chrisssteeven

We have a deer proof fence around the food plots. With the deer populations we have, they would destroy it in a matter of days. The bottom third of the fence is seperate or hinged so we can fold it upwards when we want the deer to enter. I would say the bottom piece needs to be 24" ..

I have a simple Chukar recipe that will prolly work as well with pheasant. Clean the bird(s) and quarter. Put the pieces in a baking pan with sides. Cake pan works. Put in a can of cream of chicken soup. Cream of mushroom is Ok, too. Mix the soup with water, not milk. Dunno why. Milk may work, too, but tastes fine with water and less fat. Cover with foil. Bake at 250 F until bird is cooked through. Maybe 2 hours. Serve with steamed rice. The soup makes a nice gravy for the bird & rice.

I can sympathize with the problem State Wildlife agencies face: increasing costs and demands on services while research and historical data makes it clear harvests need to be reduced IF viable wildlife populations are to be maintained. If you look at the additional hunts that have been instituted by Oregon over the past 8 years, most in direct violation of the current Mule Deer Management Plan adopted in 2003, almost every one of them was generated by upper level staff and management, not as a result of pressure from hunters. Same thing with the relaxation of rules rgarding purchase of tags and licenses, using two fishing poles, etc. All of these changes to policy and seasons were instituted to maximize income potential, to the detriment of he resource, in my view. As to a broader funding base, if you really think that is possible, you have been smoking too many funny cigarettes. Both the Oregonian and Portland Tribune carried articles this week about the coming giant gap between funding and current program expenses that Oregon faces over the next six years. It is much more likely that year-end balances in the Wildlife fund, Access and Habitat fund etc will be stolen to help fill general fund shortfalls than that we can expect any additional support outside of hunter dollars. I think it is also likely that Pittman-Robertson funds will suffer the same fate from the feds once Social Security and Medicare expenses exceed income, currently scheduled to happen in 2016.

I am a cyclist as well as a walker. Personally, I'd be extremely unlikely to attempt to cycle to the top of a mountain but I don't have any objection to other people doing so as long as they don't pose a risk to walkers or do undue damage to the ground. Re walking/cycling combined routes in general - e.g. the Kennet and Avon canal towpath - my view is that when I'm walking the cyclists are a nuisance and when I'm cycling the walkers are a nuisance !!!