Cisco Sonar

THE PASS

By Bryce Neilson, Cisco Sonar

Back in 1978, I bought a lot in Bridgerland to build a house on.  Even though Fish and Game told me I might not be here long, I felt that Bear Lake was unique enough that further research needed to be done so I took a gamble.  We had been living in a little apartment at the USU lab on the lake shore which was great except during the summer.  The the tourists took everything over.  The whining of boats started at daybreak and went until dark.  It was interesting to watch them go over the old USU jetty and tear off the outdrives.  As soon as the adults arrived, they cut the kids loose to do whatever they wanted to, unsupervised.  It was total chaos that we wanted to escape but quite frankly we could not afford a lot on the lake.

After looking around we settled on a lot in Bridgerland fronting the highway.  Four wheel drives were scarce and we had to be able to get in and out during the winter.  There were no trees, which didn’t bother me since I didn’t was to burn up in a wildfire.  So we built our house there.

Over the years we have observed lots of wildlife.  I finally realized that we had built on a topographic site called a pass or swale.  This one was important because animals had been using it forever to traverse between Sagebrush Flat and the hills above Fish Haven to Hodges Canyon and back.  It is especially popular with moose who winter in the Hodges Canyon drainage.  We see them constantly moving past as can be attested by folks driving past.  Deer are always moving through, going from the summer habitat to winter habitat and back.  The top of Little Long Ridge is extremely important for winter feed.  When the snow is deep the elk and deer move onto that area.  The wind blows all the snow off and there are low nourishing plants exposed. Countless species of birds use this pass on their migrations.

It is constantly stated that building in wildlife habitat is negatively effects the wildlife.  After living and observing hear for 36 years I don’t necessarily believe it if the lots are large. Tell that to the turkeys I feed, the deer that eat my ornamentals and the moose that trash my trees getting the velvet off their antlers and the 1000’s of birds that visit my feeders.  Sweetwater Hill and Bear Lake West have many new homes and the wildlife flourishes there.  Lots to eat with non-native plants and handouts, decks to sleep under, water everywhere, and no hunting allowed.

I know we all have to avoid hitting them and not whine to much about them eating something they shouldn’t and just be happy that they are sharing their home with us.