The Island County Commissioners’ proposal to change the code affecting the Kettles non-motorized trail system indicates that you are not at all as familiar as you should be with that property. If you were, you would never consider it reasonable to add hunting to the current mix of users.

These trails have come to be known as the best place to ride, walk and jog in Washington during the fall and winter months. The sand and gravel soil condition is unique to Kettles Park. The adjoining trails at Fort Ebey do not even share these unique soils. The Kettles Trail System is Island County’s greatest outdoor, non-hunting, family recreational facility and without question, one of its most popular with Island and off Island residents and users.

I am extending to the commissioners an invitation to personally explore this area and physically experience what this property is. Meet some of the multitude of trail users who will be placed directly in physical danger if you allow hunting. This is an issue that demands of you, as a public steward, a thorough analysis prior to your final decision. Finding out later that you made a bad decision could be deadly to one of the recreational trail users. Is such a consequence a responsibility you would want on your conscience?  As a steward of the public trust and on behalf of those you represent, is that a risk you are really willing to take with absolute certainty, and accept the consequences?

Please contact me at your earliest convenience and I will be happy to make myself available to you for a low key tour of the property so that you may be certain as to your support and commitment to specifically changing the code to allow hunting on this land.

Hugh Cargill

Island County Trails Council