GUN DOGS -- A black Lab won the battle of the breeds today at the Spokane Bird Dog Association's 2011 Fun Hunt. Among the breeds were German shorthair pointers, springer spaniels, yellow Labs, English setters and German wirehairs. They went head to head in braces…
WILDLIFE WATCHING -- The three rapidly maturing bald eagle youngsters in a 4-foot-wide tree-top nest are testing their wings, clearly eager for the upcoming first flight, as the world can see under the excellent Decorah Fish Hatchery web-cam in Iowa. As of this morning, people…
WILDLIFE --This young fawn was photographed on the tailing piles at Holden Village above Lake Chelan, Wash. The pine tree was planted to stop chemicals from leaching out of the piles. The Holden Mine was once profitable copper, gold and zinc mine located 10 miles…
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT -- Good and not-so-good vibes for hunters and wildlife enthusiasts are puling out of Washington, D.C. House Votes to Slash Spending on Ag Conservation Programs More Acreage for the Conservation Reserve Program
HUNTING -- Results from Idaho's 2011 special big-game controlled hunt drawings are available today as follows: Deer, Elk, Pronghorn, Fall Black Bear & Fall Turkey Moose, Bighorn Sheep and Mountain Goat Spring Turkey and Black Bear Washington's 2011 special big-game hunting permit drawings have been…
NATIONAL PARKS -- Crews plowing Glacier National Park’s historic Going-to-the-Sun Road say heavy snowpack this winter has put them almost a month behind schedule. Stan Stahr says he hasn’t seen the snowpack this bad in the 20 years he has worked for the park, and…
COLUMBIA RIVER -- The level of Lake Roosevelt was elev. 1255.82 feet this morning -- up 15 feet from last week -- and the Bureau of Reclamation this afternoon predicted the elevation will continue to rise through the coming week. Bureau officials expect the level…
PUBLIC LANDS -- National parks will be waiving entrance fees on June 21 to celebrate the first day of summer and provide an incentive for families to enjoy the outdoors and national heritage. The Park Service is waiving fees for a total of 17 days…
YOUNG WILDLIFE -- Does have been dropping fawns throughout the region. Unfortunately, people are picking some of them up. The Inland Northwest Wildlife Council reports that several people already have called the office asking what they should do with the fawns they found alone in…
SKIING -- The ski patrol director at Washington's Crystal Mountain ski area says the body of an expert skier who vanished three months ago has been found in a tree well, according to the Associated Press. Paul Baughner tells The News Tribune that an employee…
WILDLIFE RESEARCH– Biologists and a team of volunteers are herding Canada geese into pens and clamping leg bands on about 1,000 young birds in Eastern Washington for a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife study of goose population trends. The teams were herding geese at…
HIKING -- A two-mile loop hike to Elk Creek Falls led by Mike Borysewicz, Colville National Forest wildlife biologist, will be a great opportunity to stretch your legs and increase your knowledge of natural landscapes and wildlife. The free annual activity is set for June…
BIRDWATCHING -- The delightful killdeer we see making short sprints ahead of us as as walk along streams, fields and open farm and ranch country are programmed to build their nest in the uncommon comfort of gravel. So it's no surprise that graveled driveways or…
ENDANGERED SPECIES -- The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission has scheduled a conference call this morning at 8:30 to discuss the lack of harmony beaming from the state's Wolf Working Group meeting last week. Basically, the citizen group that's been working for years to help…
PUBLIC LANDS -- Colaborative groups from nine states -- including Washington, Idaho, Montana and Oregon -- garnered $22 million for national forest projects last week. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the funding for Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration projects that promote healthier, safer and more…
PUBLIC LANDS -- The new vehicle access pass approved by the Washington Legislature went on sale today, and 17 were purchased in the first hour, officals report -- although it appears it was mostly state officials doing the purchasing to make sure the web system…
MOUNTAINEERING -- A search for an ailing climber left high on Washington’s Mount Rainier was suspended late Tuesday due to strong winds and evidence that he likely fell 2,000 feet, the Associated Press reports. National Park spokeswoman Lisa Lombard told The News Tribune of Tacoma…
TRAILS– Efforts to maintain and develop some of the region’s standout trails will be presented at the annual “state of our trails” program organized by the Inland Northwest Trails Coalition Thursday, 6 p.m., at Mountain Gear Corporate Headquarters, 6021 E. Mansfield in Spokane Valley. (See…
SKIING -- Owners of 49 Degrees North have announced plans for another major expansion, with a double chair on Angel Peak and construction of a mid-mountain lodge in time for the 2012-2013 ski and snowboard season. Continue on to read detals from the media release…
SKIING -- Members of the Stevens Peak Backcountry Coalition are scheduled to meet in Wallace today with snowmobiling representatives. They plan to discuss ways to prevent conflicts between motorized and non-motorized users of the winter backcountry around the mountain and winter powder haven near the…
LIVING HISTORY -- Flint and steel firemaking, open-fire cooking, flintlock shooting and even a cannon salute will generate smoke and cheers at Riverside State Park this weekend. The annual Fur Trade Encampment will return the Spokane House Interpretive site to the 1810-1825 period when traders,…
DOGS -- The portable dog crates hunters use to transport their canine companions to the field also are excellent tools for house-breaking pups and new dogs and quickly bringing them into the family -- so you can get a full night's sleep! The following training…
WILD LANDS -- A workshop on controlling weeds on private lands with biological agents is set for June 23 at Mirabeau Park in Spokane Valley offered Spokane County-WSU Extension. Cost is $20. Preregistration required. Read on for details.
WILDLIFE -- Bonner County logged 770 complaints about bears last year -- 740 more than any other county in Idaho. Question is: Does North Idaho have a bear problem, or a problem with human habits in bear country? Explore the issue while sipping a brew…
TRAILS -- It's bad enough that a small group of people -- they call themselves the Doo Crew -- must step up to deal with the proliferation of dog poop along the South Hill bluff trails. But now these volunteers have to deal with the…
Rich Landers writes and photographs stories and columns for a wide range of outdoors coverage, including Outdoors feature sections on Sunday and Thursday.