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The Fire District is hosting this Colestin Community Forum Page in
order to promote community here in the Colestin valley & Mt. Ashland
area, as well as to post announcements about local events and happenings
that are not officially part of fire district business, but which
are of general benefit to our whole community.
Deer Disease Presence & Control[This information from the OR Dept. of Fish & Wildlife was provided to CRFD courtesy of Lisa Buttrey. We are re-publishing her email of June 18, 2009, verbatim here:] "Deer disease presence & control - Spread the word!" "Hello Volunteers and Neighbors, "In recent days several deer have been found dead in the Colestin. One was taken to the Forensics lab in Ashland for testing and I spoke with Steve Niemela at Oregon Dept of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW) for details about the forensic findings and about what we humans can do. "The deer are succumbing to Adenovirus Hemorrhagic disease. It is passed deer to deer in saliva or by nose to nose contact. This disease can be a serious threat to deer populations and was responsible for many deer deaths in Ashland last year and also for an [sic] decade long precipitous decline in deer populations in our southern Oregon area starting in the 90s (in the past 5 years or so, populations have been increasing). "What can we do? "There is no cure for the disease, but there are a few simple steps we can take to not exacerbate the problem. "1) DO NOT FEED DEER. Anything that brings deer together in unnatural congregations can promote the spread of the disease. REMOVE SALT LICKS used by deer. "2) Report any sickly or dead deer to ODFW. For Oregon residents call Steve below, or if he is not available, anyone in the office will do. In the case of California residents, also to California authorities. Sickly deer may be listless to the point of paralysis, have bloody diarrhea, or some Colestin residents saw frothing at the mouth. "3) If you find a dead deer, best practice is to bury it to avoid any other deer coming into contact with it. It is also possible to take the carcass to the Valley View Transfer station. You may be assessed the regular dumping fee, or they may waive the fee. Please do not cross the CA - OR stateline with a diseased carcass! "Steve Niemela "Thank you, "Lisa Buttrey."
Community announcement: Cougar Alert Update
While the cougars' own food prey is now in greater abundance with the fall season, they are still around in our area. (Last year, a Mail Tribune news report mentioned that this could be because of a new parasite-carried virus that has been discovered to be affecting cougars in the past few years.) During the past year, new sightings have occurred, indicating the continued need for personal vigilance when outdoors. This means our pets, livestock, and our children remain at risk. Cougar problems last fall included a cougar in the lower Hilt area, and another one near the Mt. Ashland ski road. This is in addition to a cougar that was killed last fall as it stalked and attacked livestock in the lower Colestin area. During the 2002-3 winter and spring a year ago, there were six known incidents of domestic pet killings attributable to cougars. Other pets and livestock were stalked and threatened. Most of these incidents were within close range of district residences, two occurring on home porches. (Previous Summary - October, 2003): Over the past several months, there have been five known incidents of domestic pet killings. Other pets and livestock, including a horse, have been stalked and threatened. Some of these incidents have been very recent, and all have been within close range of district residences, two occurring just outside of homes on porches.Most recently, a cougar sighting was reported in early May by John Connors in the lower Colestin area off of the main road near Spaulding Creek Road (just north of the SS Bar Ranch Road) on the California side of the State line. The sighting occurred after dark in the evening, and involved a cat of undetermined gender appearing near a back porch. No animals/pets were disturbed. Cougar tracks were positively identified at this property on the following day. Within the same time frame, David Stan also reported finding fresh cougar tracks at his property in the same vicinity, but without a sighting. Previously, a cougar incident occurred in the early morning hours
of the night just before 3 a.m., on Saturday, April 12th. A cougar
attacked and killed another neighborhood dog, belonging to Jacek and
Michelle Zagorski, who live to the southeast of the SS Bar Ranch buildings
near Hilt. Several more cougars are thought to still be at large
in our area, including a female with cubs. The Colestin - Mt. Ashland
area has two known cougar dens, one in the south-west end of the valley
and one near the Siskiyou Summit near the Tunnel 13 area.
In Oregon, a property owner may track and shoot a mountain lion / cougar that is causing damage on your own property, without a permit. You must bring the carcass to the Department for these authorities to take data on the animal. In California a permit is required to shoot a cougar, and the permit process is somewhat complicated, but begins with reporting incidences of suspected mountain lion damage.
A related story concerning cougars appeared in the Thurs., October 30th, 2003, edition of the Mail Tribune, entitled, "Hunters kill cougars for protection."
"Oregonians shoot an average of two dozen cougars
annually
Number of Cougar Encounters Rises
February 3, 2003 - 3 AM, Fire Station One:"I awoke to the horrible sounds of an animal being attacked, but when we investigated that night we could find nothing. By daylight we found blood and fur, but no remains of our dog have ever been found. Professional hunters have investigated and found sparse evidence of mountain lion tracks in the area. The tracks suggested a mother and two cubs. Pets are easy prey, especially at this time of year when the deer aren't back up valley yet, and the cubs are being schooled on how to hunt." --Elizabeth Morgan February 12, 2003 - 1 AM, Southeastern valley:"Our dog Maple
went missing the early morning (1:00 am) of February 12. My other
dog was barking constantly and frantically for over an hour. I did
not hear anything before the dog was barking, but I was sound asleep.
I searched but never found any trace of the missing dog. She was small,
maybe about 20-25 pounds. Early March, 2003 - Night, Southwestern Valley:"We ourselves
haven't had any actual actual attacks here. What has occurred, though,
is that a gravesite of a goat that died this past December was dug
back up, and the carcass was eaten into. (I was not able to bury the
body sufficiently in December, due to mud; for the time being, it
was only covered by about 8-10 inches of soil with a sheet of old
plywood over that.) I found this out about 4 days ago when I noticed
that the ground at that site had been disturbed. The stomache area
(main body flesh and innards) was eaten out of the skeletal frame
of the body; the extremities and head were left alone. This is, in
Christy Lehman's experience, the exact type of behavior exhibited
by cougars on carcasses. February 20, 2003 - Night and Day, Southwestern valley:"On Thursday Feb. 20th our dog Shasta mysteriously disappeared during the night. We called our neighbors and posted a notice on the bulletin board. No one ever saw her. We did not find a carcass of any kind. However, we did hike around looking for any signs of her. We found only mountain lion tracks and scat. A week later our other dog Ashley disappeared while eating breakfast
in front of the shop. We also searched for her and called the neighbors.
This time I saw the mountain lion through the bushes twice at the
same location. I called California Fish and Game and was informed
that I had a right to protect my property but that I could not hunt
it and that they would only intervene when livestock was damaged.
Cougar Behavior and Biology(most of this info comes from www.atasteofeldorado.com) Mountain lions (Felis Concolor) are the largest native North American cat except for the slightly larger jaguar. They are primarily nocturnal, shy, elusive, and solitary (except during the breeding season and when young are traveling with the female). They are very fast over a short distance, but due to relatively small lung capacity, cannot run great distances. They are agile tree climbers. Males are generally larger than females averaging 130 to 150 pounds
and 72-90 inches in length. Females average 65-90 pounds. Pads on
the forefeet are larger than those on the hind feet. Heel pads on
both the fore and hind feet have a distinctive three-lobed appearance.
Claw marks seldom show in cougar tracks. They have also been known to prey on beaver, porcupines, rabbits, skunks, domestic livestock, pets, and other small mammal, birds, and even fish. Larger animals are usually killed by a bite to the back of the neck. Lions usually remove the viscera and eat the heart, liver and lungs first. Uneaten portions of prey are often cached (covered with vegetation, dirt, snow, or other debris). These food sources are generally fed upon until consumed or they spoil. Lions generally move the carcass and re-cover it after each feeding. Dens can be found in any concealed, sheltered spot. Male lions roam widely, females less widely, especially when the cubs are small. Adult male home ranges often encompass more than 100 square miles. Adult males use their hind feet to scrape duff into a small pile to declare their territory. These scrapes or 'scratches' are often 6-12 feet wide. Females generally occupy ranges from 20-60 square miles. Females breed first at two or three years old, then every 18-20 months thereafter. Young may be born at any time of the year; the gestation period is 88-97 days. Litters range from one to six, generally two or three. Juvenile markings (spots) disappear by fifteen months.
Safety Tips for Living in Lion Country DON'T FEED WILDLIFE: By feeding deer, raccoons, or other wildlife
in your yard, you will inadvertently attract mountain lions, which
prey upon them. 'DEER-PROOF' YOUR LANDSCAPE: Avoid using plants that deer prefer
to eat; if your landscaping attracts deer, mountain lions may be close
by. Fence your yard with see-through fencing material to keep deer
out and pets from roaming. LANDSCAPE FOR SAFETY: Remove dense and/or low-lying vegetation that
would provide good hiding places for mountain lions, especially around
children's play areas; make it difficult for mountain lions to approach
your yard unseen. INSTALL OUTDOOR LIGHTING: Keep the perimeter of your house well lit
at night - especially along walkways - to keep lions visible. COVER YOUR GARBAGE: Store garbage in cans with tight-fitting lids
so odors do not attract small mammals. KEEP PETS SECURE: Roaming pets are easy prey for hungry lions. Especially
at night, either bring pets inside or keep them in a kennel with a
secure top. Fence your yard with see-through fencing material. Don't
feed pets outside; this can attract other mountain lion prey. KEEP LIVESTOCK SECURE: Where practical, place livestock in enclosed
sheds and barns at night (especially during calving or lambing seasons)
and be sure to secure all outbuildings. Consider getting a trained
livestock guard dog. KEEP CHILDREN SAFE: Keep a close watch on children whenever they play outdoors. Make sure children are inside between dusk and dawn. Teach your children what to do if they encounter a lion.
What should you do or not do, when approached by a mountain
lion? DO NOT HIKE ALONE: Go in groups, with adults supervising children. KEEP CHILDREN CLOSE TO YOU: Observations of captured wild mountain
lions reveal that the animals seem especially drawn to children. Keep
children within your sight at all times. DON'T JOG IN THE FOREST: Running may trigger an attack. DO NOT APPROACH A LION: Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation.
Give them a way to escape. DO NOT RUN FROM A LION: Running may stimulate a mountain lion's instinct
to chase. Instead, stand and face the animal. Make eye contact. If
you have small children with you, pick them up if possible so they
don't panic and run. Although it may be awkward, pick them up without
bending over or turning away from the mountain lion. DO NOT CROUCH OR BEND OVER: In Nepal, a researcher studying tigers
and leopards watched the big cats kill cattle and domestic water buffalo
while ignoring humans standing nearby. He surmised that a human standing
up is just not the right shape for a cat's prey. On the other hand,
a person squatting or bending over looks a lot like a four-legged
prey animal. If you're in mountain lion country, avoid squatting,
crouching or bending over, even when picking up children. DO ALL YOU CAN DO TO APPEAR LARGER: Raise your arms. Open your jacket
if you are wearing one. Again, pick up small children. If the animal
does not flee and shows signs of aggression (crouching with ears back,
teeth bared, hissing, tail twitching and hind feet pumping in preparation
to jump) be more assertive. Throw stones, branches, or whatever you
can reach without crouching or turning your back. Wave your arms slowly
and speak firmly in a loud voice. The idea is to convince the mountain
lion that you are not prey and that you may be a danger to it. FIGHT BACK IF ATTACKED: A hiker in Southern California used a rock
to fend off a mountain lion that was attacking his son. Others have
fought back successfully with sticks, caps, jackets, garden tools
and their bare hands. Since a mountain lion usually tries to bite
the head or neck, try to remain standing and face the attacking animal. REPORT ANY INCIDENT TO THE PROPER AUTHORITIES: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (541) 826-8774 or California Department of Fish and Game (530) 225-2300. In Oregon, a property owner may shoot a mountain lion that is causing damage [on their own property], without a permit. You must bring the carcass to the Department for them to take data on the animal. In California the process is more complicated, but it begins with reporting incidences of suspected mountain lion damage.
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Mountain lions are mainly nocturnal, preferring to hunt at night.
Deer are their favorite prey.