Columbia Gorge News

VILSACK TO MAKE ANNOUNCEMENT JULY 8

Updated July 7, 1 am: Baucus Continues to Support Open Fields.

Nobody ever accused the federal government of moving rapidly, even with congressionally mandated programs. And the long-ago approved new hunting access program called Open Fields is excellent testimony to that axiom.

After an extensive lobbying campaign by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited and many other conservation groups, Congress included $50 million in the 2008 Farm Bill for Open Fields, a new, innovative program to help fund dwindling public access to private lands, perhaps the greatest threat to the sport of hunting in this country. 

WHICH LURES REALLY WORK

Most anglers know how predacious northern pike can be. They’ve probably heard those wild stories about monster pike gobbling up a swimming squirrel or choking trying to swallow a fish slightly smaller than itself.

And it’s true--on some days, that is. When they’re hot, they’re hot; you can throw virtually any lure, any size, any color out there, and water wolf will attack it. Regrettably, though, that isn’t always the case--not even often the case. On certain days, even in the best pike water, those toothy predators can be quite picky, and you have to work at finding something they want.

Fee Repeal and Expanded Access Act

Now, it’s four out of four in Idaho and Montana.

On Friday, Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) joined Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Montana’s Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester, both Democrats, in co-sponsoring S. 868, the Fee Repeal and Expanded Access Act, which would repeal most provisions of the Federal Lands Recreational Enhancement Act (FLREA), the law federal agencies use to charge fees for accessing public lands.

MORE ON THE NEVERENDING STORY

For about three years now, I’ve been wondering how something so easy to do just can’t seem to get done.

Pro-wolf and anti-wolf groups really aren’t that far apart on a compromise that could end the seemingly endless wolf debate and allow all of us to move forward. Yet, nobody, I guess, wants risk showing weakness by making the first move. So I will. I’m weak. I’m blinking. I’m saying let’s settle this now.

GUEST COMMENTARY

Over the last few years I’ve noticed something interesting about our ongoing climate change discussions. It used to be that logic and knowledge were the keys. We looked at the best available science, weighed the predicted costs of action versus the predicted costs of inaction, and then considered the most appropriate alternatives. Businesses use this kind of approach all the time. It’s called a “cost-benefit analysis.”

Recently, though, our climate discussions have slowed and even stalled. Not because of the science, which remains irrefutable, or because of the proposed solutions, which are generally still feasible, but because so-called climate skeptics are doing their best to muddy the water and raise doubts about the issue.

HOPPY BIRTHDAY

We’ve all heard about the Tea Party and its politically conservative approach that blames government in general and Democrats in particular for all the nation’s problems.

Now, in response, we have the Coffee Party emerging to applaud more liberal views, such as viewing government as merely an expression of our collective will, so it sort of seems like it should be named the Espresso Party. Anyway, it already has 350 coffee shops signed up in 44 states.

Now, I’m hearing rumblings of another new political party starting up, one that might really solve the many troubles that threaten to sink the greatest nation on earth, the Microbrew Party. It doesn’t have a website yet, or staff, promotional webcasts, offices, or anything formal, so lots more news to break in coming months, but here’s what I’ve heard so far.

HE HAS A POINT, NOT UNDER HIS CAP, BUT ON HIS FLY

Somebody has to stand up for the beleaguered northern pike, the amazing game fish we love to hate. It might as well be me.

My fellow NewWestie, Bob Wire, is a great writer, and I almost always applaud his aggressive views on whatever subject strikes his fancy at particular moment--guns, health clubs, football, whatever. I like it. But not this week when Bob wrote a lengthy condemnation of one of my favorite game fish, the northern pike. You might want to read it first (click here) and then come back for my pushback.

NOT THE "CHANGE" WE EXPECTED

“Change We Need.” You remember it, right? Heard it at least a thousand times, correct?

But based on recent events, Barack Obama’s campaign slogan should’ve been “No Change Needed” because public land users have all been short-changed again by the Forest Service (FS) with full support of the new administration.

Critics of the Federal Land Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA) or Recreation Access Tax (RAT), as we call it, have been quick to blame it on the evil, pro-privatization, environmental unfriendly Bushies, so I guess it’s a real shock to us to see the Obama administration making no change at all in the defense of the aggressive implementation of maligned law.

NO TIME FOR MORE ECONOMIC STRESS

UPDATED,, March 17:

As reported here on NewWest.Net on January 28, the Forest Service (FS) has decided to take back discounts promised to elderly and disabled public land users.

To that, all four members of the Idaho Congressional delegation say, whoa, partner, not so fast on that one.

GUEST COMMENTARY

Editor’s Note: Two weeks ago I posted a hard-hitting column about recreation fees leading to privatization of our public lands and how the Forest Service facilitates the process by turning over management of so many campgrounds and other recreation areas to private concessionaires. After this commentary went online, I was contacted by Warren Meyer, who runs one of the major companies involved in private management of public recreation. He made some good points, and I asked him to write this guest commentary so you can see the other side of this issue.--Bill Schneider

I know there has been a lot of concern about the role of private recreation businesses on public lands, and the relation this might have to the expansion of recreation fees. As the head of one of the larger Forest Service campground concession companies, I wanted to address some of these issues.