1.

Table of Contents

Mystery of the Missing Meal . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 2

Mills, Mines, and Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 4

Are You a Happy Camper?. . . . . . . . . . . pg. 6

Letters to J.R. . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 7

Autumn Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 8

Official newsletter of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department • Vol. 10, No. 2, November 2010

Which New Park Opens in 2011?Bates State Park!Did you spend the summer

camping or playing in state parks? Did you wonder, “Can it get any better?”

The mill pond at Bates State Park.

Well, young ranger, it will! Next year, Oregon State Parks opens another park. This time, you can travel to the eastern side of the state, near John Day, to the former location of the Bates Mill.

The first thing you will notice is that the buildings are long gone from Bates State Park, although the park is named for the mill. The old mill was built in 1917 and produced lumber through the 1960s and 70s. But in 1975, a new mill was built in the nearby city of John Day. The new one worked better than the old one. So, the old Bates Mill was taken apart and the site was cleaned up.

When the park opens in 2011, you will be able to camp, hike and picnic in the land that once echoed with the hums and clanks of a lumber mill. Bring your binoculars and you might spy red-tailed hawks hunting from the sky. Hike the trails and discover Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer and whitetail deer herds that wander the hills. Be on the lookout along the water’s edge to spot beavers, muskrats and river otters. Explore 131 acres of land nearly bursting with history and natural beauty.

Sounds exciting, right? Well, keep your owl eyes and deer ears alert for more information about this newest addition to Oregon State Parks.

2.

Continued on page 3

Mystery of the Missing MealThe Case of the Purloined Picnic

J.R. Beaver sighed. It was a beautiful day at Beaver

Creek State Natural Area. He had left his delicious blackberry and tree-bark sandwich on his picnic blanket when he left to follow a butterfly. Now, it was gone. Every last delicious crumb was missing. What was worse, the culprits even took his red–and–white checkered picnic blanket!

Shoulders slumped, he was about to set his foot down when he noticed something. There, on the ground in front of him, was a giant footprint in a little patch of mud. J.R. trembled. This footprint was HUGE! Glancing around quickly, he left the scene and hustled to find a ranger.

Ranger Mike was talking with some visitors when J.R. came running. He smiled and asked, “What’s the matter J.R.?”

J.R. huffed and puffed for a few seconds. “My… lunch… is… gone!” he wheezed.

“Where did you last see it?” Ranger Mike asked.

“Well, I followed a butterfly for a long time. Finally, I caught up and took a picture. When I came back to my picnic spot, my lunch was gone!”

Following the evidence“Hmm. Did you find any evidence at the scene?” Ranger Mike asked, while he stroked his beard.

“Yes! I saw a gigantic footprint!” J.R. exclaimed. His eyes grew wide. “It was this big!” He held out his hands to show the size of the large track.

Ranger Mike thought for a minute. “Can you show me where you last saw your sandwich?”

“Yes! Follow me!” J.R. motioned.

As they approached the picnic site, Ranger Mike paused to listen. He cupped his hands around his ears.

“What are you doing?” J.R. asked.

“I’m using my ‘deer ears’ to see if I hear the culprit,” Ranger Mike explained. “Deer have large ears that make it easier for them to hear things. When I put my hands behind my ears like this, I can hear small sounds. Try it!”

J.R. took his paws, pressed his beaver fingers together to make a little cup, and placed them behind his ears. He grinned. “It works! I can hear so much better!” he whispered. “But—I don’t hear anything that could have taken my sandwich!”

“I know,” Ranger Mike nodded. “Many animals don’t make much noise when they move, so you have to listen very quietly to hear them.

“Now, show me where you found the footprint.”

J.R. looked closely at the ground. “There!” he pointed. The muddy footprint was still visible.

Looking at the clues“Aha!” Ranger Mike pulled out his camera with a flourish and took a picture. Snap!

“Hmm,” Ranger Mike studied the track. He started scribbling things on his notepad. “You did a good job noticing the size of the footprint. I’d say it is about as big as my hand. Another good thing to notice is the number of toes.”

“There are five!” J.R. exclaimed. “They look like yours, but shorter and wider. And look! You can just barely make out claw marks at the tips of the toes.”

“Wait! Listen.” Ranger Mike became completely still. Silently, he cupped his ears like a deer. J.R. Beaver did the same. “Do you hear

3.

Who Do You Think Stole J.R. Beaver’s Sandwich?

Mystery of the Missing Meal . . . Continued from page 2

American black bearAmerican black bears live in wooded or forested areas near water. They build their dens in fallen logs or dead tree snags. Black bears are omnivores, eating both plants and animals. They commonly eat berries, fruit, grasses and plants. They are usually black, but can be brown, reddish or blond with round, furry ears. They rely on their sense of smell to find food and sense danger.

American Black bear tracks:

front paw back paw

Source: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Living with Black Bears.

Black-tailed deerBlack-tailed deer live in the trees and brush on the edge of forests. They will come out to the open areas to graze on grass, clover and new plant growth. But, by hanging near the edge of the forest, they have a quick escape route to safety. They are light brown to gray with large, pointed ears and a black tail. Males have antlers but females do not.

Black-tailed deer tracks:

Source: Link, Russell. 2010. Living with Wildlife: Deer. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

RaccoonRaccoons are commonly found in the woods, near wetlands, and at the edge of the woods. They usually hunt or scavenge for food at night. They will eat water invertebrates and fish, nuts, fruit, vegetables, dead animals and people food. Adults weigh about 15-40 pounds. Their fur is mostly gray with a black “mask” on their face. Their tail is ringed with black and gray stripes.

Raccoon tracks:

back paw front paw

Source: Link, Russell. 2010. Living with Wildlife: Raccoon. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

that? It sounds like an animal is splashing water.”

“See that?!” he pointed. “Something is swimming in the water! What does that look like to you?”

J.R. squinted hard. The thing was big, black and furry. It had two round ears and a black nose. The fur on its nose was light brown. All J.R. could see was its head. “I am not sure.” J.R. said slowly.

“He’s the culprit.” Ranger Mike stated. “Luckily he’s swimming away from us, but we need to get out of here.”

Back at the Beaver Creek Visitor Center, J.R. Beaver and Ranger Mike looked through wildlife books. Use the information they gathered to see if you can identify the culprit. See page 7 for the solution to the case!

The culprit’s print in the mud.

4.

Continued on page 5

Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site.

Mills, Mines, and Medicine

Beaver yawned and stretched. He wiggled his

webbed toes and shook his wide, flat tail. The sides of his tepee were bright in the morning sun. Suddenly, J.R. remembered something.

“Yikes!” He scrambled out of his sleeping bag so fast he almost forgot to unzip it! “I’m having breakfast this morning with my new friends!”

Yesterday was his first day at Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site. He had a lot of fun poking around the park, looking for the western box turtle in the pond, listening to the frogs croak, and meeting his two new friends, Jessie and Josie.

Sisters from SistersJessie and Josie were twin sisters from Sisters, Oregon. They were at Clyde Holliday camping and fishing for trout and steelhead with their dad for the week. They both had light brown hair and freckles. They both liked strawberries on their ice cream. Most importantly, they were both Junior Rangers.

Their dad had invited J.R. to join them on a visit to Sumpter Valley Dredge and Kam Wah Chung. J.R. had no idea what either of those things was, but he was excited to spend the day with a couple of Junior Rangers. Adventures always happen when Junior Rangers get together!

J.R. wandered over to their camp-site. Jessie and Josie were waiting for him. “J.R.! Are you ready?

“We just finished cleaning up our campsite. If we’re going to make it to Sumpter Valley Dredge and Kam Wah Chung, we better head out!” Josie said.

“Let’s go!” cheered J.R, and off they went.

Treasure hunters“What in the world is this thing?” J.R. stared at the large wood and metal structure in front of him. Odd buckets, conveyors and pulleys stuck out every which-way from the five-story thing. It sat in a little greenish-blue pond.

“That, my friend, is the dredge,” Ranger Miranda said, walking up behind the group.

“What was it used for?” Jessie asked.

“The dredge dug up little pieces of gold that were too far underground for other equipment to reach,” Ranger Miranda said. “It moved across the valley by taking a big bite of earth in front of it, sorting out the gold, pushing the extra dirt and rock behind it, and moving the pond as it went. The dredge didn’t need a creek bed; it could go wherever it needed, so long as its pond had enough water to keep it afloat.”

“That is amazing!” J.R. privately thought that beavers were the best

MyLife

by J.R. Beaver

Chapter

15

J.R.

Look at the map of Oregon on the State Parks website at: www.oregonstateparks.org/searchpark.php

Find some parks where you think J.R. might like to visit next. Why do you think your park is the best one for him to visit?

What are some of YOUR favorite activities there?

Write a letter to J.R. with your suggestions. You just never know what may happen!

Send letters to: J.R. Beaver 725 Summer St. NE, Ste C

Salem, OR 97301-1266

Where will J.R.’s travel adventures take him next?

5.

engineers, but he was impressed by the dredge.

“It only took three men to run this, and they kept it going 24-hours a day, 7-days a week,” Ranger Miranda added.

“Wow,” J.R. said. “Was this the only way people could get gold back then?”

“No, many people panned for gold,” she said. “Come on! I’ll show you.” She led the way to the creek where a volunteer was giving a gold panning lesson. The foursome listened carefully and tried their hand at finding gold. They were splashing water, giggling, and teasing each other when all of a sudden, Josie stopped.

“Ranger Miranda, where did people live out here? Where would they go grocery shopping? What would they do if they got sick? I don’t see much around here.”

“It sounds to me like it’s time for you all to check out Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site,” said Ranger Miranda. “It will give you a picture of what life was like back then. You just might find the answers to some of your questions.”

Back in timeThe group traveled to John Day and stepped into the coolness of the Kam Wah Chung museum. The room was filled with a combination of Chinese and western style decorations. Ranger Christy greeted them at the door.

“Welcome to Kam Wah Chung! It’s a general store, a doctor’s office, a post office, a library, a bunkhouse and a Chinese cultural center all rolled into one!”

“Wow!” Josie exclaimed, “A lot of stuff went on here!”

“Yes, it did,” Ranger Christy replied. “Starting in the late 1800s, Doc Hay and Lung On ran this center for the miners, settlers and local Chinese community.”

As J.R. Beaver wandered through the old building, he could almost smell dinner sizzling in the antique wok in the kitchen. In the apothecary room, he expected to see Doc Hay burst through the door ready to mix up a remedy for an ill gold miner.

“Check this out!” Ranger Christy pointed to a small tin can. “Need any marshmallows for your s’mores? Back then, marshmallows came in a can!”

“Oh—weird!” Jessie made a face. J.R. thought they sounded good. Anything with “marsh” in the title must be delicious!

That night, as J.R. Beaver slept in his snuggly sleeping bag, he dreamed he was a gold miner, working the dredge and eating canned marshmallows at Kam Wah Chung with Lung On. The adventures that day had worn him out, but left him excited for the adventures the next day would bring.

My Life: Miles, Mines, and Medicine . . . Continued from page 4

The museum at Kam Wah Chung.

Sumpter Valley Dredge.

6.

Are You a Happy Camper?

1950s Chevy and trailer at Cape Lookout

HAPPY CAMPER!

Gather: At least one other person, game pieces (colored paper pieces work well), one pennyGo:1. Flip the coin to see who goes first. 2. Flip a coin to move forward

(heads = 2 spaces; tails = 1 space)3. Follow the trail around the campground. 4. Earn a point for each good choice. If you land on a

bad choice, earn a point by explaining what you would do instead.

The person who makes the most good choices wins!

Stayed on the trail.+1

Wore bike helmet around campground.

+1

Cleaned up after your pet.

+1

Spotted a beaver lodge.

+1

Oops! Forgot to pack

water.

Found sunscreen in backpack.

+1

Oops!Picked a flower!

Learned how to read a map.

+1

Identified coyote tracks.

+1

Oops! Cut a tree branch for your campfire.

Took parents to swimming hole.

+1

Found a hummingbird

nest.+1

Went for a hike.+1

Oops!Fed the cute

squirrel.

Set up tent correctly.

+1

Oops!Forgot first-aid

kit!

Attend Junior Ranger program.

+1

Oops! Dropped garbage.

Picked up litter in empty

campsite.+1

Put away your food for the

night.+1

START

FINISH

7.

Dear J.R.

My family and I go to the beach a lot! I love the beach. It is awesome. I go camping a lot, too. My dad surfs, that is mainly why we go. It is sad when people litter. I am 11, and I am from Eugene, Oregon. I am an official Junior Ranger. I became a Junior Ranger at Humbug State Park. My friend Elijah and I go to the beach together. He is a Junior Ranger, too.

Your friend, Maize

P.S. It will be cool to meet you, write back!

Drawing by Maize, age 11

Dear Maize, It was so good to hear from you! The beach is a lot of fun! But it’s important to be safe on the beach, too. Always keep an eye on the ocean—even when you are playing. That way, if a big wave is coming, you have time to get out of the way. Be sure to take an adult with you when you go to the beach. They can help you spot dangerous waves and currents. It is special to have a close friend that is also a Junior Ranger. Tell Elijah I said hello!

J.R.

“ ha,” J.R. Beaver exclaimed. “I know who stole

my sandwich!”

“Who do you think, J.R.?” Ranger Mike walked over to where J.R. was sitting buried under a pile of books.

“It says here that the black bear likes to eat berries. Look at that footprint. Doesn’t it look like the one we found by the creek? Listen to this: ‘They are usually black, but also can be brown, reddish, or blond. They have round, furry ears.’ Doesn’t that describe what we saw swimming in the water?”

J.R. Beaver motioned to the page in front of him. “That’s the thief, alright.”

Sharing the outdoors“Hmm. Black bears are often seen in Oregon. I’m not surprised to hear that he stole your sandwich, either,” Ranger Mike said. “It’s important to remember that we share the outdoors with all kinds of wildlife. When we play or picnic outside, we are playing in their homes. We need to respect them.”

J.R. looked confused. “So I should not eat outside?” he asked.

“No, that’s not what I mean,” Ranger Mike smiled. “We can enjoy spending time outside. We just have to be careful so we do not interfere with wildlife. Animals can become accustomed to eating food that is not good for them. When people hike and camp, they need to make sure their food is secured where bears cannot get to it.”

“I guess I shouldn’t have left my sandwich alone,” J.R. sighed. “I did not know someone else would want to eat it.”

“It is surprising what wildlife will try to eat, if they get the chance. The important thing is to keep them from getting the chance,” Ranger Mike said. “Well, J.R., all this talk about food is making me hungry. What do you say we go find some snacks?”

“That sounds good to me!” J.R. replied. “But this time, I won’t let my food out of my sight!”

“Good plan, J.R., good plan.”

Missing Meal Mystery Solved

. . . Continued from page 3

A

Black bear in the Ochoco Mountains, Oregon.

Reservations Northwest2501 SW 1st Ave., Suite 100Portland, OR 97201

Autumn Activities Grab a friend, get outside this fall and have some fun!

Oregon Fall FindsSee if you can spot the following this fall around Oregon. Check each item off the list as you find them

q Deciduous leaf turned red or yellow

q Geese flying in a “V”

q Spider’s web jeweled with dew

q Frost on the ground

q Pumpkin patch

q Field of dried corn

q Herd of elk or deer

q Flower in bloom

q Snowy mountain peak

q Evergreen tree

q Animal track

q An Oregon State Park Ranger

Texture TrackerGATHER:

• A friend

• Two peeled crayons (different colors)

• Two pieces of paper (divided in half)

GO:

1. Draw a line down the middle of your paper. Write your initials on one side and your friend’s on the other. Have your friend do the same, on her paper.

2. Set your paper on an object (like a tree trunk or leaf) and rub the side of the crayon on the paper under your initials to transfer the texture of the object onto the paper. Do not let your friend see what objects you are using! Your friend should do the same.

3. Repeat three to four times.

4. Trade papers with your friend.

5. Look for the objects your friend used to create her rubs. Make rubbings of those objects under your initials to prove you found them.