Wildlife Chums Leave Out Rare Provision

Eagle-eyed anglers have spotted at least two errors in the massive new Washington Fishing Regulations pamphlet for 1995.

A special provision that allows for “chumming” in two area lakes was inadvertently omitted, said Madonna Luers, department spokeswoman in Spokane. Chummers sprinkle food into the water to attract fish to an angler’s bait or lures.

While prohibited in most waters, the state allows chumming for kokanee at Horseshoe Lake in Pend Oreille County and Chapman Lake in Spokane County, King said.

Chumming will continue to be legal at these lakes even though it is not specifically spelled out in the pamphlet, she added.

Bird Day activities

Both the Turnbull and Kootenai National Wildlife refuges will hold activities for Saturday’s International Migratory Bird Day.

Turnbull will have an open house 1-4 p.m. that will include programs on migratory birds, staff-guided tours and walks, demonstrations on building nesting boxes and bluebird presentations at 1:15 and 2:15 p.m.

At Kootenai, in cooperation with the North Idaho Audubon Society, there will be bird walks at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., a banding and mistnetting demonstration at 9:30 a.m. and, at noon, an opportunity for children to construct blue bird houses to take home.

Turnbull is 6 miles south of Cheney. Kootenai is 5 miles west of Bonners Ferry in Idaho.

Boating safety grants

Non-profit organizations and public agencies will have a chance to apply for boating safety grants when the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission hosts a workshop in Spokane on Thursday.

Up to $275,000 in federal grants for boating safety programs in Washington is available.

The workshop will take place from 3-6 p.m. at the Spokane Public Library, 906 W. Main. Info: Jim French, (360) 902-8515.

Wildlife checks

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife sent checks totaling $459,129 in taxes and assessments to 31 Washington counties and their local taxing districts last week.

The annual payments are in lieu of property taxes on land the department owns or manages as well as assessments for fire protection, weed control, irrigation and other local amenities.

The department owns 447,228 acres of wildlife habitat areas, fishing access sites, fish hatcheries and office space.

WDFW is required to pay counties “in-lieu” taxes on property of at least 100 contiguous acres or give game violation fines collected to that county, with the choice up to the counties.

The highest payments went to Kittitas County, $120,173, with Yakima County receiving $117,012. Pend Oreille received $3,309.