A8 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, August 3, 2005. DNA testing dampens sasquatch sighting © By DUSTIN QUEZADA DESPITE DNA testing.to the contrary, there remain people ., in the tiny Yukon community of Teslin who insist residents spotted a sasquatch several weeks ago. ' - In mid July, nine members of the remote community claimed they saw a sasquatch or human-like figure covered in hair. seen the beast. The story gained prominence last week when it .was learned a wildlife geneticist from the University of Alberta was volunteering to run a DNA test on the strand: On Thursday, July 28, Dr. David Coltman’ s initial skepti- cism proved correct as the hair sample was found to be that of a bison. In a statement, Coltman v was quoted as saying the s sam- ‘ple was degraded, indicating consistency with longer-term, over-winter exposure to moisture and direct sunlight. The news didn’t seem to change the mind of some in Tes- _ lin, 144 kilometres east of Whitehorse. Roger Smarch, 33, said he was indoors when nine people allegdly saw the towering creature, but the n next morning he was a believer. : atid nothing (happened).”” Bloct family are blocking resource company access. to. their traditional territory in the — . Klappan area north of here, saying they’ haven’t given. permission for exploration and. development. — o But: the blockaders are allowing Tahltan people _ access to the territory. who working fora Tahltan envi- ronmental consulting | com- “at least one. of: the resource - companies. collecting . environmental: and other information we’il eventually need ourselves,” said blockader Oscar’ Dennis last week. MEMBERS OF one Tahitan Their proof | came. in the form of a huge footprint left be- . hind and a tuft of hair i in the é area where they claimed to > have <“The next day, I found a | track at 7 a.m.” he. said, “My — _ ‘uncle - who’s over 200 pounds ~ ‘tried to make an imprint Smarch, whose younger cousin of the same name claimed. ~— to have been one of the nine witnesses, said there have been cade stops access pany which is ‘working for’. - “That’s ‘because they’ re. Dennis and: others don’ t- want more intensive work done by Ontario-based For- tune Minerals which has the rights to a potentially-lucra- tive open pit anthracite coal . mining operation until they reach a development agree- ment with the company. The blockade, Iocated at the start of an access road leading off of Hwy37 just «= “north of Tatogga Lake, went * up about 10 days ago. It’s the latest manifesta- 7 tion of an internal Tahltan dispute which gained promi- _ mence in January when .a group of people occupied the offices of the Telegraph - Creek Tahltan band. ° They continued their oc- cupation into July, saying band chief Jerry Asp who is they had lost confidence in” . ‘also closely tied to the na-_ tive-owned Tahltan Nation’ Development ‘Corporation. Its a co-owner of the Tahl- tan environmental company, Rescan Tahltan . Environ- mental Consulting, which is - doing work in the Klappan area, The: Telegraph Creek band is one of two Tahitan bands in the area. The Iskut - band is the other and togeth- © er, they form the Tahltan Central Council. Dennis said his fam- ily was never consulted nor asked for permission by re- source companies to explore , ~» the Klappan area. “Bottom line, it’s a block- ade against Fortune Miner- _ ’ als,” he said. The internal dispute has: also stalled, for now, efforts ~ by Shell Canada to look for ’. coalbed methane natural gas’. Fishy thefts ‘TERRACE RCMP are waming boat owners to keep their valuables locked up. A resident chased three ‘} young males off a property on the 4600 block of Goulet Ave. after finding them try- ing to steal out of his boat July 25. Fishing rods, tack-' le boxes and other fishing - equipment were stolen from a boat on the 3500 block of Cottonwood Cres. July 26. four sightings in the last year. 120-strong rural community into the spotlight. about the July sighting. be from a sasquatch. - sightings are popping up every day.” on the hype. bigger than Elvis.” was a hotspot for sightings. ” er. the talk of a fabricated story. “TL know these ‘guys.’ to coal, natural gas area It was this supposed sighting, though, that brought the Reached in California, a prominent sasquatch hunter said he phoned members of the Smarch family when he heard He wasn’t surprised to hear the DNA test didn’ t prove to . .. “knew it all along,” said Tom Biscardi, CEO and found- er of the Great American Bigfoot Research Organization. “Because it’s in the forefront, with the media and hoopla, Since, May 2005, when'a Manitoba family sold video footage of what appeared to be a sasquatch to American tab- loid TV show A Current affair for a price in the high six _ figures, Biscardi said people and towns are trying to profit 7 _ “A lot of towns are trying to create tourism,” he said. “It’s. - Biscardi, chasing the elusive creature for 33 years, added © he would have sent one of his three teams to the Yukon if it “I talked to one of the Smarch family...he said ‘Can you. mention I’m a carver?” he said. “I put two and two togeth- The uncle of eye witness. Trent Smarch said he dismisses “I don’t think it’ s made up, not at all, ” Keith Smarch said. i RIM SI ‘OPPERS va Yourself Change G , veighvatcers | ; in the ¢ Klappan: -It drilled three test wells. in’ the. area last year and found coalbed methane but’ plans for more fieldwork this . - summer were put on hold in early spring after it was - asked by the Dennis family and others to leave... - Shell official, Laurieanne » Lynne, speaking from; Cal- ‘gary, said it continues to talk ° “to the Tahltan. ° “Not all of them think the same about industry, of “course,” she said. Although Shell does not have an-active exploration program in the Klappan this survey. and environmen- tal ‘work in the area, Lynne - added. The “company | bought coalbed methane natural gas ‘rights from the province as. part of a program by the lat- ter to steer exploration and development away from the northeastern portion of B.C. ° It has now opened an of- | fice in Dease Lake and last month. flew approximately, 20 Tahltan to Wyoming to view. coalbed methane drill- _ing activity there. . ~ . “We went looking for a disaster but ‘we didn’t find ‘one,” said Gordon Loverin, a public relations official for summer, it has s done some edsand and Treston Lakes are located north of Terrace in the ‘Redsand Demonstration Forest. The lakes are part of the Kitsumkalum River and offer good fishing for cutthroat REDSAND trout and dolly varden. LAKE The lakes are known for regular lure fisher. If you are fly fishing try emerg- ing minnow and chirono- mid patterns on the bot- - tom or a small midge pat- tern for the surface. ‘Fish the emerging minnow pat- tern near the lake bottom to imi- tate a small fry emerging. For lure fishers try trolling a wed- ding band with worm. A maggot also works well. The west end of the lakes are suif- able for belly ~TRESTON LAKE -YOUR-ONE STOP... §j “| RECREATIONAL DEALER! e Polaris good fly fishing as well as -- SALES e SERVICE + RENTALS e PARTS | e Yamaha e Harbercraft | Mercury ra boats and pontoon boats.. But it is recommended that you use a larger boat on the eastern portion ‘of the lakes as the current from the Kitsumkalum River is quite — strong. LAKE ACCESS rom Terrace follow Highway 16 across the Kitsumkalum River and turn right (north) at the Kalum Forest Service Road. - Continue down this road about 26. - km to the Redsand Demonstration Forest. Although there are three camping locations within the demonstra- tion forest only one is located ’ on Redsand Lake. This large site _is in an open area and has 20 . vehicle units. for camping. The ‘Quick Facts Gazetted Name © Redsand / Treston Lks Surface Area : e 39/90 Hectares . (96 / 223 Acres) Maximum Depth e 15/34 metres (48 / 112 feet) Elevation e 122 metres (400 feet) Survey Date . © August, 1972 Depth Units — . © Feet © The Angler's Atlas, 2005 WESELL FOR LESS Outdoor fun just got better with . camping and a Ken’s Marine "4946 Greig Ave., Terrace: -,.250-635-2909 - the demonstration forest,’ WAL:MART f, fishing gear from | WALAMART’ WERE PORES re dy Fishing on Redsand and Treston Lakes’ site is accessible with 2WD and is connected to a wheelchair acces- sible interpretive trail. The Redsand ‘Demonstration — Forest is a popular destination, ,as it offers a wide range of rec- reational activities. There are three campgrounds, three trails, and a variety of ecotypes within and includes a self-guided interpre- tive: loop. %. _ Caution: Do not use this map for navigational purposes. This map. may not reflect. current’ conditions. Uncharted hazards may exist. Base Map ©Province of British Columbia. hoes” CALENDAR OF EVENTS AUGUST 2005 register for programs. . SHINDAY MONDAY Fuk SOAY WEDNESDAY — THURSDAY. FRIDAY | 2 3 a . Kids Witing Camp 10-1 | | KidsWiting Camp 10-1. } Kids Wing Camp 10-1 J) Kids Witng Camp 10-2 ‘ Kids 6-9 Reading 10-11 | | Kids 3-5 Reading 10-11 J f Kids 3-5 Reading 10-11 | ] Kids 9-14 Computer Kits 9-14 Compu Camp | | Kits 6-9 Reading 2-3. ° | Kes 9-14 Congr Canp | | !90-280A09226 102H0AN225 1) Kes Omqr Carp || 1302306206 the Tahltan Central Council. 9 10 11 12 © He noted that while | Kids 6-9 Reading 10-11} } Kids 3-5 Beating 10-11 f } Kis 3-5 Reacng 10-11 hl ground-breaking Supreme ” [PREM Cong Camp | Kes Ren 23 1 Kes Cong Camp aa Court decisions require re- Lite 7 tee lone eon etal COM source companies to consult, and accommodate native in- 15: 16 WW 18... : terests,- ‘native groups do not acca | veeiltany tan Kids 3-5 Reading 10-11 1 7 Kids 3-5 Reading 10-17 Pala ultimately have'a veto over - Kis CompletCanp }} Kis9 eating 23 | | Kes8-14 Cana eee: development nor can they. = mee ; a eee aan nein unduly frustrate . develop- imesh x stinply in the ex. Fics | eeromcn || Sresasgn || 4S vometn | hie “She is simp y in the ex- aS v met ye ; ploratory phase,” said Lover- fata TaPeROAg 2a : cali | oso eileen in. “The worst case scenario ee ce yee | , is there will be no project. - ———————— L_—_—— — ———— The best case is there will {P29 - 30 31° be a project with the Tahltan Sy oo . -enjoying the fullest amount 1 | en a of benefits that the Tahitan . a can negotiate.” SS ——————e @ local tackle shops ¢ Brakes | ¢ Fuel system services ° Cooling system services . -e Air conditioning services ¢ Transmission services °Alignmentservices _ * Complete exhaust services “Low rcost. | ish WEIGHTS §160z. $1.65ea Sib. $9.30ea 4 200z. $1.90ea 10ib. $10.80ea 240z. $2.29ea 10lb.-WiF $11.40 32o0z. $2.500ea 15lb. $16.80ea We Do Mechanical Services... LS TIRE & ‘AUTO SERVICE] NEID ENTERPRISES LTD “Your Recreation Specialists” | TERRACE'S NEW MERCURY & HONDA DEALER PARTS ® SALES » SERVICE CUSTOM BUILT BOATS | / Licensed Technicians 4921 Keith Ave., Terrace