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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tenkiller Property.com E-Newsletter August 2009 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In This Issue -- Tenkiller Black Bears -- 17th Annual Illinois River Balloon Fest -- Boren Secures Funds for Tenkiller and SNWR -- 57th Cherokee National Holiday -- Tenkiller Area Events -- Fishing Report -- 2009 July 4th Boat Parade Winners -- Team Tenkiller -- Tenkiller New Homes Dear George, Lots of things are happening in the Lake Tenkiller area, and we would like to share a little of it with you. Thanks so much for being one of the 1500+ subscribers to our award winning newsletter! We Love Lake Tenkiller!
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Black bear sightings have really become more numerous in the Lake Tenkiller area just in the last year. I decided to do some research (especially after receiving these great pictures) and the Oklahoma Wildlife department has already done it all for us. Below is excerpts from their article. The black bear is the smallest bear species and one of two bear species historically found in Oklahoma, the other being the plains grizzly, which are no longer found in Oklahoma. Although black is the predominant color of black bears in the eastern U.S., brown or "cinnamon" colored bears are common in the west. The black bear has an acute sense of hearing and smell but has relatively poor eyesight. They often stand up in order to see and smell better. Bears walk on the entire soles of their feet which accounts for their lumbering-like appearance when walking. Although bears may not look like they could move quickly, they can run at speeds of 35 mph and are excellent climbers and swimmers. The black bear is highly intelligent animal with the ability to learn quickly. Although not considered to be extremely dangerous, their behavior can be unpredictable. Black bears, however, can survive surprisingly well around humans. Historically, black bears ranged over all forested regions of North America. Today, in the interior regions of the U.S., they exist primarily on public lands where extensive tracts of forest can still be found. At one time bears occurred throughout Oklahoma, but by the early 1900s sightings had become rare. In late 1950s and early 1960s, the Arkansas Game and fish Commission successfully reintroduced black bears into the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains of the state. As a result of these initial releases the number of bears in Arkansas has grown from roughly 250 to nearly 2,000. Because of the increase in the Arkansas bear population, growing numbers of bears have been moving from Arkansas into eastern Oklahoma. They have also been migrating from the Ozark region of Arkansas into southwestern Missouri. The top bear picture is from my friends Bud & Marlene Reed of East Lake Hills located on Pack Mountain, just East of Buckhorn Mountain, their bear friend has been coming to see them just this summer on a frequent basis. Diane Rutland with Tenkiller State Park sent me these remarkable swimming bear pictures, and were taken by Jake Wedel. The bear was swimming in the Petit Bay area of Tenkiller. |
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17th Annual Illinois River Balloon Fest ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
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The Illinois River BalloonFest Committee (IRBC) and the Community of Tahlequah is proud to announce that plans are underway for the Seventeenth Annual Illinois River BalloonFest. Tahlequah will once again be hosting this beautiful event of 20 hot air balloons from across the country. This year's event is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, August 14 and 15, 2009. This is the longest running hot air balloon event in the state of Oklahoma and will take place at Tahlequah's Municipal Airport, located west of the city on SH 51, and will feature balloon glows each night (weather permitting). |
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Focusing on family entertainment, this year's festival will offer a wide variety of family fun, including children's activities, live music entertainment, car show, tractor pull, four-wheel drive rock crawling exhibition, 5th Annual Illinois River BalloonChase Challenge, lots of food and activities for all. The festivities open Friday at 4:00 p.m. with vendor booths, food concessions, kids' activities and live music beginning at 6:00 p.m. The spectacular balloon glow will begin at 8:30 p.m. (weather permitting). At the conclusion of the balloon glow, an exciting fireworks show will end the evening. Activities will continue Saturday, August 15th beginning with a Kiwanis Club pancake breakfast for sale from 6:00-9:00 a.m., the 5th Annual Illinois River BalloonChase Challenge beginning at 7:30 a.m. Information on entering this year's 5K Challenge can be found at www.signmeup.com. The BalloonFest grounds will open at 9:00 a.m. where there are kids' activities, vendors, and food concessions available until the event closes at 9:00 p.m. Boren Secures Funds for Tenkiller and SNWR ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
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U.S. Congressman Boren has secured $12,988,000 for various Corps of Engineers projects and studies on Oklahoma water resources in eastern Oklahoma. The projects include operations and maintenance funding for the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System and $6,625,000 for Tenkiller Lake, as well as additional funding for the Grand Lake Comprehensive Study. |
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"The management and health of our water resources is critically important to the Oklahoma way of life. Whether it is agriculture, emergency management, or recreation and tourism, our lakes, rivers, and other navigable waters are a significant part of the state's economy. I am proud to secure this funding for water resource projects in the Second Congressional District and I look forward to working with the Corps of Engineers to continue working toward obtaining this funding," Boren said. Dan Boren also announced last month that he has secured $800,000 for improvements to the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge road. "The wildlife refuge draws tens of thousands of tourists, fishermen and women, wildlife enthusiasts, and hunters each year. It provides an economic boost to the community of Vian and Sequoyah County as those same visitors also spend money at local businesses," Boren said. "I am committed to bringing federal funding home for projects like this that improve our infrastructure for continued growth." The project funding will allow for improvements to the roadway approaches to a newly replaced bridge on the refuge road. Boren previously secured funding for two other phases of improvements to the road. This funding will allow for the final phase of improvements to the refuge road and brings the total of funding Boren has secured for the road to $1.3 million. The total cost for all recent improvements on the roadway is approximately $1.8 million. Dan Boren's Websight
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The Cherokee National Holiday has been held since 1953 to commemorate the anniversary of the signing of the 1839 Cherokee Constitution. With its exciting array of entertainment, cultural and athletic events, it has grown into one of the largest festivals in Oklahoma, |
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attracting more than 90,000 visitors from across the world. This year's theme is E-loh-i nu-s-di- da-nv de-ga-de-la-qua-s-ge-s-di ("I learn from all that I observe"), reflecting the Cherokee Nation's long held belief in education as a means to uplift individuals and their communities. The Cherokee National Holiday is a celebration of Cherokee heritage, cultural awareness, and reuniting of families. Thousands of Cherokees and visitors from across the United States and abroad make the pilgrimage to the historic Cherokee Nation capital in Tahlequah, Oklahoma to renew friendships and celebrate the Cherokee spirit. The multi-day celebration is jam-packed with sports activities for all ages, from traditional games such as Cherokee marbles, the cornstalk shoot and the blowgun competition to the more familiar golf and softball tournaments. Hundreds of vendors and crafts people set up booths where visitors may view and purchase authentic Native American-made products and foods. Music lovers will enjoy a wide array of offerings, such as gospel and bluegrass music, a toe- tapping fiddler's contest and a concert from the award- winning Cherokee National Youth Choir. History buffs are invited to participate in the annual State of Sequoyah conference or to enjoy one of the new walking or bus tours offered by Cherokee Nation's Cultural Tourism department. History is made every year as the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation delivers the annual State of the Nation Address to the Cherokee people on the lawn of the Cherokee Nation's courthouse square. Those with children will especially enjoy the annual parade downtown, storytelling, children's games and fun hands-on traditional crafts events. The Inter-Tribal powwow held on the Cherokee Nation Cultural Grounds is always a crowd favorite, and highlights the Holiday celebration nightly as dancers from all over the United States compete for prizes and honors. The Cherokee National Holiday is a festive time in Tahlequah. We hope it will be an event you and your family will want to experience every Labor Day weekend. Wi tse do lv i (Ya'll come!)
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Thur-Sat thru Aug 8, Stars in the Summer Series, Downtown Country - NSU Playhouse Rhinestone Country 2, Thursdays & Saturdays at 7:30 pm,Turn Your Radio On, Fridays at 7:30 pm & Saturdays at 2:00 pm, River City Players - NSU Shawnee Street Theater, Centennial Soundtrack, Thursdays & Saturdays at 7:30 pm, River City Sock Hop, Fridays at 7:30 pm and Saturdays at 2:00 pm, For reservations call 458-2075 July 31-Nov 28 - Live Horseracing-Fridays thru Sundays, Blue Ribbon Downs, 918-775-7771 Sat Aug 1st Lion's Club IPRA Rodeo, Sallisaw Rodeo Grounds, 918-775-5507 Fri-Sat Aug 14-15 17th Annual Illinois River Balloon Fest at the Tahlequah airport, childrens activites, car show, tractor pull, four wheel drive rock crawling, lots of food, balloon glos and of course the balloon races. |
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Sat, Sept 5, 7-11am Blackgum Volunteer Fire Department Pancake Breakfast, Community Building Hwy 100, just east of the Tenkiller dam Sat-Mon Sept 5-7 Helicopter Rides at the entrance to Tenkiller State Park, call 918-630-4371 for reservations
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Got a Tenkiller Fishing or Hunting Picture? e mail it to me george@tenkillerproperty.com. Pictured is Steve Wilhite, husband of Betty Wilhite with a striper bass caught on the Lower Illinois Trout River. Greenleaf: Elevation normal, water clear. Largemouth bass good on jigs, worms, spinnerbaits and crankbaits along moss beds, rocky points and shorelines. Channel and blue catfish fair on fresh cut bait on bottom. Flathead catfish fair on sunfish. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around docks and brush structure. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County. |
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Webbers Falls: Elevation normal, water murky. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits, spinnerbaits and plastic worms around brush structure, riprap and creek channels. Catfish fair on fresh cut bait and sunfish on bottom. Sunfish fair on minnows and jigs around brush structure and bridges. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County. Lower Illinois: Elevation normal, water 59 and clear. Largemouth bass good on topwater lures all along the surface. Striped bass good on plugs and live bait at 1-2 ft. below Gore Landing. Channel catfish good on cut bait on bottom all along the river. Trout excellent fly-fishing at the surface, on rooster tails at 1- 2 ft. and on power bait on bottom from the dam to Gore Landing. Report submitted by D. Tracy, Town of Gore. Lower Illinois Trout Stocking Schedule August 4, 12, 18, 26
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Greater Tenkiller Area Association July 4th Boat Parade. $1,000 of prize money along with trophies donated by Tenkiller Liquor of Gore was given away. The GTAA would like to thank the Judges, Service Men from Camp Gruber, Job Well Done! Click Here To See The Lake Tenkiller Boat Parades Websight |
