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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID GILLETTE, WY PERMIT NO. 5105
The Campbell 00 $1. County Observer
Subscribe Online at www.CampbellCountyObserver.net
Volume 4 • Issue 15
April 11 - 18, 2014
Tom Eekhoff This Week’s www.campbellcountyobserver.net June 17 - 24, 2011 Highlights “If itSays doesn’t have to do with Campbell County, we don’t care!” • Superintendent Praises Goodbye CC Schools ........... Page 5 • Home Businesses to 20 Years Blooming .............. Page 7 of Service • Bold Republic:
PINERIDGE “A ridge above the rest.” Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Water, Fire & Mold Damage
Dusty Linder
307-660-7856 www.pineridgeclean.com
Cleaning & Restoration
Still Ruining the State .................... Page 12
By Tony Heidel arents always talk to their kids about growing up to be a doctor or a lawyer because of their desirability. The position of Coroner is not one of the jobs most people could do, let alone want to do. In 1994, Campbell County elected Tom Eekhoff for the first time to the position of Coroner. Tom has held that office since and is about to turn 59 years old. He has decided not to run for another term. The people of Campbell County found their man in Mr. Eekhoff by giving him a twenty year career electing him for five terms. Before Tom took this position he was employed by Campbell County splitting his time between the cemetery and the Parks and Recreation Department. Tom said,” Elections are not always a given. You have to work for them. I understand the process and I agree with it.” The elections are taxing, but to be re-elected shows him that he has the support of the community. He has not ruled out the possibility of running for another office in the future, but isn’t sure of any office that might interest him. In his retirement, Tom has many reasons to remain in the Gillette area. His family has roots here and, in the short-term, he plans on spending a lot more time with them, working on his
• Realistic Unemployment .. Page 14 cabin, and enjoying outdoor sports. Tom doesn’t plan on spending all his time here though. He wants to travel to various places he hasn’t been able to go to in the last twenty years. The position of Coroner doesn’t carry with it any enjoyable moments. Tom’s reward comes in the form of his relationship with the people he serves and how they in turn support him in his position. Since the start of his first term in 1994, the position of Coroner has grown greatly. ”My first year, we had 18 call-outs a year, and now it is over 100 a year. As far as technology advances we have to take DNA samples.” The biggest challenges his successor will face is the constant growth of the community contributing to increasing the work load. Tom’s advice for any candidate moving into public service is, “Be prepared to do a lot of work because it’s a long hard campaign season. I’ve enjoyed meeting people and taken pleasure in serving this community.”
• The First Fort .. Page 18
Cancelled Performance: Alpin Hong with Special Guests Crushed Out
Due to a family emergency the performance of Alpin Hong with special guests Crushed Out scheduled for Saturday, April 12, 2014 had to be cancelled. CAMPLEX is working with the agent to reschedule this coming fall. If you purchased tickets you may get a full refund beginning Wednesday, April 9th OR keep your current tickets for the rescheduled performance date. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope to see you at the rescheduled performance date.
Spring Turkey Hunting in Northeast Wyoming Turkey hunters in the Black Hills should be prepared to cover more ground and take a few extra days to harvest a mature tom this year. Although improving, turkey numbers have not yet bounced back from a decline during the severe winter of 2010-2011 and subsequent poor poult production and survival. Generally speaking, hunters should expect to see gobbler numbers at, or below last year’s. Black Hills area wildlife biologist Joe Sandrini, of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, said wild turkey production since 2008 has been generally below average, and mortality was very high during the winter of 2010-2011 due to persistent deep snowpack. As a result, turkey numbers have declined in the Black Hills, although Sandrini believes the downward trend is beginning to reverse itself thanks to a better hatch last spring. “Although it improved a bit in 2013, poult production in the Black Hills has been down the past several years,” Sandrini said, “with 2011 being especially low. As a result, we anticipate hunting to be tough again this spring.” “However, there are still some two-year-old toms around, and they represent the majority of the harvest,” Sandrini said. “Hunters often have better luck later in the season when toms begin responding to calls again. The peak of nest initiation is normally April 27 and toms may be hard to call around that
time because they are usually hen’d-up until aboutMay 10,” Sandrini reported. During the 2013 spring hunt, Black Hills hunters harvested just over 700 wild turkeys. This was the lowest spring harvest since 1998. In 2010, hunters harvested nearly 1,900 birds and in 2011, hunters bagged nearly 1,500 birds. In both of those years hunters had a two tom bag limit. But, due to the decrease in population, the bag limit is one bird again this year. Long-term hunter success is typically 50 to 55 percent in the Black Hills, although that figure declined about 40 percent last spring, even with fewer hunters afield. Currently, vehicle access on to the majority of the Black Hills National Forest is impossible due to snowpack. In addition, several major Forest Service roads will still be under seasonal closures at the start of the spring wild turkey season. Hunters should obtain a current travel management map from the Forest Service before going afield. Call the Forest Service (Bearlodge Ranger District) at 307-283-1361 for up-todate information on snow and road conditions. On the Wyoming side of the Black Hills National Forest, nonlicensed off-road vehicles must display a current $15 Wyoming ORV sticker. A $25 Black Hills travel management sticker is required to operate non-licensed offroad vehicles on the South Dakota side of the forest. As always, hunters should secure permission to hunt private land prior to hunting.
Before going afield, turkey hunters should confirm season dates and other regulations such as retention of evidence of sex. Wild Turkey regulations may be found online at wgfd.wyo. gov or on pages 26-31 of the Game and Fish Commission’s small game and game bird regulations pamphlet, under 2014 Spring Wild Turkey. Hunt Area 1, the Black Hills, is a general area that opens April 12, and closes May 20. General licenses are available online and at all license-selling agents. Hunters purchasing online licenses should allow 10 days to receive the license by mail. License fees are $16 for residents and $72 for nonresidents. A conservation stamp ($12.50) is also required. Turkey hunters in Hunt Area 3 – Sheridan, Johnson and Campbell Counties, should have plenty of wild turkeys to pursue this spring as turkey populations are generally in very good shape in these areas. Tim Thomas, Sheridan area Wyoming Game and Fish Department wildlife biologist, reports “lots of turkeys” in the area surrounding Sheridan. Thomas added, “The turkey population is doing well but most of the turkey hunting in on private lands. Hunters who can get access to private lands should have excellent wild turkey hunting.” Dan Thiele, Buffalo area Game and Fish Department wildlife biologist, echoed Thomas’s comments regarding good wild turkeys populations on private lands. Thiele added, “There
are a few turkeys occasionally found on various state and BLM lands as well as the Bighorn National Forest that provide some hunting opportunity.” Campbell County serves as a transition zone. Gillette area Game and Fish wildlife biologist Erika Peckham indicates there are some turkeys in the western part of the county but as you progress to eastern Campbell County and closer to the Black Hills, turkey numbers are down from past years. “We have had some tough winters the last few years and wildlife in general has taken a hit in eastern Campbell County, and that includes turkeys”, Peckham says. Spring turkey season opened April 1 in Hunt Area 3 and will close May 20. Turkey hunters in Area 3 can purchase a general license which limits a hunter to the take of one male wild turkey or any wild turkey with a visible beard. In addition to their general license a turkey hunter can purchase up to two limited quota Type 3 licenses in this area. These regulations can be found on the Game and Fish website at wgfd. wyo.gov or on pages 2631 of the Upland Bird/Small Game/Wild Turkey pamphlet. General and limited quota licenses are available online and at license-selling agents. Hunters purchasing online licenses should allow 10 days to receive the license by mail. License fees are $16 for residents and $72 for nonresidents. A conservation stamp ($12.50) is also required.