FISHING -- National parks in the Western United States and Alaska are some of the most pristine landscapes and waters on the planet, yet results of a four year study indicate that mercury contamination affects fish even in these protected areas. It's important to note…
BACKPACKING -- This has been a perfect week to backpack the Wenaha River trail into the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness. Here's what Paul Knowles, Spokane County Parks planner, had to say after returning from a weekend trek into the area Went down to the Wenaha this weekend.…
NATURE -- The University of Idaho is offering summer science camps that allow youths grades 6 through 11 to go outdoors for hands-on discovery. Enrollment is open for students interested in spending a week The McCall Outdoor Science School on the shores of Payette Lake…
SKYWATCHING -- In case the clouds -- or the need for sleep -- obstructed your view of last night's lunar eclipse, here's the scene as seen in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah.
HUNTING/FISHING -- Local members of the Backcountry Hunters & Anglers are inviting interested sportsmen to tip a cold one with them starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 16, at the Post Street Ale House, 1 N. Post St. "This is an informal gathering and a…
FISHING - Put on an extra layer of fleece and get ready to fly fish the pre-runoff period on area rivers -- as well as the post-runoff period before prime flows return. How do you fish these "shoulder" seasons? FISHING -- Sean Visintainer of Silver…
FISHING -- A popular stretch of the Little Salmon River at Riggins, Idaho, will be accessible for the spring salmon season thanks to an agreement forged by Fish and Game staff and the local landowner. The only “catch” is, salmon anglers have to be on…
FISHING -- There's more room for anglers to roam on Lake Rufus Woods starting today, according to the following release from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. An area downstream of Grand Coulee Dam closed after the 9/11 attacks has been reopened. Action: Open…
FISHING -- More fish will be stocked in northeastern Washington lakes this spring, a benefit of the relicensing agreement for Boundary Dam. A new, long-term recreational fishing program that will increase fish numbers stocked in Pend Oreille and Stevens counties lakes kicks off this month,…
WILDLIFE WATCHING -- Spring and fall are the best times to find rattlesnakes congregated by a den, if you happen to stumble upon one. Montana resident Michael Delaney took this video -- clearly he was wearing leather boots and chaps -- and offered this insight:…
FISHING – As construction workers race against the biological clocks of salmon to make fish ladders at Wanapum Dam operational, state fishery managers say they are standing ready with an alternate plan to truck spring chinook up the Columbia River. Shortly after discovering a 65-foot-long…
HUNTING -- It's 5:49 a.m.: Washington's spring gobbler general hunting season just opened. I hear turkeys talking out here in the woods, but I don't see them. Patience.
CAMPING -- The "Blood Moon" will treat sky watchers who can stay up past 11 p.m. tonight. The weather forecast indicates the viewing of the lunar eclipse will be good. And if you have a warm sleeping bad, it might be a good night to…
COEUR d’ALENE SPORTSMEN’S BREAKFAST Tuesday, April 15 at 6: 30 a.m. Breakfast.. $7.50 includes tax and gratuity Lake City Senior Center, 1916 N. Lakewood Dr., Coeur d’Alene Tom Whalen, Senior Conservation Officer will give a presentation on the bull trout education and enforcement program. Stop…
FISHING/BOATING -- There have been worse years for spring drawdowns at Lake Roosevelt in the past decade, but as my recent story explains, anglers can expect a high percentage of the trout and kokanee to be flushed through Grande Coulee Dam when the drawdown goes…
HUNTING -- Elk hunting permits will be increased in the Colockum and Yakima areas along with antlerless deer permits in northeastern Washington under 2014-15 hunting regulations adopted by the state Fish and Wildlife Commission Friday and Saturday in Olympia. The continued growth of many state…
HIKING -- My story about the visual pleasures of day hiking in April was published in the Sunday Outdoors section. One of the hikes mentioned was Deep Creek Canyon in Riverside State Park. As if to emphasize the timeliness of hiking that area, Crystal Gartner…
FISHING -- Bad timing on my part.... My story about fly fishing the Yakima River's skwala stonefly hatch was published on Sunday, a few days after the river blew out and became unfishable. With the rivers still high on Sunday, even the guides from Ellensburg…
FISHING -- The Moses Lake High School Bass Fishing Team is challenging other high school teams to a May 10 tournament on May 10 -- a week before the Washington State High School championships at Lake Chelan. Winners at the state championships qualify for regional…
WINTERSPORTS -- Bob Legasa caught a photo of this happy crowd of skiers getting in their last licks on the sunny slopes of Schweitzer Mountain Resort Sunday. Most of the region's ski areas shut down their lifts for the season on Sunday afternoon. The notable…
FISHING -- I was minding my own business this morning fishing along the shore of Lake Roosevelt today when... OK, it wasn't actually a stampede, but these mule deer had been trotting along the shore right next to the water (the spring drawdown is underway)…
NATURE – The 48th annual Buttercup Hike through the Dishman Hills Natural Area is set for Saturday, April 12, led by geologist and former Dishman Hills Conservancy president Michael Hamilton. Meet at 1 p.m. at Camp Caro, 625 S. Sargent Rd., in Spokane Valley. Pre-register…
CYCLING -- The City of Spokane is asking citizens, including cyclists, to share what they know about getting around town in a way that may be used for improving the area's transportation. A new online mapping tool will help with data for an update to…
FISHING -- State and tribal co-managers have agreed on a package of salmon fisheries that meets conservation goals for wild salmon populations and provides fishing opportunities on healthy stocks, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Department just announced. Washington’s 2014 salmon fishing seasons were finalized Wednesday…
WILDERNESS -- While historic preservation groups praise Congressional action to keep the Green Mountain lookout standing in the North Cascades, wilderness groups led by Montana-based Wilderness Watch, say the effort falls short of historic preservation and flies in the face of wilderness values. Gary Macfarlane…
Rich Landers writes and photographs stories and columns for a wide range of outdoors coverage, including Outdoors feature sections on Sunday and Thursday.