Caribou fears exaggerated

My husband and I, as well as dozens of friends over the last 18 years, have snowmobiled at Priest Lake and northeastern Washington. Never have we seen caribou. They must be phantoms.

Mike Petersen (“Lawsuit filed to protect caribou,” Jan. 16) continually wastes our tax dollars on lawsuit after lawsuit trying to end snowmobiling in a designated 443,000 acres. He hopes the new administration will do more to help him.

I think the new president has critical problems facing him, and these elusive caribou are far from being an urgent matter. If Mr. Petersen personally needs to see more of these critters, perhaps Alaska would herd a bunch of them down here. They are mosquito-infested and there are thousands of them. Is it really about caribou or snowmobiles?

Our recreation creates a better economy for the great Priest Lake resorts, merchants and the community in general. Does Mr. Petersen also want to ban hikers, campers, huckleberry pickers, hunters, loggers and four-wheeler groups? Snowmobilers rock. You should try it, Mr. Petersen; you might actually have some fun!

Carol Samson

Priest Lake, Idaho