WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS -- Don't bite the hand that feeds wildlife. Chop it off. Montana wildlife agents euthanize five food-conditioned bears After neighbors complained about someone in Heron feeding bears, Montana wildlife agents investigated and found five, well-fed food-conditioned black bears that they had to kill.
ENDANGERED SPECIES -- "We don't know that we got them all, but we couldn't find any more," said Dave Ware, Washington Fish and Wildlife Department Game Division manager, explaining the agency's decision today to wrap up its mission to eliminate the Wedge Pack of wolves…
ENDANGERED SPECIES -- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officials say a helicopter gunner killed the alpha male of a cattle-preying wolf pack today, concluding the mission to eliminate the Wedge Pack in northern Stevens County. The wolf was shot just south of the U.S.-Canada…
FISHING -- Time is running out for anglers at many of the Spokane-area trout lakes, some of which close for the season on Sunday . The rainless heat wave of August-September is keeping water temperatures unusually high, and the fish haven't picked up their fall…
HUNTING -- It's not news that the fields are dry and fire danger is extreme. But don't let your guard down when you go out hunting or recreating. One thoughtless moment in these conditions can be costly. Hunters, who have an especially big responsibility to…
ENDANGERED SPECIES -- Three wolves from the Wedge Pack in northern Stevens County were killed by a shooter in a helicopter today as the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife continued its effort to stop persistent attacks on livestock by eliminating the pack. Since early…
CONSERVATION -- One of the country’s biggest wildlife art contests will be judged in Ogden this week as the annual Federal Duck Stamp Contest comes to Utah for the first time in its nearly 80-year history. The event has been to the West only one…
ENDANGERED SPECIES -- Pro-wolf groups aren't all standing by as Washington Fish and Wildlife staffers try to eliminate the cattle-preying Wedge Pack in northern Stevens County. Here's a form letter being promoted by the Center for Biological Diversity: Dear John, Only seven wolf packs live…
PUBLIC LANDS -- Be sure to check ahead for possible fire restriction before setting out for a hunting or camping trip this weekend. Closures are in effect in some areas as fires continue to burn in the absense of fall rains that normally would have…
BOATING -- Lake Roosevelt's on-water fueling and minimal services will end for the season on Sunday (Sept. 30) at 5 p.m. at Keller Ferry and Seven Bays. Info: (509) 725-7229 or (509) 647-5755.
LAND FORMS – A free program on “Missoula Floods in the Northern Rockies,” will be presented Thursday, 7 p.m., at Spokane Community College Student Union Building. The program will be presented by Gene Kiver, a book author, retired geology professor and stalwart in the Ice…
ENDANGERED SPECIES – Shooting from a helicopter, a marksman with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife killed two wolves in Northeast Washington today as part of an effort to eliminate a pack that has repeatedly preyed on livestock in a remote grazing area near…
FISHING -- Good fishermen always check the stomach contents of their fish to see what they've been eating, but few have had to drop the task at hand, go to the police and have the contents FINGER PRINTED to find out the source of the…
WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS -- A black bear sow and her cub have been frequenting the English Point recreation trail near Hayden Lake, Forest Services officials say. No reports of aggressive behavior from the bears have been received at the Panhandle National Forests headquarters in Coeur d'Alene,…
HUNTING -- Although I wasn't old enough to be allowed to carry a gun, I took my English Setter, Scout, out for some training at the Fishtrap Lake pheasant release site this morning, the second day of the new Geezer Pheasant Hunting Season. Scout found…
HUNTING -- Washington hunters returning with game from Wyoming or 16 others states and some Canadian provinces must have the meat and trophies properly processed to prevent possible spread of Chronic Wasting disease. CWD has been found in wild deer populations in Texas and Missouri…
HUNTING– Qualificed applicants have until Sept. 30 to sign up in a drawing for special access to hunting areas through the Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District’s Hunters with Disabilities Program. Disabled hunters must sign up in person at either the Forest Service’s Silver Valley Office,…
TRAILS– Two notable trail runs are coming up in the Spokane area: Wild Moose Chase Trail Run, Sept. 29, on 5K, 10K and 25K routes on trails at Mount Spokane State Park. (No Discovery Pass required; reduced fees for kids.) Email: wildmoosechase@gmail.com Sekani Trail Run,…
OUTDOOR WRITING – Graduate students chosen for the University of Idaho’s new Writing in the Wild masters of fine arts fellowships will spend a week at either the McCall Outdoor Science School at Payette Lake or the Taylor Wilderness Research Station in the heart of…
HUNTING– Registration is underway for the limited number of spots in the annual Youth Waterfowl Hunting Clinics sponsored by the Idaho Fish and Game Department’s Panhandle Region. This year’s clinics are set for Sept. 29, when girls and boys ages 15 and under and their…
HUNTING -- Daniel Kuhta, 15, ended his career of participating in youth upland bird hunting seasons Sunday at the BLM Fishtrap Lake area with a limit of pheasants, and a good weekend with his dad, Scott, their yellow Lab, Luby, and the family's new Lab…
FORAGING – The Spokane Mushroom Club’s annual fall foray is set for Oct. 5-7 at the Priest River Experimental Forest based in Priest River. Experts lead daily group hikes to identify mushrooms collect specimens for educating the groups when they convene. Participants who can’t spend…
Summer is gone and the first day of fall has arrived, as Montana outdoor photographer Jaime Johnson reminds us with the photo above.
ENDANGERED SPECIES -- More information about the decision to kill the entire Wedge Pack of wolves responsible for killing wolves this summer in northern Stevens County is in my news story in today's paper.
ENDANGERED SPECIES -- The Washington Fish and Wildlife Department in conjuction with a livestock group and a wildlife conservation group have just issued statement's on the previously reported state decision to eliminate an entire wolf pack that's been attacking cattle in northern Stevens county. "In…
Rich Landers writes and photographs stories and columns for a wide range of outdoors coverage, including Outdoors feature sections on Sunday and Thursday.
