CHUBBUCK — Officials at the Oregon Trail Range on 2 1/2 Mile Road are alerting members to be on the lookout for anybody causing intentional damage to the gun range.

An email sent out this week by the Gate City Sport Shooting Association said the left hand post in the 25-yard bay was shot three times by a range member with a high-powered, large-bore firearm.

The email said the damage was intentionally inflicted and asked range members to report anybody who is deliberately damaging property at the range.

If anybody sees damage being inflicted, officials with the gun range are advising them to write down the vehicle license plate number and the make and model of the vehicle, or take a picture of the license plate with a cellphone. Members should also document and take a photo of the damage.

If members know the person inflicting the damage, they should note the name, the damages and the date and time.

Members can report any damages by sending an email to GateCitySSA@gmail.com or by contacting a board of director.

Federal officials have agreed to settle a lawsuit with environmental groups that prevents domestic sheep from grazing in Eastern Idaho until a scientific study addressing how they might threaten bighorn sheep with deadly diseases is completed.

The U.S. Forest Service last week agreed with the Western Watersheds Project and WildEarth Guardians to prohibit domestic sheep owned by the University of Idaho from grazing via permits issued to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Sheep Experiment Station.

“It’s a significant step forward for bighorn sheep to have these allotments remain unused by domestic sheep until the agency does a thorough environmental analysis,” said Laurie Rule, an attorney for Advocates For The West representing the groups.

Court documents say the lawsuit will be dismissed unless the American Sheep Industry Association, which intervened in the case, files an objection by July 27. Chase Adams, senior policy and information director for the association, said Tuesday the association is consulting with its attorneys.

The lawsuit filed in October challenges the Forest Service’s authorization of the grazing allotments in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, an area also used by a herd of about 36 South Beaverhead Rocky Mountain bighorns. The federal court in November issued a temporary injunction preventing domestic sheep from being released into the area last fall and winter.

U.S. Forest Service officials did not return a phone message seeking comment on Tuesday. University of Idaho officials had no immediate comment on the lawsuit, said spokesman Brad Gary.

The domesticated sheep have grazed in the area cited by environmentalists for years. The sheep station conducts agricultural research and operates on about 75 square miles in Idaho. It also grazes sheep on federal public land in Idaho and Montana.

That public land includes the Snakey Canyon and Kelley Canyon grazing allotments on the southern end of the Beaverhead Mountains west of Dubois, Idaho, where 2,200 sheep are permitted to graze.

The sheep station has operated for about a century. Environmentalists have filed previous lawsuits over the grazing areas in the region that are in a key east-west wildlife corridor in the Centennial Mountains between Yellowstone National Park and rugged central Idaho lands.

A 392-pound male grizzly bear being tracked by researchers disappeared in September 2012 from sheep station property. Its collar was later found hidden under a rock in a creek. The body of the bear was never found.

This year at the SHOT Show, I noticed a new company named Riton USA (pronounced right-on) and got interested in their products. Before long, I was testing out on their scopes and binoculars.

I’m testing a Mossberg Patriot Revere, and I’m going to be using it this year for coyote, hog, axis deer, bear and maybe elk hunting, so I went with their RT-S MOD 5 4-16×50 scope. When you pick one up, you’ll notice that it is heavier than the average scope that size. In talking to Riton USA National Director of Sales Todd Neice, he told me that is because the tubes are 20 percent thicker.

On a good week of elk hunting, if I’m not falling six to 10 times, then I’m not in very good elk country. I understand trying to make everything lightweight for when you’re sucking wind while climbing steep ridges, but I think some trends to get lighter have gone overboard to the detriment of the product. When I fall, my scope is falling with me, so I need a tough scope. I guess I can live with a little heavier scope if it makes it more durable.

Riton USA was founded by law enforcement and military veterans and is an American-owned company, even though their optics are produced in Japan. They state that they offer the highest quality optics at the most competitive prices matched with incredible customer service. If your scope breaks, they replace it with a new one. And they shoot for a 48-hour turnaround time.

Here’s a quote off of their website: “We are dedicated to the pursuit of precision in everything we do. Using only the best materials and most innovative technology, we have created an unrivaled line of optics that delivers on performance and value. … Our motto is PURSUIT of PRECISION OPTICS for ALL.” And they go on to say, “We promise to make the highest quality optics at a price point that hardworking people can afford. We will beat the competition on quality, warranty, customer service and value for money every time.”

Riton USA was established in 2013 in Tucson, Arizona. For that new of a company, they are making their presence known fast.

They’re first focal plane, which means as you adjust the power, the reticle stays proportional in size according to the perspective of the deer. So when you crank it up to 16x, the cross hair isn’t as thick as the deer’s body in your scope.

The reticles have tic marks on them. A tic is 2-MOA’s at 100 yards at full power. That way you don’t have to stop and calibrate how many clicks to adjust for a long shot. Wide FOV stands for “wide field of view” and means they have a 20 percent wider field of view.

Last week, my buddy Ron Spomer and I had a lot of rifles and ammo to test so we took my Mossberg out on the prairies to sight it in. We bore sighted it with a Site Mark Laser Bore sight and then did the final tuning in. I like the crispness of the scope.

After sighting in, Ron conducted a test. His first shot was on 4-power, second on 8x, third 12x and the fourth 16x. He obtained the same grouping that I had been getting, which proved that the point of impact did not deviate when changing the power. That’s obviously a big deal.

So, if you’re in the market for a new scope, check out Riton USA.

Tom Claycomb lives in Idaho and has outdoors columns in newspapers in Alaska, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Colorado and Louisiana. He also writes for various outdoors magazines and teaches outdoors seminars at stores like Cabela’s, Sportsman’s Warehouse and Bass Pro Shop.

COEUR D’ALENE (AP) — Idaho officials say more boats carrying invasive mussels have been intercepted at inspection stations so far this year than for the entire boating seasons in each of the last five years.

Nick Zurfluh of the Idaho State Department of Agriculture says 41,000 inspections have found 36 watercraft with mussels.

Quagga and zebra mussels can clog water pipes, damage boat motors and affect other aquatic life.

Zurfluh tells the Coeur d’Alene Press in a story on Thursday that so far there have been no confirmed mussel infestations in Idaho.

State officials say it could cost the state $100 million annually in damage and lost revenue if mussels infest Idaho’s water.

Idaho Power stocked Milner Reservoir with more than 20,000 channel catfish on June 27, according to a news release from Idaho Power. The annual stocking event provides anglers a chance to catch a catfish with a $50 reward tag.

Most of the fish released into Milner Reservoir range from 6 to 12 inches long. Channel catfish grow quickly and holdover fish from previous stockings could exceed 20 inches in length and weigh up to 10 pounds. Some of the fish stocked in previous years could also have a $50 reward tag.

This year marks the third and final season that Idaho Power, working in conjunction with the Idaho Department of Fish & Game, is including tagged fish among those being released. Anglers who catch tagged fish can report them by calling 1-866-258-0338 or visiting tag.idaho.gov.

The cash rewards are part of a study by Idaho Power and IDFG to track how many anglers fish for and catch channel catfish in Milner Reservoir. The company follows all applicable IDFG regulations with its fish-planting operations.

This is the 27th year Idaho Power has stocked catfish in Milner Reservoir. There is boat access to the reservoir at the following locations:

• Lex Kunau Park boat ramp near the Highway 27 Bridge in Burley
• North Freedom Park boat ramp near the Highway 30 Bridge in Heyburn
• Bureau of Land Management access near Milner Dam on the south side of the reservoir

There is also bank access to the reservoir, but it is limited because of private land.

The fish release is part of Idaho Power’s requirements to enhance public recreation as part of its federal license to operate the 59.4-megawatt hydroelectric generation facility at Milner Dam. The dam was originally built in 1905. Idaho Power has operated the power plant there since 1992.

POCATELLO — Bikers, skateboarders, rollerbladers and any other outdoor enthusiasts in just a few weeks will have a new section of the Portneuf Greenway to enjoy.

The Portneuf Greenway Foundation announced Tuesday that the next major part of the greenway trail system generally known as the Interstate 15 corridor project is under construction and should be complete by the first of September.

“We have been working with our partners in the community for several years to pull this project together,” said Dan Harelson, the projects manager for the Portneuf Greenway Foundation. “It’s very gratifying to see the equipment here on site building this major extension of the Greenway along I-15.”

Harelson said it’s the first step in creating trail that will connect the Highland Area and the Wellness Complex south to Idaho State University and the Edson Fichter Nature Area.

The I-15 corridor project involves taking the existing Marshal-Racine section of the Portneuf Greenway and extending it south for almost a mile from the Monte Vista Overpass, which runs parallel to I-15, up to the Farm Bureau Insurance building.

In addition, Farm Bureau Insurance will also pave a section of trail on their property to provide a complete route from Monte Vista to Tierra Drive and then on to Center Street.

This paved multi-use non-motorized trail will be 10 feet wide and is being constructed by the DL Beck Company. It will also be built in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

Rory Erchul, president of the Portneuf Greenway Foundation, said “Our community supporters have been key to making this trail system a reality and I would especially like to thank Idaho Farm Bureau Insurance for their support.”

“The Greenway would not have received the grant funding needed to build this important route if Idaho Farm Bureau Insurance had not opened their employee trail to the public and allowed the Greenway to connect with it,” Erchul said. “I feel proud to live in a community where we can work together to make Pocatello an even better place to live and work.”

Erchul said the city of Pocatello sponsored the project by coordinating the construction bids and the Marshall and Racine families granted easements across their property for the trail.

“The city has been a tremendous partner over the years,” Erchul said.

In addition to grants from the Idaho Department of Transportation and the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, the I-15 corridor project had numerous community members contribute matching funds to the Portneuf Greenway Foundation.

Erchul said various donors include the Ifft Foundation, Keller Engineering, Idaho Community Bank, Idaho Central Credit Union, Farm Bureau Insurance, Paul Link and several others who wished to remain anonymous.

“Right now we have about 15 miles of paved greenway trail in Pocatello,” Erchul said. “Our capital investment plan has roughly 27 miles in it and this I-15 corridor project should be about four or five miles.”

Erchul continued, “This one-mile section should be done by September, but we would like to see the entire corridor completed by 2022.”

The Greenway Foundation has recently engaged Chubbuck officials in conversations about future expansion of the trail system further north, Erchul added.

In addition to being a fun outdoors activity for the whole family, Erchul said that a successful greenway trail system provides people with an alternative means for transportation and is also an economic driver for the area.

“Thousands of communities from Idaho Falls and Boise to Austin in Texas or Oklahoma City in Oklahoma have greenway trail systems,” Erchul said. “And every single person that I have spoke with said they love what the trail system does for their city. Why should Pocatello be any different?”

In addition to the construction of the I-15 corridor greenway section, Erchul said the foundation is gearing up for one of its two annual fundraisers. Those who would like to support the Portneuf Greenway Foundation and its future endeavors are invited to Riverfest at Lower Ross Park on Saturday, Aug. 18, from 3 p.m. until 10 p.m.

A typical outdoor festival with music in the park, Riverfest is hosted in conjunction with Zoo Idaho’s Ice Cream Zoofari at the zoo earlier in the day from 12 to 4 p.m.

POCATELLO — Bicyclists, skateboarders, rollerbladers and other outdoor enthusiasts will soon have a new paved section of the Portneuf Greenway trail system to enjoy.

The Portneuf Greenway Foundation announced Tuesday that its Interstate 15 corridor project — the next major part of its paved trail system — is now under construction and should be completed by Sept. 1.

The $355,000 section of trail now under construction will connect the Monte Vista Drive/Interstate 15 overpass with East Center Street. It is the first step in creating a lengthy trail that will connect Pocatello’s Highland High School area and the Portneuf Wellness Complex, both on the city’s north side, with Idaho State University and south Pocatello’s Edson Fichter Nature Area, according to Dan Harelson, the projects manager for the Portneuf Greenway Foundation. 

“We have been working with our partners in the community for several years to pull this project together,” Harelson said. “It’s very gratifying to see the equipment here on site building this major extension of the Greenway along I-15.”

The Greenway Foundation’s Interstate 15 corridor project involves taking the existing Marshall-Racine section of the Portneuf Greenway trail, which runs parallel to Interstate 15 north of the Idaho Farm Bureau Insurance building, and extending it south for almost a mile from the Monte Vista Drive/Interstate 15 overpass. The work that began this week will build a new section of paved trail from the overpass south to the Farm Bureau Insurance building.

The Farm Bureau will then pave a section of trail from its property to East Center Street, meaning that when the corridor project is completed by Sept. 1 there will be a paved trail from the Monte Vista/Interstate 15 overpass all the way to East Center. 

This paved multi-use non-motorized trail will be 10 feet wide and is being constructed by the DL Beck Co. of Rexburg. It will be built in accordance with Americans with Disabilities Act standards, the Greenway Foundation reported.

Rory Erchul, president of the Portneuf Greenway Foundation, said “Our community supporters have been key to making this trail system a reality and I would especially like to thank Idaho Farm Bureau Insurance for their support.”

Erchul said Idaho Farm Bureau Insurance’s willingness to be part of the project made it possible for the necessary grant funding to be obtained to complete the work.

“I feel proud to live in a community where we can work together to make Pocatello an even better place to live and work,” Erchul said.

Erchul said the city of Pocatello sponsored the project by coordinating the construction bids and the Marshall and Racine families granted easements on their properties for the new section of trail.

“The city has been a tremendous partner over the years,” Erchul added.

In addition to grants from the Idaho Department of Transportation and Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, the Interstate 15 corridor project was aided by numerous community members, organizations and businesses contributing matching funds to the Portneuf Greenway Foundation.

Erchul said the various donors included the Ifft Foundation, Keller Engineering, Idaho Central Credit Union, Farm Bureau Insurance, Paul Link and several others who wished to remain anonymous.

Erchul said thus far there are about 15 miles of paved Greenway Foundation trails in Pocatello, with plans to eventually add another 27 miles.

Erchul said the Greenway Foundation would like to have the Highland High School area and Portneuf Wellness Complex connected via trail to ISU and the Edson Fichter Nature Area by 2022.  

The Greenway Foundation is also talking to Chubbuck officials about expanding the Greenway trail system into that city, Erchul said.

The Greenway Foundation’s trail system enhances Pocatello’s outdoor recreation offerings, provides people with an alternative thoroughfare to travel in the city, and represents an attractive feature for prospective residents and businesses looking to possibly relocate here, Erchul said.

“Thousands of communities from Idaho Falls and Boise to Austin in Texas or Oklahoma City in Oklahoma have greenway trail systems,” Erchul said. “And every single person that I have spoke with said they love what the trail system does for their city. Why should Pocatello be any different?”

In addition to the construction of the new section of trail along Interstate 15, Erchul said the Greenway Foundation is gearing up for one of its biggest annual fundraisers. Those who would like to support the Portneuf Greenway Foundation and its future endeavors are invited to Riverfest at Lower Ross Park from 3 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Aug. 18.

The youngest motocross stars in Driggs are heading back to Tennessee this month for the amateur national championship.

Last year Max Daniels, who is now 7 years old, raced nationals at the historic Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. This year he’ll be joined by his twin brother Luke. Their older brother Davis is also an alternate this year.

Max and Luke qualified for the event, which the largest amateur motocross race in the world, by placing first and fourth respectively at a Horn Rapids race in Washington last month.

The boys have been riding and racing for a long time, given their young age. They spend a lot of time training on moto tracks in Idaho Falls and Salmon, where their grandparents live. Their dad Dan maintains their bikes, gives them pointers, and rides with them, while their mom Leilani is in charge of feeding, cheering, taking pictures, cleaning, and other essential tasks.

Racing is almost like a part-time job; Leilani works at Teton Valley Community School during the week then the family hits the road with their toy hauler every Friday to travel to events around the region.

The diminutive daredevils’ favorite part of racing is hitting jumps. The twins both ride a 55cc, while Davis races on a 65cc bike. Max is proud to say he’s pretty good at getting the hole shot, meaning he’s frequently first off the start line.

It’s been a muddy year of racing so far, which is both bad and good; muddy conditions make the tracks much more challenging for the boys, but it’s good practice for the Tennessee course, which is often wet.

The Loretta Lynn Ranch only opens its track to motocross racing once per year, and Leilani said the whole six-day event is amazing; a small city pops up that is dedicated to dirt bikes and everyone brings golf carts to travel around the ranch.

“Racing is only one small part of the experience,” she said. “It’s definitely about southern hospitality.”

There are food vendors, music shows, and sponsorship events. The boys’ favorite part of last year’s nationals was tubing down the creek and playing on a rope swing.

Only 42 racers from across the country qualify for each category, which means the boys are in elite company and will be lining up against more than double the number of competitors they usually encounter. Luke and Max have lofty goals of placing well in the pack but their mom said they also have great attitudes and understand that riding safely and skillfully is the best way to succeed.

These trips aren’t cheap. While the boys receive generous parts discounts and gear sponsorship, travel expenses add up for the family. That’s why they created their T-Rex Moto-X brand. The boys came up with the simple but deeply awesome logo of a tyrannosaurus rex riding a wheelie on a dirt bike.

With the help of local companies Laid Back Designs and Pine Needle Embroidery, the Daniels sell hats and shirts emblazoned with the image to raise racing funds.

My father once told me about a trip he and some of his friends took to Yellowstone National Park in the late 1930s. They stopped to look at a bull elk with an impressive rack that was lying down in the meadow a couple of miles from the Madison Junction.

One member of the group wanted to get a picture of the bull but wanted the elk to stand up so the picture would show how truly big he was. At that time, there was a bridge between the road where the boys were and the island where the bull elk was lying down.

My father offered to cross the bridge and try to get the bull to stand up. So, with a pocket full of small rocks, my father crossed the bridge and embarked on the most ill advised adventure of his young life up to that time.

Once on the island in the Madison river, my father removed a rock from his pocket and threw it at the bull, which didn’t even seem to notice. Deciding that he wasn’t close enough to get the bull’s attention, dad got within 50 feet of the bull and threw another rock, which definitely got the bull’s attention.

The bull seemed to explode to his feet on a dead run at dad. Dad turned around and ran for the bridge. Although dad was one of the fastest high school 100-yard dash track stars in Idaho, the bull elk was gaining on him fast.

About half way back to the bridge, dad’s glasses fell off his face and he could no longer even see the bridge he was running toward, so he just kept running as hard as he could.

At this point he could actually hear the bull almost on top of him when he ran right into the Madison River. He swam as hard as he could, hoping the opposite shore was somewhere in front of him and the river would either stop the bull elk or at least slow him down. The bull followed him into the river until he was up to his shoulders and stopped, while dad continued to try and find the opposite bank, which he still couldn’t see clearly.

The other boys called to him and guided him to the bank, where they helped him out of the river. As they left, the bull elk was still in the middle of the river shaking his head from side to side.

The boy who wanted the picture got a great photo of the bull in the middle of the Madison River, but dad declined a copy of the picture when they returned to Blackfoot, which was where the pictures were developed.

When my father showed me the place where this incident happened, there was no bridge connecting the meadow below the road to the island the elk had been resting on. Maybe the park officials became aware that people would cross the bridge to get closer to wildlife and removed the bridge.

That experience was one my father really took to heart and he would never let any of his children get anywhere near wildlife on trips to Yellowstone or any other national parks we visited.

He even cautioned me to never take anything for granted on hunting trips for deer and elk.

With the opening of Yellowstone this spring, there has already been a number of incidents of people being injured by bison and other wildlife in the park. There has been a couple of incidents where tourists have been gored by bison and a couple of women were injured by elk in the cabin area behind the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel recently.

While staying at the cabins behind the hotel at Lake a few years ago, my wife, Ann, took an early morning walk and found herself between a bison and her calf as she came around a corner on the trail. The bison just raised her head, looked at Ann like she owed her money and then went back to grazing. Ann backed off and returned to the cabin to warn the rest of us that there were bison close to the trail.

Having grown up in the Rocky Mountain Northwest, it is hard for me to understand why anyone would think they could get close to wildlife such as bears, bison, elk, moose, and deer, etc., without possible painful repercussions.

One cannot get through the gates into Yellowstone or any other national park without receiving a brochure that warns of the danger of approaching wildlife too closely. Yet every year people are injured in our national parks because they won’t take good advice. Then they irritate wildlife by coming too close to the animals that they are trying to photograph or get a closer look.

If you get a chance this summer, I encourage you to visit our national parks and enjoy the natural wonders they offer. Just keep your distance from the wildlife and use a telephoto lens to get those close-up pictures.

Smokey Merkley was raised in Idaho and has been hunting since he was 10 years old. He was a member of the faculty of Texas A&M University for 25 years. There he taught orienteering, marksmanship, self-defense, fencing, scuba diving and boxing. He was among the first DPS-certified Texas Concealed Handgun Instructors. He can be contacted at mokeydo41245@hotmail.com.

It is always a shock to the system when the weather goes from stormy to hot and muggy within a few days.

Many people take longer to adjust to the weather, but there are a few low-tech options to keep you cool on a hot summer day. These can also work to save energy costs as well.

• This allows air to flow around your skin while keeping you cool. Darker clothes trap heat, which in turn makes you hotter. Moisture wicking clothes, for those sweatier individuals, are great additions to any wardrobe during the summer.

• These things are incredible for those who are outside for long periods of time. You can purchase them at any sporting goods or home goods store. By soaking them in water, they will stay cool throughout the day.

• After the sun has gone down, open the windows to let the cooler air circulate inside your house. When the sun comes up, pull the drapes closed to keep the heat out.

• Place a fan in one window and another one facing out in a separate window. This creates a wind tunnel effect which will displace the hot muggy air inside the house. Another option is placing a bucket of water in front of a fan. It helps circulate cooler air. Essentially, you are creating a swamp cooler.

• When washing clothes, line dry your clothing to avoid creating a hot atmosphere.

• If you have any heat producing appliances (ovens, toasters, etc.), wait until the sun goes down to use them or cook outside. You won’t be heating up the house and can create an impromptu barbecue for everyone.

• When taking a shower or cleaning, let your hair air dry. This keeps you feeling cool.

• If you absolutely must be covered by something, there are cooling sheets you can buy or just keep a simple bedsheet around you.

• If you are thirsty, you are not drinking enough water. Drink Gatorade or a drink that will replenish electrolytes. The more liquid you are drinking, the cooler your body becomes.

• Try to walk them in the cooler parts of the day (earlier morning or after 4 p.m.). This will ensure your pets have cooler sidewalks to walk on and you won’t be exerting too much in the heat.

These are just a few smart options for staying cool in the heat. Over 400 people die from excessive heat each year. Keep track of your loved ones.

Elderly and younger children have trouble regulating their body temperatures. If they are acting lethargic or having trouble talking to you, get them inside or out of the heat and have them drink liquids. If they are sweating, that is a good thing. If someone is not sweating and has rapid shallow breathing, get them to the hospital immediately.

Stay safe this holiday week. Use common sense and watch out for your families. Happy Independence Day to everyone.

Emily Thornton is currently working on her masters in communication at Idaho State University. She enjoys writing, racing after her son and playing games with her husband.