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Vol. 117, Issue 152
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Predators taking their toll on local deer population increased in numbers in the West Kootenay. The balance of nature has been Black bears, coyotes, cougars tipped in favour of Wile E. Coyote and now wolves are the culprits, he as predators are gaining the upper noted. hand in the region, according to local “Our mule deer populations are at outsdoorsmen. extremely low levels and the predaAn annual Trail Wildlife tors (especially cougars) are one of Association survey of the populations the causes,” he said. “Last year huntof deer in the region has revealed ers complained of seeing more wolf some startling numbers. and cougar tracks than deer tracks.” Unofficially, deer populations Wolf sightings are becoming comin the Fort Shepherd region have mon, Fillmore pointed out, as they declined by 80 per cent since 1969, have been seen in the Salmo-Creston when the annuarea, at Nelway, in “Last year hunters al count showed the Pend d’Oreille around 500 animals Valley, the Cascade complained of seeing on average—and summits and in more wolf and over 600 at its highthe Arrow Lakes cougar tracks than est—wintering in District. the region. In fact, a wolf has deer tracks.” But with around been spotted at the RICK FILMORE 100 deer settling top of the Montrose into the lush forcutoff, Hanik est southeast of the city last winter, added. there is some concern the cause of Fillmore felt the network of power the decline is related in recent years lines, logging roads and pipeline to a rise in predators. right-of-ways criss-crossing B.C. conCougars and wolves are pushing tributed to a corridor that allowed into the area, adding their numbers predators to be very mobile in their to the plethora of coyotes plaguing pursuit of prey. the backcountry in some areas, said And it explained how so many Terry Hanik, president of the Trail predators have made it into the Wildife Association (TWA). Greater Trail region. Those corridors As a result, dropping deer popula- have led the predators into more tions have become the association’s settled areas where the deer have main concern, he said. been thriving for years. “We, as hunters and members of Hanik said an explosion of deer Trail Wildlife Association, have got a few years ago in settled regions to do something on our part to relieve of the West Kootenay meant predathe pressure on deer,” he said. tors would eventually follow as their Last year was the worst season for numbers dwindled in the upper hunting for everybody, Hanik point- reaches of the backcountry. ed out. There were a lot of hunters And predator populations have that went out in fall when the season stayed while prey populations dwinopened and never saw a deer. dled. “Either the deer are getting pushed “As ungulate populations—whiteback far into the bush or what, we tail deer, mule deer, elk—decrease just don’t know, but they are just not the predators will probably move here,” he explained. on,” Fillmore stated. The former president of the TWA But Hanik said until they do someconcurred. Rick Fillmore said it was thing needs to be done now before his belief and that of many other the balance is upset beyond repair. See FEDERATION, Page 3 outdoors people that predators have
BY TIMOTHY SCHAFER Times Staff
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BREANNE MASSEY PHOTO
Rebecca Leeworth’s “art shack,” in Montrose will be displaying her work during this weekend’s Columbia Basin Culture Tour
Culture tour offers up slice of Kootenay art BY BREANNE MASSEY Times Staff
Kootenay culture will lend its flavour to artisan exhibitions throughout the region this weekend. The Columbia Basin Culture Tour (CBCT), a project of the Columbia Kootenay Alliance, will be hosting artisan exhibitions throughout the West Kootenay starting Saturday. The CBCT is a grass-roots arts tour with creative individuals exhibiting their artwork and hosting a series of demonstrations. Nearly 70 artists have been busily preparing their studios for tours and demonstrations this season, including several artists from Greater Trail. “This is my second year participating,” said Montrose artist Rebecca Leeworth. “I think the tour is a really good thing to have because it makes people aware that we actually do have artists in the community, and it allows them to come and see
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what we’re doing.” But the culture tour does more than bridge gaps between artists and their communities, for some it’s a way of life. Leeworth began producing artwork shortly after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia and ischemic colitis. “I used to write, but I couldn’t put my thoughts together properly so my husband bought me a bunch of art supplies about five years ago,” she explained. “ So, I started painting garden ornaments and that’s how I learned.” But now artwork is a way to cope with adversity. Her mediums range from oils to acrylics, with some multimedia. She even teaches classes for children in Montrose. “I’d like things to be about my art instead of my illness, even though one does impact the other a lot more than I would like,” said Leeworth. “Sometimes when I’m not feeling well I can just get lost in colour and it
means that sometimes the colours I use can be really dull and sometimes I’m more vibrant, but I still keep going.” Most of the time she can be found perched on a stool in a tiny wooden shed in front of her house, she calls it “the art shack.” Inside of the shack, square canvases are suspended from the ceiling with fishing line and some are stacked up in tiny nooks and crannies. The shack is as quirky as the artist. “I have so many paintings that our house is filling up too,” she said, gesturing at the work around her. But the space is organized in her way. It’s accessible and if you ask the right questions, Leeworth is more than happy to explain the work. She uses art as an escape from the daily impacts of being ill, and explained how her moods often dictate how she works, but it doesn’t get her down.
Contact the Times: Phone: 250-368-8551 Fax: 250-368-8550 Newsroom: 250-364-1242
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