014, Subtitle A, Sec. 8006). Project work could begin as early as this summer.
Additional information about this Project may be obtained by contacting Richard Newton, Emmett District Ranger, at 208-365-7000. Additional information can also be found on the Williams Creek Project web page.
Sincerely,
Randall Hayman
Boise National Forest
Forest Planner/Tribal Liaison
1249 South Vinnell Way, Suite 200
Phone: 208-373-4157
Email: rhayman@fs.fed.us
Read all about the bills and how to support them!
BCHI members Bill & Lois Murphy, Facebook Page Email: hsbold220@aol.com
Bill is currently under treatment for pancreatic cancer. Our thoughts and prayers are with Bill and Lois
Dan & Connie Murphy Facebook Email: djmurphy39@gmail.com
Murphy, Daniel, 54, of Meridian, died Thursday, April 30, 2015 at his home. Arrangements are pending at Summers Funeral Homes, Ustick Chapel, Meridian. – See more at
Daniel J. Murphy
1961 ~ 2015
Dan Murphy, 54, of Meridian died April 30, 2015 after a long battle with liver disease. Born on March 3, 1961, Dan was the first child born to Dwight and Dixie Murphy. In the small town of Council, Idaho, Dan flourished as a three-sport athlete in football, basketball, and track. He loved growing up in Council hunting, fishing and camping with his family. He learned his strong work ethic from his Dad and by working in the hay fields and on his grandparents’ farm.
Dan married Connie Storm in 1982. They had three children: Kristin, Brenda, and Bradley. Dan enjoyed being an active participant in his children’s lives by coaching basketball, baseball, and football; assisting with Boy Scouts; and volunteering his medical knowledge at summer camps. In 1986, Dan started his career in Emergency Medical Services as an EMT at Meridian Rescue One and United Ambulance. In 1989 he got his dream job with Ada County Paramedics. He was passionate about being able to help others in their greatest time of need.
In his retirement years, Dan focused all of his time and energy on his precious granddaughters, Katelynn and Grace. He shared with them his love of the outdoors: camping, fishing, and sledding were some of their favorite moments together. The girls loved to spend as much time as possible with Poppa. Whenever they were sick, they always wanted to snuggle and spend the day with Poppa Dan.
Dan is survived by his wife Connie Murphy of Meridian; children Kristin (David) Swanson of Boise, Brenda and Brad Murphy of Meridian; father Dwight Murphy of Council; grandmother Marie Murphy of Cambridge; siblings Denys (Pamela) Murphy of Council, Deena (Blair) Combe of Buhl; grandchildren Katelynn and Grace Swanson of Boise; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. He was proceeded in death by his mother Dixie Murphy; grandparents Joe Murphy, Dick and Esther Clarke.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the CWI Foundation Paramedic Program account number 91040. The foundation provides scholarships to students enrolled in the paramedic program. Mail to CWI Foundation, Mail Stop 1000, PO Box 3010, Nampa, ID 83653.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, May 7 at 11 am at Ten Mile Christian Church, 3500 W Franklin Road, Meridian. Graveside services will be Friday, May 8 at 2pm at Hornet Creek Cemetery in Council.
Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on Daniel’s webpage at www.summersfuneral.com
Published in Idaho Statesman on May 5, 2015
By Rocky Barker
Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell has an answer when he hears state leaders call on the U.S. Forest Service to do more logging and other forest treatments to reduce the size of wildfires.
“We are doing more and we’re doing it for less money,” Tidwell said in an interview with the Idaho Statesman on Thursday.
The Forest Service has reduced its nonfirefighting staff by 39 percent since 2000. But its Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program alone has treated 1.45 million acres over the past five years and harvested 1.2 billion board feet of timber from national forests.
The program funnels money to projects that were developed with local residents, the timber industry, conservation groups, sportsmen and Indian tribes. These groups, such as the Clearwater Basin Collaborative and the Payette Forest Coalition, make the projects easier to complete because they have broad community support, Tidwell said.
“Without this we wouldn’t have been able to take on the scale of these projects,” he said.
He’s asking Congress for $20 million more annually so he can expand beyond the 23 existing projects to other forests and groups seeking to work together. Eventually Tidwell said he envisions the collaborative model approved by Congress in 2009 used to manage the Forest Service’s entire 193 million acres of forests and grasslands. That includes about 20 million acres in Idaho.
“We’ve built enough trust so we can move forward and make this the norm,” Tidwell said.
In Idaho, the Weiser-Little Salmon project has resulted in four timber contracts since 2012, which has allowed the Evergreen lumber mill near New Meadows to add a second shift and create 15 new jobs.
One contract that’s halfway completed generated 3.4 million board feet of timber, enough to build 5,000 homes. The $690,000 that Evergreen paid for the timber goes back into restoration, road closings and wildlife habitat improvement.
The Selway-Middle Fork forest restoration project in the Clearwater Basin received $16 million, which has been augmented by $13 million in matching funds. It is generating $14 million in labor income, reducing fire risk on 16,000 acres, treating weeds on 16,800 acres more and improving 16,000 acres of wildlife habitat.
“Forest restoration efforts are now demonstrating a track record of creating jobs, reducing the threat of wildfires and improving forest health on our public lands,” said U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, who helped advance the Clearwater Basin Collaborative. “Collaborative efforts like these get us back to work in our forests and are one step, among others, we need to take to restore the economies of our rural counties.”
That doesn’t mean the states can’t help. A “good neighbor” policy expanded by Congress in the last farm bill allows states to work with the Forest Service to get projects done. Oregon is paying millions to crews who mark trees for sales. Montana is paying for the environmental reviews on some sales to get them moving. In Washington’s Colville National Forest, a large landscape restoration project is going out to bid, with the buyer paying for the environmental review in exchange for the wood products from the project.
The Idaho Legislature approved a Senate resolution calling for Idaho’s congressional delegation to help increase funding and develop agreements whereby the state could carry out restoration efforts on some federal lands.
Tidwell, who attended Capital High School, was in Boise to address a conference on wildland fire safety. Safety will be especially important this year, with warm temperatures across the West melting the snowpack early.
Tidwell expects another long fire season, and that’s why he hopes Congress approves a bill that will stop him from having to take money from other programs to fight fires. That will improve the agency’s efficiency, he said. “It’s past time for us to treat these large fires as a national disaster,” Tidwell said.
He hears critics saying he and other decision-makers should return to the levels of timber harvests that took place in the 1970s and 1980s. The Forest Service needs to get “more work done,” Tidwell said, but can’t go back to those levels.
“I think we’re doing a better job than we ever did,” he said.
Guest Opinion: Infrastructure is key to healthy, growing forests
April 20, 2015
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Federal authorities have made public the final management plan for six wilderness areas and 16 wild and scenic river segments in southwestern Idaho, starting a 30-day appeals process.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management on Monday published on the Federal Register the Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness and Wild & Scenic Rivers Management Plan.
The process allows for appeals to be made during the next 30 days concerning the state’s newest wilderness areas that include about 518,000 acres and 325 miles of wild and scenic river in Owyhee County. The six rugged areas became federally protected preserves in 2009 after U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, cobbled together a coalition of ranchers, wilderness advocates, outdoor enthusiasts and others in an effort called the Owyhee Initiative.
“This is certainly a milestone, and we’re looking forward to reviewing the document and seeing if it’s captured the intent of the Owyhee Initiative,” said John Robison of the Idaho Conservation League. “It’s the kind of wilderness area we’re going to keep as it is. Come if you’re up for it.”
The 99-page federal document contains rules ranging from floating on rivers, hunting and grazing livestock.
“The purpose is not to have improvements,” said MJ Byrne, spokeswoman for the Bureau of Land Management’s Boise District, who emphasized visitors need to be self-sufficient. “The purpose is to keep its wild, wilderness character.” Wilderness list & maps
Kevin Lewis of Idaho Rivers United said he hadn’t had time to review the document. Members of the Owyhee Cattlemen’s Association didn’t respond to emails from The Associated Press on Monday.
The sweeping land-use package added six wilderness areas and opened other previously off-limits areas to motorized recreation, livestock grazing and other activities. It also provided ranchers with cash and federal land in exchange for giving up private land and giving up grazing rights on some public land.
Grazing remains on portions of the wilderness, and there are both private and state land inholdings. Byrne said ranchers during the last five years have sold property that’s been added to the wilderness. Numbers weren’t available Monday.
Byrne also said Idaho and federal officials are working on a land swap to trade state land within the wilderness for federal land outside of it. But she described that process as in its formative stage.
While wilderness designations generally prohibit mechanized equipment, it will be allowed in some areas associated with pre-existing rights, the plan says. The final plan also prohibits goats as stock animals and domestic sheep grazing to protect California bighorns in the wilderness from potential diseases.
If an appeal is filed, the group filing the appeal has 30 days to supply a reason. Byrne said an appeal starts a review process.
The six wilderness areas are the 50,929-acre Little Jacks Creek Wilderness, the 12,533-acre Pole Creek Wilderness, the 42,413-acre North Fork Owyhee Wilderness, the 267,328-acre Owyhee River Wilderness, the 52,826-acre Big Jacks Creek Wilderness, and the 89,996-acre Bruneau-Jarbidge Rivers Wilderness.
Some areas are only about 45 minutes south of Boise, but other portions are more remote with little access. Byrne said it’s not clear if the wilderness designation increased travel to the area.
“(The plan) does provide for full stewardship of the treasure of the Owyhee Canyonlands,” Byrne said. “And they are treasures.”
Like many people, I was bewildered that U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch recently voted in favor of a resolution that could allow the transfer of federal lands to states.
For the record, I think it’s a long shot at best the federal government will ever transfer title of its lands, but I will get to that later. It still concerns me that Idaho’s two senators are deaf to Idahoans’ loud-and-clear message to protect and preserve our public lands.
It’s an issue that unites a bear hunter in Orofino with a backcountry skier in Ketchum. Both know how important those lands are to the fabric of Idaho’s communities. Public lands keep people grounded in rural communities and drive others to leave cities to recreate and renew themselves in Idaho’s backcountry. If there’s a non-debatable motherhood-and-apple-pie issue in Idaho, it ought to be public lands.
What’s equally baffling is why these two senators would vote for this misguided legislation. Both have shown leadership and wisdom in managing federal lands. Crapo spent years crafting a balanced and comprehensive package for the Owyhee Initiative that satisfied a broad swath of Idaho’s citizenry from ranchers to backpackers and ATV riders to bighorn sheep hunters.
“The best way to make decisions about our environment and land is through cooperation and collaboration, and we have done that with the Owyhee Initiative proposal,” Crapo said after its passage.
Now he seems to be favoring a hostile takeover instead of “cooperation and collaboration.”
As for Risch, during his brief stint as Idaho’s governor, he put to rest a decades-old struggle over Idaho’s roadless lands by making most of them off limits to intensive development while loosening restrictions that made some lands challenging to manage. The Clinton administration signed off on Risch’s plan, and many called it a model for other states to follow in dealing with their roadless federal lands.
Earlier this month in the Statesman, Crapo tried to explain his recent vote with the Republican majority in a party-line 51-49 vote by saying that laying the groundwork for transferring federal lands doesn’t mean he actually supports doing it. That sounds a lot like the squishy substance that sticks to my truck’s tires when I drive through a cow pasture.
Risch has been quiet about his vote. Maybe he’s hoping it will blow by like a spring rainstorm and the sun will keep shining in his political world, but I think there’s a bigger storm brewing than either realize.
If Western politicians want to hitch their wagon to a losing proposition, transferring or selling federal lands is it. I think it’s an issue that will goad apathetic voters to the polls and make people vote across party lines. Selling the Forest Service and BLM lands where Idahoans camp, fish, hunt, hike, ski, snowmobile, ride motorcycles, ATVs, mountain bikes and horses, where they go for picnics, Sunday drives and to pick huckleberries, is just a bad idea.
Sell off granny’s secret huckleberry spot at your own peril, senators.
The idea of federal lands being traded or sold off has been around since the 1970s during the failed “sagebrush rebellion.” It was a bad idea then, and I would venture it’s an even bigger loser now brought on by politicians a little too comfortable in their seats, or who are trying to make a name for themselves more for political reasons than practical ones.
Look at Texas senator and presidential candidate Ted Cruz, for example. He can pander to the Tea Party crowd without worrying about the backlash from his home state because Texas is less than 2 percent federal lands.
I expect this nonsense from the Statehouse. Demanding the feds to turn over about 62 percent of Idaho’s land it manages is good political theater. It may win votes in places like Custer County, where about 90 percent of the county is federally owned, and they aren’t happy with how it’s managed.
It’s a jaded, cynical attempt to turn back the clock. Because this isn’t about who owns the lands, it’s about how the lands are managed. There’s a sad sentiment that lingers among some Idahoans that if we could go back to Grandpa’s days, all would be good in Idaho. Mostly it’s in rural Idaho that has leaked jobs and population for decades, and the “Feds” are supposedly to blame.
That attitude has become toxic, and it’s what fuels people like Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy to nearly start a modern range war because he didn’t want to pay the federal government for grazing fees he owed.
It also ignores the fact that federal lands are owned by all Americans, not just those who live near them in the West. Show me the benefit of land transference to a family from back East who wants to go rafting on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. When they’re awed by the rugged, pristine beauty of the Middle Fork, I doubt they will clamor for the federal government to turn it over to the state.
Mainly, it won’t fly because it’s bad policy, and I think the majority of Idahoans will rise up and loudly reaffirm that. That’s not to say I have no gripes with the current management of federal lands. Most are under-managed, under-funded and borderline neglected. I think, even when we agree locally and nationally on what’s good management for federal lands, getting anything to change is a byzantine, glacial process mired in red tape.
But Crapo and Risch have shown the ability to navigate that bureaucracy and come out the other side with something lasting and meaningful that benefits Idahoans. It’s not easy, but it’s a better option than aligning with wingnuts and their hot-breathed, hostile-take-over rhetoric that’s doomed to failure because it’s a stupid, far-fetched idea borne out of frustration rather than reality.