URBAN FORESTS -- The Friends of the High Drive Bluff are organizing a discussion on the proposed Fire Risk Reduction Plan for that popular South Hill recreation area on Thursday, 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m., at St. Stephens Episcopal Church, 5720 S. Perry St. Anyone interested in…
ROCK CLIMBING -- The Bureau of Land Management is proposing a ban on rock-climbing at Cedar Fields near Burley, Idaho, to protect cultural resources in that area and would also ban climbing on BLM lands in the Castle Rocks Inter-Agency Recreation Area. The federal agency…
TRIBAL HUNTING – The Benewah County prosecutor was incorrect to say the Coeur d’Alene Tribe in North Idaho does not have the right to hunt or fish on reservation land owned by non-tribal members, tribal officials say. “Any explanation or advice to people that tribal…
HUNTING — The number of youth hunters is dropping as Oregon’s population continues to shift to urban areas, according to a report in the East Oregonian. Oregon youth hunting license sales for hunters ages 12-17 have dropped by more than 17 percent in the last…
WILDLIFE WATCHING -- Distinguished wildlife photographer Paul Bannick will present a free multimedia presentation based on his book "The Owl and the Woodpecker" TONIGHT (Sept. 26), starting at 5 p.m. in the Wolff Auditorium, Jepson Center, Gonzaga University. The event is sponsored by Gonzaga Environmental…
HIKING -- My wife, Meredith, and I celebrated our 29th anniversary Sunday afternoon (and evening) with a lively troop of trekking friends, shown here bagging the Kardong Bridge on the Centennial Tail. This was Bridge No. 18 in the 7.8-mile downtown hike of 18 Spokane…
CONSERVATION -- With waterfowlers gearing up for the fall general season start (Oct. 15), the West Plains Chapter of Ducks Unlimited is sponsoring BBQ buffet dinner and fundraising auction Oct. 6 at Northern Quest Casino. Many species of wildlife benefit from the work of DU…
NUISANCE WILDLIFE -- Science is out of the rut and onto a new tactic for dealing with burgeoning deer populations in towns and suburbs where the animals can't be hunted. A new birth control vaccine for white-tailed deer -- a growing nuisance in urban areas…
TRAILS -- International Mountain Biking Association trail crew experts are offering a Trail Building Class, Saturday, Oct. 1, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. starting at McLain Hall, North Idaho College, followed by a field session at Blue Creek Bay. Experts train locals in techniques to help boost…
WILDLIFE -- Frustrated by some homeowners' unwillingness to secure their garbage to keep black bears from becoming habituated, a group of residents of Incline Village in Nevada near Lake Tahoe have created a Facebook "wall of shame," that features unsecured Dumpsters and the identity of…
HIKING -- This is my notion of crimson and gray: Fall huckleberries and granite. I hiked the north-south divide between the Pend Oreille River and Priest Lake today, North Baldy to Kalispell Rock and back today. Total of 17 miles, temps in high 80s. Gorgeous.…
WILDLIFE WATCHING -- A nifty program on the wonder of hawks and owls will be presented Saturday (Sept. 24) near Coeur d'Alene at the Blackwell Island Boat Launch and Park. Beth Paragamian and West Valley Outdoor Learning Center will have live raptors as well as…
BOATING -- The level of Lake Roosevelt was 1283.75 at 9:30 a.m this morning. The elevation is expected to remain in 1283-1285 range for the next week. For a daily forecast call (800) 824-4916. This forecast is updated at 3 p.m. each day.
ENDANGERED WILDLIFE -- Here's another big twist to the story about the hunter attacked and by a grizzly bear after it had been mistaken for a black bear and wounded in a remote area of extreme northwestern Montana. The hunter who died during a grizzly…
NATIONAL FORESTS -- One road is closing for repairs while another is opening on the Colville National Forest. Hanlon Cutoff Road (1935115) near Sullivan Lake will be closed starting Monday through Oct. 3. The culvert work is targeted near the intersection of the Hanlon Cutoff…
PUBLIC LANDS -- Ranchers continue to cow the federal governement from expanding the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, which eased under the national spotlight in the past two decades along with interest in the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The head of…
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT -- Northcentral Washington residents have an opportunity to discuss fish and wildlife issues with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Phil Anderson and regional staff in a roundtable-style meeting Sept. 26 in Brewster. The 10th annual meeting is scheduled from 5:30 to…
WILDLIFE WATCHING -- Few images capture the power and fury of the September bull elk bugling season better than this video posted on YouTube by Yellowstonemedia. Turn up your speakers and enjoy.
HIKING -- A couple of seasoned hikers made three classic mistakes that left them out on the slopes of Mount Rainier for a cold night in the woods Tuesday. In a nutshell: They separated from their party (and the party didn't wait for them at…
CAMPING – Big Hank and Bumblebee campgrounds on the Coeur d’Alene River Ranger District have been reopened for free fall camping through October on a trial basis. “We’ve had requests to open the campgrounds in the fall to accommodate both hunters and people who enjoy…
WILDLIFE -- Three cheers for Gonzaga University student Molly Sullivan Roberge and others who've been putting up posters recently to help the mountain-going public learn how to be good neighbors with the mountain goats that highlight our high-country hiking trips. Shown above, Molly is putting…
BOWHUNTING -- Alex McClean, a senior at Timberlake High School/Spirit Lake is an avid bow hunter who boasts of being able to “Robin Hood” an arrow on numerous occasions. (He can shoot a bull's eye, then split the arrow with another shot, reports photographer David…
WETLANDS CONSERVATION – Ducks Unlimited is asking duck hunters and other waterfowl enthusiasts to “double up for the ducks” by purchasing two federal duck stamps this year. “The federal duck stamp has been an important tool in waterfowl habitat conservation for 77 years, but its…
BIG-GAME HUNTING -- Montana has gone to a preference point system for elk and deer. Of course, this means the cost of being competitive has gone up, but as a benefit, this should make planning your hunt more predictable. If you plan to hunt Montana…
WILDLIFE -- Montana wildlife officials have euthanized what they say may be the oldest male grizzly bear to be captured in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem. Mike Madel, a grizzly bear management specialist for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, says the bear was between 24 and…
Rich Landers writes and photographs stories and columns for a wide range of outdoors coverage, including Outdoors feature sections on Sunday and Thursday.
