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Hunting Across the National Park System: Good or Bad?

Oct 25th - 14:55pm | jersu

My opinion - hunting should not be permitted in any NPS managed lands. Hunting is not compatible with other forms of park recreation. On a hike, I'd rather startle a bear than startle a hunter. The video and subsequent controversy in Katmai has to do, in part, with the fact that a camera crew was there filming those folks on a bear hunt.

Oct 25th - 12:02pm | Romeolin

The Katmai Bear 'Kill' was unjust and certainly not, a hunt. Those men should be ashamed to call themselves hunters, but, of course, they aren't. Will the same thing happen with the birds? Probably, unless they are in flight. Hunting should be a challenge and a skill. I have a cousin that hunts pheasant with bow and arrow. Once in a while he comes home with a pheasant and sometimes not.

Oct 25th - 11:27am | Lone Hiker

pairing apples and oranges Nice job Kurt....you almost got three fruits in four words!

Lake Quinault Lodge: A Tale Of Two Rooms

Oct 25th - 09:59am | Anonymous

Perhaps our family is the anomaly, but we feel most connected to each other when we are outdoors. Our summer vacation was spent driving from Las Vegas to Zion, Bryce and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Oct 24th - 13:09pm | Lone Hiker

The Red Garter (Saloon, B&B, Hotel, whatever you prefer, they all fit) in Williams, AZ. is haunted too. Most fun I ever had with my clothes on was spent stalking that ghost. Stay in the Best Gal's Room to experience the maximum effect.

Oct 24th - 10:20am | haunted hiker

I know: I'm obsessed. But isn't the Quinault Lodge supposed to be haunted? Kurt, maybe it was more than mold you were smelling? ;)

Moonlight on Elizabeth Lake in Glacier National Park

Oct 24th - 18:31pm | Jesse

YowZa!! I want to go there!!! NICCCEEE!

Kids Detached From Nature? Here's One Example

Oct 24th - 15:51pm | Mary

I'm so glad this topic has finally came up. For years I've noticed children no longer playing out in their neighborhoods during the summer. I have said that it almost looks like an atomic bomb went off...where is everyone?? I'm talking suburbs, country & inner cities (not as bad).

Oct 24th - 11:09am | Lone Hiker

30 percent of teenagers did not participate in any outdoor nature activity at all this past summer. Another 17 percent engaged only once in an outdoor activity like camping, hiking or backpacking

Oct 24th - 09:45am | Anonymous

Given the distance that most NPS units are from major population centers (most) again, I don't feel this is NPS' problem. It is a larger problem altogether. I live in an area with much public lands surrounding an urban area and the percentage of people who DON'T use it versus those who do it quite stunning.

Oct 24th - 07:41am | Bart

The Park Service's latest crisis is lack of interest in nature--and therefore, national parks--among America's youth. It seems juveniles are too enamored with computers, cell phones, and ipods to care about national parks. Could it be that the Jetsons have finally usurped the Flinstones in popularity?

Oct 24th - 04:52am | Merryland

Yes, visitor center -- OUTSIDE the park. Parking lot -- outside the park, and you walked INTO the park from there. Wow, what a concept! And no car required all day long. I took the train, then the bus, and it drops you off right there at the entrance. It was Tyresta Nationalpark, south of Stockholm.

Oct 23rd - 21:46pm | Anonymous

Welcome back Merryland to the real world of a hyper-ventilating society with tantrums to throw in with the spoil kids. It seems the general poplace in Europe do a much better job in educating there children to "tread softly and leave no rock unturned" than we do...I wonder why! I know that European outdoor flavor very well. Welcome back and skoal!

Oct 23rd - 20:03pm | Merryland

I was in a national park in Europe this past weekend. And only 15 miles from a major city with a million residents I was able to experience total silence, save the occasional warbling warbler or pecking woodpecker, or my own footsteps.

Oct 23rd - 15:13pm | Kath

Who to blame? Their parents, of course. Children who are introduced to the wonders of nature at an early age like going to National Parks. Children who are plunked down in front of a video game grow up liking video games.

Oct 23rd - 14:14pm | Anonymous

Kurt, I saw this news article in the San Francisco Chronicle (10/22/07) and I thought of sending it you. But, I figured you probably had the article on your front desk before the day would be over. I guess I was right, there's nothing more distressing then seeing are young children more detached and oblivious to nature every day.

Alaska Regional Director Responds To Outrage Over Katmai Preserve Bear Hunt

Oct 24th - 06:08am | Eric Vercammen

Just a quote from Director Bomar to make people think ... QUOTE the director went on to say that throughout her Park Service career she has "worked with archaeologists, historians, biologists ... and often we don't sit down and listen to their information that they've gathered." UNQUOTE

Is New Jersey Delegation Unduly Forcing Great Falls of Paterson Park on NPS?

Oct 24th - 05:02am | Merryland

"The National Park Service recently announced the site meets its criteria to be included in its park system, but questions remain about who will ultimately oversee the site and how.

Oct 23rd - 20:21pm | Bart

Good on you guys for continuing to ask the hard questions about dealing with corruption at the higher levels.

Oct 23rd - 20:17pm | Merryland

There's a place up for consideration in Waco, Texas as well... a site of many mammoths found back in 1978, all buried from a single mudslide event (as far as they can tell at the moment). Baylor University is currently overseeing it, but there's definite excitement locally about getting the NPS shield put up on the interstate to have people stop, look, and spend their money.

Oct 23rd - 14:06pm | repanshek

Frank, The short answer in this instance is to contact your senators and urge them not to pass this legislation in the Senate. The longer answer probably is a mix between getting groups such as the National Parks Conservation Association to lobby against such park pork and getting an organized email blast system to protest directly to congress-folk.

Leadership Summit: Some Afterthoughts

Oct 23rd - 20:52pm | Michelle

Here's how I see it: 1. The National Park Service (and the government in general) established a legacy of mismanaging funds, which ticked a lot of people off (remember the outhouses which cost the taxpayers hundreds of thousands?). 2. The taxpayers finally got savvy to the fact that the NPS really isn't a bunch of altruistic Dudley Do-Rights.

Director Bomar: Let Science, Not Politics, Decide the Yellowstone Snowmobile Issue

Oct 23rd - 15:47pm | Goshawk

Regarding science and emotions: Science can predict how much impact will be produced by "x" number of snowmobiles or snowcoaches. Science can not always tell us how much impact we should allow.

Oct 23rd - 09:58am | Lone Hiker

Dr. Jim Frank is probably lamenting the fact that we both might consider enlisting the help of an editorial staff!

Oct 23rd - 09:24am | Anonymous

Wow Jim! you certainly can write a provocative blog that cuts the sinew to the bone. I'm glad to see that your a local on this website, I tend to follow your blogs with sharp concentration and focus.

Oct 23rd - 08:15am | jsmacdonald

Lone Hiker,

Oct 23rd - 00:21am | Lone Hiker

Science can indeed be classified as either good, insofar as being soundly researched and executed, or poor, referring to it being targeted toward a specific agenda or hypothesis, but I would tread lightly around the term proven. Even a preponderance of evidence doesn't automatically qualify as proven beyond a given measure.

Oct 22nd - 23:31pm | jsmacdonald

I don't particularly have a strong opinion on the science because I'm woefully ignorant of those things. It is interesting to read the conflicting views on the science, but I'm usually not in the business of arguing about things I don't pretend to know. This is helpful information.

Oct 22nd - 22:11pm | Anonymous

What amazes me, this big beautiful country called Yellowstone, is why would anybody want to bring all this motorized crap into the park during the winter. There's something very peaceful and full of blessed solace about Yellowstone in the winter, but why can't we leave it that way, and just enjoy the simple things that the park has to offer.

Oct 22nd - 17:47pm | repanshek

Jim, in answer to your first question, yes, snowcoaches would be less-polluting than snowmobiles.

Oct 22nd - 17:21pm | jsmacdonald

First a scientific question. Do snowcoaches actually reduce pollution? I keep reading on another blog of someone who studies this stuff that they don't. Her preference: plow the roads. Secondly, an ethical question. Do we really want scientists making value-laden decisions? Does science ever answer values questions?

Oct 22nd - 12:00pm | Lone Hiker

Bureaucrats operating without an encyclopedic charter? Sorry, those two things just can't co-exist Frank. If management were to seriously attempt to exist without the ability to deflect culpability (a.k.a. responsibility), where would they be? It reminds me of an old comedy routine explaining the difference between accepting responsibility and accepting blame.

Oct 22nd - 09:18am | Lone Hiker

Just one other little thing..... "I do feel the Park Service has always monitored, inventoried, and studied their resources and know more about their resources than we've ever know," Director Bomar told me last week in Austin. "We just need to listen and we need to implement their recommendations."

Oct 22nd - 08:56am | Lone Hiker

Posted October 16th, 2007:

60 Minutes : The Age of Megafires

Oct 23rd - 09:02am | Lone Hiker

I think your beliefs regarding the burial ceremonies are pretty secure. Thanks for the added info. But these communities who are against periodic smoke inhalation have no high ground, moral or otherwise.

Oct 23rd - 07:43am | Lone Hiker

Again, just one more item...

Oct 23rd - 07:06am | Lone Hiker

Sorry about that sir. Guess I should refer back to the list once in a while when responding. The Smokey reference was actually directed slightly above you, back to Frank and Anon. My error, and apology.

Oct 22nd - 20:43pm | Lone Hiker

I can't find it in me to find fault with the aspect of overtime pay, and Frank is wholeheartedly right in stating that these people EARN their money. You're damn right it can be lucrative, but the risks associated with the job and the physical nature of the beast only serve to lend support to the overtime payscale.

Oct 22nd - 16:51pm | Anonymous

Lone Hiker-

Oct 22nd - 16:10pm | Lone Hiker

First, I don't consider the $11-14/hr rate that the government pays qualifying as a lot of money by ANY standard. Second, I would have guessed that the folks at Berkeley intelligent enough to lend some REAL insight that was truly significant, not something that most anyone could have predicted in the typical cause and effect scenario.

Oct 22nd - 15:30pm | Anonymous

Two things: 1) Get rid of Smokey the Bear 2) Fire people make a lot of money every summer....

What is YOUR Favorite Park Experience?

Oct 22nd - 20:26pm | Anonymous

I agree - this is a REALLY tough decision - there are SO many!

Groups Sue Cape Hatteras National Seashore Over ORV Traffic

Oct 22nd - 11:23am | Anonymous

Roger my man, it's not anger, but fire in the belly for what is right and just. Ripping up the public beachs for self amusement with oil dripping ORV's makes any rational human being subject to anger.

Oct 21st - 23:54pm | Roger

My, my anonymous ("Get your fat butts")...such anger! Calm down and go watch a Disney movie or somethin'! LOL...doom and gloom, thats all you enviros spout.

Oct 21st - 16:37pm | Tony

I agree with ya Theresa, they are particularly onerous for small business owners and the building industry. There are many groups working to overturn them (or at least skirt 'em), as they do nothing for the environment, only fatten the wallets of attorneys and politicians.

Oct 21st - 16:02pm | Anonymous

Get your fat butts out of your toy ORV's and wake up and smell the coffee. This fragile beach area is not a babies play pen to screw around in and make huge doughnuts and ruts all day in your oil dripping OVR's. If your such a gas guzzeling hot rod Harry, with no concern for the enivornment in which your destroying, may I suggest such area's as Crawford Texas.

Oct 21st - 15:17pm | Anonymous

You are totally nuts!

Jumping Off Bridge an Annual Tradition in New River Gorge

Oct 22nd - 10:49am | Lone Hiker

Just curious Jeremy.....ever considered jumping out of a perfectly good airplane from between 5-10,000'? Most people classify us as certified loonies for that manuever as well, but BOY does that get the epinephrine circulating! From my perspective, at an altitude of only 876' you don't quite enough time to enjoy the surroundings before splashdown.

Oct 22nd - 09:49am | repanshek

Unfortunately, not all jumps go as planned. Last year a BASE jumper died when his chute didn't open until he was only about 25 feet above the river.

Leadership Summit: Building For the Future

Oct 21st - 18:53pm | Bart (aka Infla...

The other day I was talking to a community member who was lamenting the lack of knowledge NPS staff have of their own parks. Citing the most recent of many examples, he asked an entrance station employee (and one who'd been working there for several years) a simple question about the wildlife.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.