FISHING -- A Washington man has been charged with a misdemeanor for allegedly guiding fishing trips in North Idaho without an Idaho outfitters license, according to a Bonner County Daily Bee story. Prosecutors charged 49-year-old Charles Osterholm of Deer Park last week following an undercover…
WINTER SPORTS -- A free avalanche workshop for all snowgoers is set for Wednesday, 6 p.m., at the Forest Service Building in Sandpoint. The topic to be tackled by the team of Forest Service technicians at the Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center: "What we can learn…
HUNTING -- Some hunters who ride all-terrain vehicles to pursue their quarry have gone to the Idaho Legislature in a bid to expand where they can drive, according to a story just moved by the Associated Press. Sen. Tim Corder, R-Mountain Home, is giving the…
BACKCOUNTRY SKIING – Last week’s news that a 40-year-old Seattle woman died exploring the outback slopes near Snoqualmie Pass has generated an outpouring of response on the Turns All Year website devoted to backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering. Monika Johnson, 40, apparently died Tuesday after…
OUTBLOGGING -- I'm back from a week "in the field" and catching up on a ton of outdoor news and happenings. Clearly the outdoor world has not stopped in my absence. Although I've been trickling in new info daily, I'll pass on more news and…
WINTER SPORTS – Nordic ski races and advance skiing camps, a Doggie Dash, biathlon clinics, art shows, comedy theater – and that’s just a sampling of the activities scheduled for this year’s Methow Valley Winter Festival near Winthrop, Feb. 18-27. See the entire schedule and…
WILDLIFE ODDITIES -- The occasional white turkey or white moose captures our attention like a snowflake in the desert. But the persistence of whiteness in a small band of northern Wisconsin whitetails has become book material. If you haven't seen it, check out this year-old…
HUNTING -- The application period for Idaho's spring turkey and black bear controlled hunts is open and runs through Feb. 15. Spring turkey and spring black bear seasons start April 15 – some controlled hunts open later. Leftover tags for spring turkey and bear controlled…
RIVERS -- Floaters and anglers have until Feb. 15 to apply for the coveted permits to float Montana's Smith River. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Department holds a lottery to issue permits required to float the 59-mile section of river south of Great Falls between…
WINTER SPORTS -- The Spokane Parks and Recreation department offers a full slate of reasonably priced winter nordic skiing and snowshoeing clinics plus outings. A Feb. 12 guided snowshoe hike at Liberty Lake catches my eye, but there's much more. Check them out at the…
LAKES -- Anglers and campers will see new ground at Banks Lake this summer. Starting Aug. 1, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will lower Banks Lake by 30 feet to complete about $2 million worth of work at Dry Falls Dam and North Dam, according…
CONSERVATION – Developing a parking area for the south-side access to the Big Rock conservation area near Tower Mountain is a top 2011 priority for The Dishman Hills Natural Area Association, which recently filled all 14 slots on its board. After three years of negotiations,…
NATIONAL PARKS -- This video offers a fascinating glimpse at the flow of frazil ice in the stream below Yosemite Falls. National Park Service rangers say this is just one of many attractions that occur in national parks only during winter before the summer crowds…
FLY-FISHING -- The Spokane Fly Fishers area offering to sponsor a youth, 12-16 years old, at the 2011 Northwest Y outh Conservation & Fly Fishing Academy, set th is year for June 19-25 at Hicks Lake near Lacey, Wash. The $275 sponsorship covers the academy,…
WINTER SPORTS -- Among the many activities ranging from snowshoeing to a Doggy Dash ski-joring race, two “Try Biathlon” events are scheduled near Winthrop, Wash., during the Methow Valley Winter Festival. The valley’s biathlon team coaches will put on the events Feb. 23 and Feb.…
WINTER SPORTS -- Snowshoeing past and present will be the topic of the free program Tuesday at the Panhandle Nordic Ski & Snowshoe Club meeting. It starts at 7 p.m. at the Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District office, 2500 E. Sherman in Fernan Village. Park…
WINTER SPORTS -- Working on an upcoming story on snowshoeing, I've compiled these tips to help you get started if you're thinking about heading up to Mount Spokane this weekend for the Women's Souper Bowl activities -- or maybe you're just heading out on your…
BIRDWATCHING -- The ever-vigilant eyes of area birdwatchers are finding more to see every day. Here's this week's report from Charles Swift in Moscow: I had a smallish mixed flock of Bohemian and cedar waxwings on campus this morning. There might be more Bohemians around…
FISHING- Even without the boat displays, anglers can justify going to the Spokane National Boat Show just to sit in on the varied list of fishing seminars. The show is on today and running through Feb. 5 at the Spokane Fair and Expo Center. Bass,…
WILDLIFE WATCHING -- If you have a love for birds, make time in your Valentines Day for the Coeur d'Alene Audubon Society's Midwinter Banquet, Feb. 14, at the Greenbriar Inn, 315 Wallace Ave., in Coeur d’Alene. Cost: $35. Reservations due by Feb. 7 to Coeur…
RIVER RUNNING -- Applications to get coveted permits for floating the Selway, Snake, Middle Fork of the Salmon, or wild main Salmon rivers for this coming season must be submitted online by Monday. The shift by the Forest Service to online applications includes a few…
FISHING -- Friends who trolled from a boat for trout at Lake Roosevelt Wednesday worked 8 hours and bagged only nine trout total for three of them. Nice fish to be sure, but that's an unusually lean day at the lake's top trout fishery this…
OLYMPIA -- With the governor's sobering budget proposal offering no state funding for Washington's state parks, adminstrators are looking under every rock for money -- and they're also looking at every car. A Seattle Times story, "Could Vehicle Fees Keep State Parks Open," examines the…
HUNTING -- Washington hunters must file their season's hunting activity report by Monday for each black bear, deer, elk, or turkey tag they purchased in 2010. Whether successful or not, hunters are are required to file the reports by phone or online or face a…
FLY FISHING -- Silver Bow Fly Shop is offering the last chance before spring to take a beginner fly-tying class. Learn to tie 6 reliable fly patterns with techniques that can be applied to many more. When: Feb. 7-8 Where: Silver Bow Fly Shop Instructor:…
Rich Landers writes and photographs stories and columns for a wide range of outdoors coverage, including Outdoors feature sections on Sunday and Thursday.
