Fighting’ Over Huckleberries

Competition for huckleberries is creating conflicts in the woods, with reports of pickers fighting over patches of the sought-after berries. Gathering huckleberries is a cherished summer ritual for many Inland Northwest residents. This year, they’re competing for an early but limited crop because of the drought. “We’re hearing reports of people being threatened – they’re being told by other pickers that this is their patch and those kinds of things,” said Jason Kirchner, a spokesman for the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. “That’s simply not acceptable. This is public land, this is recreational picking. There’s no claim-staking for huckleberries.” Drought conditions have also led to more complaints about illegal, commercial harvests on national forest land. In their haste to collect berries, commercial pickers sometimes use rakes or rip the shrubs out of the ground, trashing picking areas for years to come/ Becky Kramer , SR. More here .

Question: Have you had trouble gathering your huckleberries this year?