16. RODENT CONTROL

Donald M. Dickey: Oh. We got, had 160 acres, and I think we got $7200 for it. And we went over, the folks went over by Wren and bought a place from a fellow over there that had 180 acres. And I think they got it for $7200. So it wasn't too bad. Back in the '40's, why, we went out to help people and show them how to get rid of moles. And went down to Deadwood creek, and only three fellows showed up for the demonstration. And...

16. RODENT CONTROL

Bob Zybach: Were you working for Oregon State at that time, the &tension Service.

Donald M. Dickey: No, I was working for myself, but I cooperated with Oregon State and if they needed a demonstration on mole control or gopher control or whatever, I'd go do it for 'em. And in turn they helped sell bait for me. And so it was a cooperative deal, I mean, we understood each other. I wasn't taking advantage of them and they weren't taking advantage of me.

Bob Zybach: Did you know a man named Hooven?

Donald M. Dickey: Who?

Bob Zybach: Hooven?

Donald M. Dickey: Hoover?

Bob Zybach: Hooven.

Donald M. Dickey: Hooven, oh Ed Hooven?

Bob Zybach: Yeah.

Donald M. Dickey: Yeah, Ed and I worked together, he worked for the Forestry, State Forestry Department. Lee Kuhn and I worked together, Lee Kuhn was the fish and game guy that I mentioned a while ago. [Woman looks in around curtain enclosure towards Don.] That was my daughter just snuck around here. Anyway, about '45 they wanted me to come down to Deadwood Creek. There were three fellows showed up. One of them was sort of a younger fellow. So I showed them how to set traps and stuff, and what we knew how to tell them for sure. This young guy stood there and looked at me and then he says "Jesus Christ, you sons of bitches have been telling us that for 10 years!" I decided that was about time for somebody to start to work on a mole bait. So I spent 7 years working out a mole bait, trying I don't know how many different things. Finally I got one that worked and I just tried to register it in Oregon

Donald M. Dickey: and Washington wanted some, got it from them, or they got it up there somehow or another, and then recently, well, for the last 10 years or so, they've been trying to get registered nationally to the EPA. And the old EPA has been hard to get along with. And finally they had a request from Wisconsin or Michigan or someplace back there to get the mole bait to try out, and it worked like a charm. And also, it worked down in Missouri where my great grandfather homesteaded, because I took some down to a fellow that lives there, and he came back out he was wanting more to take back. Anyway, they came out with a report that, how good this mole bait was that he had tried out [Unintelligible], and so immediately the EPA called up Doug [Freeman] and says "Hey, why don't you get that mole bait registered." I don't know how I had enough guts to do that. Anyway, it came that this is considered one of the number one mole baits in the country. And I spent a long time working on it and checking on it, so I feel pretty good about it.

Bob Zybach: Well, you started what, in '45 on it?

Donald M. Dickey: '45 and got it to where I was willing to register it in '52. Seven years. Still it's looking pretty good.

Bob Zybach: But it still hasn't been registered even now?

Donald M. Dickey: Well, they're registering it now. Nationally, they'll be able to sell all over the country as quick as they get it registered with the EPA and other states.

Bob Zybach: Do you have the patent on it?

Donald M. Dickey: No I sold it to Doug and I had to sell him the stuff that would make a patent on it. Anyway, I'm too old to manufacture mole bait anymore.

Bob Zybach: Okay, say Don, one thing that came to mind, when you were doing rodent control, did you work with any of the rodents in the Tillamook Burn, in their reforestation program?

Donald M. Dickey: In where?

Bob Zybach: In the Tillamook Burn in that reforestation program? They were having a problem with mice on that.

Maxine Dickey: On the Tillamook Burn?

Donald M. Dickey: Oh, no Ed Hooven did that work.

Bob Zybach: Just Ed Hooven did it?