Comment on FR Doc # E9-10551

Thank you for the opportunity to comment. I've lived and hunted in Oregon my entire life and from the time I was a young boy my father pointed out to me almost every tree, bush and animal in the woods. In 35 years of wandering the mountains in many endeavors I had never seen a Pika until last year where I saw two one hot August afternoon in a rock slide. Yes, it was warm outside. Around 70 degrees at 7,000 feet. I find two things very curious about this event. First, the fact that I saw two on the same day for the first time ever would lead me to conclude that there are possibly more around than have been in the past. Secondly, they did not seem to mind the warm temperture whatsoever and were enjoying lounging in the sun. I personally was too hot but the fact that they were not would indicate that maybe they are not impacted by temperature as much as some have been suggesting. My request is that you pay attention in your review the source of the studies that are conducted and the ultimate desire of the source. Anything that is not an analyis or study from an unbiased, third party should be thrown out as unreliable and not even be considered evidence. This ought to be a standard operating procedure for all studies and all plans. If you do not have an unbiased analysis of any kind then no decisioins should be made until you do. The FWS should require that any interested party who wants a study be required to pay for it and FWS then should complete or move to have the study completed by a third party. Anything less is just wasting time and money. Feel free to ask me the location of the sighting if this is important to you now or in the future. Sincerely, Matt Sprague