Tag: Deschutes National Forest; Central Oregon News

No organized events, but Fish for Free Weekend still set for June 6-7

by
June 3, 2020

SALEM, Ore.—Fish for free in Oregon is set for this weekend.

No fishing licenses or tags (including a Combined Angling Tag or Columbia River Basin Endorsement or Two-Rod Validation) are required to fish, crab or clam in Oregon that weekend.

Although no licenses or tags are required, all other fishing regulations apply including closures, bag limits and size restrictions. See the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations to find out more and remember to check for any in season regulation changes at https://myodfw.com/recreation-report/fishing-report/

June’s Free Fishing Weekend is usually a special one for ODFW staff and fishing groups that host events all over the state, bringing all the gear newcomers need to try fishing.

Unfortunately, due to concerns and restrictions related to COVID-19, ODFW is not hosting or sponsoring any events this year.

A number of waterbodies are being stocked in advance of Free Fishing Weekend as in past years. (Due to concerns about crowding where fish are stocked, ODFW is not currently providing its trout stocking schedule or announcing which waterbodies are stocked.) Hatchery trout are a great fish for beginners and there are plenty of tips at MyODFW.com including a video series about How to fish for trout. Beginners can also consider warmwater fishing, which is a good opportunity during summer.

Nonresidents can also fish for free June 6-7, but there are still special restrictions on the coast. Currently, clamming is closed to nonresidents coastwide. Crabbing is open to nonresidents along most of the Coast but is closed to nonresidents in the Columbia River and in ocean areas north of Cape Falcon (nonresidents may crab in bays and estuaries north of Cape Falcon e.g. Necanium River estuary).

Both residents and nonresidents should follow ongoing precautions in place due the virus:

  • Check for access before you go. Many spots have reopened to public access but some may still be closed. Remember even if fishing is open, the boat ramp or park where you want to go might be closed. ODFW does not control access to land or facilities it doesn’t manage, so check with the land manager or facility owner where you want to go about what’s open before you leave home.
  • Stay home if you are sick.
  • Stick close to home. Don’t travel far to hunt, fish, clam or crab.
  • Be prepared. Restrooms and other facilities may be more limited. Bring your own soap, water, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, food, etc.
  • Avoid crowds. Go someplace else if your destination looks crowded.
  • Practice social distancing. Keep six feet between you and anyone who doesn’t live in your immediate household, including while on a boat or at a fish cleaning station.
  • Wash your hands often. Keep up on personal hygiene and bring your own water, soap, and hand sanitizer with you.
  • Pack out what you pack in. Take any garbage with you, including disposable gloves and masks.

If you are planning to crab or clam, remember to call the ODA Shellfish safety hotline at 1-800-448-2474​ or check ODA’s Recreational Shellfish page beforehand. The Oregon Department of Agriculture regularly tests shellfish and closes areas when naturally occurring biotoxins get to levels that make crabs and clams unsafe to eat.

COVER STORY: Iconic Smokey Statues Born in Bend

by
August 14, 2019

By Steve Kaufmann
Central Oregon Daily News

Some days at the office are a real bear.

“It’s really intricate work.”

But for Nolan Wilson and the team, that’s OK.

“So the bread and butter that anyone can’t miss is our statues,” Wilson said.

Life size monuments to special a bear.

“Smokey is so iconic.”

Seventy five years iconic.

“He is known. And he’s know for everything positive.”

Smokey Bear was brought to life in 1944, by the U.S. Forest Service as a way to educate the public on the dangers of wildfire.

The Smokey statues were born in Central Oregon 15 years ago at The Smokey Zone.

“There are 95 in the world.”

They are the creation of company founder Scott Wegner, who still paints the six foot fiberglass creatures at shop in Bend.

“The fur has multiple layers as well as his pants.  And then his eyeballs, weirdly enough, take the most because he’s got to be looking straight ahead being vigilant. And so the eyeballs take about an hour per eye, it’s just extremely detailed.”

A paint job that takes at least 15 hours.

“So our bears cost 89 hundred bucks. And it is a one of a kind, no two bears are similar just because of the hand painting that goes into it.”

A portion of the sales goes into fire prevention. The Smokey Zone creates the bears under a licensing agreement with the Department of Agriculture, who over sees the Forest Service.

“So it is a work of art and a living statue that people seem to gravitate towards.”

One thing that you might not notice, he’s got a flat head.

“And it would just sit on Smokey.”

But his message hasn’t fallen flat.

“The Smokey message is still the same as it was 75 years ago, trying to reduce the number of human stars we have across the nation,” said Jona Ensley, fire prevention specialist with the Deschutes National Forest. “You know 9 out of 10 of our fires are started by humans, so those are technically preventable starts, so still Smokey has some work to do and he’s still relevant.”

“You know it’s Smokey popping through the cellophane. So that ’s a cool little trick that I don’t think would work for every product, but it works for us.”

A little extra insurance.

“Leaving him out where the shipper can see him, we’ve never had one damaged.”

There is so much wrapped up in the image and message of Smokey that you might not think about the statue itself.

“It’s one of those where you drive past something and you’re like you never think how that got there.”

“He is definitely our mascot. He is one of the top three most recognizable mascots. He’s up there with Santa Clause and Mickey Mouse. It’s really cool that a Bend based company is providing a one of a kind stature for the world. We hear about it weekly, just about how cool it is to be able to walk up and greet Smokey.”

Making this job little more bearable.

 

COVER STORY: Iconic Smokey Statues Born in Bend

by
August 10, 2019

By Steve Kaufmann
Central Oregon Daily News

Some days at the office are a real bear.

“It’s really intricate work.”

But for Nolan Wilson and the team, that’s OK.

“So the bread and butter that anyone can’t miss is our statues,” Wilson said.

Life size monuments to special a bear.

“Smokey is so iconic.”

Seventy five years iconic.

“He is known. And he’s know for everything positive.”

Smokey Bear was brought to life in 1944, by the U.S. Forest Service as a way to educate the public on the dangers of wildfire.

The Smokey statues were born in Central Oregon fifteen years ago at The Smokey Zone.

“There are 95 in the world.”

They are the creation of company founder Scott Wegner, who still paints the six foot fiberglass creatures at shop in Bend.

“The fur has multiple layers as well as his pants.  And then his eyeballs, weirdly enough, take the most because he’s got to be looking straight ahead being vigilant. And so the eyeballs take about an hour per eye, it’s just extremely detailed.”

A paint job that takes at least 15 hours.

“So our bears cost 89 hundred bucks. And it is a one of a kind, no two bears are similar just because of the hand painting that goes into it.”

A portion of the sales goes into fire prevention. The Smokey Zone creates the bears under a licensing agreement with the Department of Agriculture, who over sees the Forest Service.

“So it is a work of art and a living statue that people seem to gravitate towards.”

One thing that you might not notice, he’s got a flat head.

“And it would just sit on Smokey.”

But his message hasn’t fallen flat.

“The Smokey message is still the same as it was 75 years ago, trying to reduce the number of human stars we have across the nation,” said Jona Ensley, fire prevention specialist with the Deschutes National Forest. “You know 9 out of 10 of our fires are started by humans, so those are technically preventable starts, so still Smokey has some work to do and he’s still relevant.”

“You know it’s Smokey popping through the cellophane. So that ’s a cool little trick that I don’t think would work for every product, but it works for us.”

A little extra insurance.

“Leaving him out where the shipper can see him, we’ve never had one damaged.”

There is so much wrapped up in the image and message of Smokey that you might not think about the statue itself.

“It’s one of those where you drive past something and you’re like you never think how that got there.”

“He is definitely our mascot. He is one of the top three most recognizable mascots. He’s up there with Santa Clause and Mickey Mouse. It’s really cool that a Bend based company is providing a one of a kind stature for the world. We hear about it weekly, just about how cool it is to be able to walk up and greet Smokey.”

Making this job little more bearable.

 

New Images Capture Local Historical Site

by
April 7, 2017

One of the country’s greatest national treasures is right in our own backyard. The Deschutes National Forest includes 1.6 million acres of public lands that allow people to walk, run and bike through the area.

As Central Oregon Daily’s Kelly Bleyer reports, a retired forest service worker has put together a new book of images that celebrates this local destination.