Dixonville, OR–April 14, 2017. This day I attempted to find my way up to Brushy Butte, SW of Dixonville, based on a tip from a retired BLM biologist. Unfortunately, all “BLM” access roads from the W and NW were blocked by private land gates, or eventually signed “No Trespassing,” so I didn’t make it there. It is difficult these days to discern whether No Trespassing signs are meant to only restrict entry to the land itself on either side of the road, or the road as well. I’ve seen many private landowners sign their property so that the signs are facing toward someone driving the road, giving one the feel that one should not even be on the road, even when the road has public access. The Seneca Jones sign out at the end of South Deer Creek Road is ambiguous in this matter.
Anyway, I digress. I ended up going up a poorly (non-?) maintained road that was all on BLM land and parking here below an interesting meadow. I didn’t wander more than 30 m up the meadow and about as far up the road by foot (but later drove).
The meadow had many species of plants, more than I documented this day, and a couple critters. One Pacific Tree Frog was flushed from the wet grass, and one Ensatina was located under some bark at the edge of the road (see observations).
After enjoying this meadow I drove farther up the road. I was amazed and appalled by the amount of garbage and target-practice debris (shells and shot-up items from refrigerators to beer cans) up this road. The lack of respect for the land and others that might want to enjoy the area (free of shot-up refrigerators), is disappointing.
