Out & About: Moose raffle ticket perfect hunter gift
OUTBUY – Looking for a foolproof gift for a big-game hunter?
Buy a handful of raffle tickets for the coveted Washington moose tag being offered by Washington Fish and Wildlife.
The more $10 raffle tickets you buy, the better the odds for drawing a once-in-a-lifetime chance to hunt with an either-sex tag anywhere moose hunting is allowed in far-Eastern Washington.
The state is letting the Spokane-based Inland Northwest Wildlife Council handle the ticket sales in person or by phone or mail. A small percentage of the sales are used for wildlife conservation projects in this region; the rest goes to the state for moose management.
Savvy big-game hunters know they can boost odds by entering the raffles as well as the normal state lottery in which they get one chance among about 31,400 applicants vying for one of 138 tags.
Only 3,000 moose raffle tickets were sold last year, said INWC executive director Wanda Clifford. Although she didn’t keep individual sales stats, she estimates the tickets were sold to fewer than 300 hunters.
Residents and nonresidents are eligible to buy tickets, and the hunting license and tag is awarded to the raffle winner at no extra charge.
The “once-in-a- lifetime” restriction is waived.
If selected, any legal weapon may be used.
The moose raffle tag drawing is set for March 20 at the Big Horn Show in Spokane.
“We’ll sell tickets up to then, but we’re printing only 5,000 tickets this year,” Clifford said.
Contact: Inland Northwest Wildlife Council, 6116 N. Market St., (509) 487-8552; wildlifecouncil.com/
Board CdA boats to view eagles
OUTDO - A scenic boat cruise is one of the more enjoyable ways to view the annual bald eagle gathering at Lake Coeur d’Alene’s Wolf Lodge Bay.
BLM tallied 117 eagles there this week.
Options include:
Dec. 26-Jan. 2: Coeur d’Alene Resort 2-hour cruises start at 1 p.m. Cost: Adults $20, over 55 $18, kids $12, under 6 free.
Sign-up: (800) 688-5253
Jan. 1: Spokane Parks and Recreation van trip and 2-hour cruise for adults. Participants meet at Corbin Center, 827 W. Cleveland, at 11:30 a.m. and return after a no-host meal at 5 p.m. Cost, including guide and transportation, $38.
Sign up: 625-6200; spokaneparks.org/
White duck a park standout
OUTFOWL – A white wood duck, possibly albino, is hard to miss among the mallards and widgeons at Riverfront Park.
It’s been seen for weeks near the Carousel.
More photos online: