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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Out & About: Bare roads reduce charity meat pickup

OUTSCAVENGE – The dearth of lowland snowfall this winter has made an impact on the Spokane sportsman’s club that volunteers to pick up road-killed big game.

“It seems we are picking up more animals hung up in fences than off the road,” said Wanda Clifford, Inland Northwest Wildlife Council executive director.

The council has a special permit from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to deal with freshly dead or mortally injured big game around the area.

Wildlife Recovery Team members are trained to handle and sometime dispatch suffering wildlife. If the meat is salvageable, they have the state permits to take it to local charities for distribution to the poor.

But this winter, the crew isn’t working nearly as hard as it did last year.

“Right now it seems we are picking up one or two animals a week compared to that number in a day when the winter is heavy with snow,” Clifford said.

Everybody likes to see wildlife getting a break, but the side effect is that fewer people get to eat salvaged meat.

In 2011, the 28 active crew members responded to 76 deer, two elk and six moose cases, salvaging 6,860 pounds of nutritious meat donated to local charities such as the Union Gospel Mission.

Canada lynx returns to Salmon region

OUTFIELD – Idaho Fish and Game biologists say the first Canada lynx since 1991 has been confirmed on the Salmon-Challis National Forest.

A recreationist reported the lynx caught in a leg-hold trap. State biologists say they released the cat after they determined its leg was unharmed.

Mountain Gear easy on environment

OUTSTANDING – Backpacker magazine and SNEWS named Spokane-based Mountain Gear the Sustainable Retailer of the Year at the recent 2012 Winter Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City.

The annual award honors outdoor retailers that stand out as leaders for the industry and the communities they serve.

“This award recognizes the efforts of our entire team to be a sustainable organization and to continually learn and try new ways to reduce our footprint,” said Paul Fish, company president.

The award givers were impressed with Mountain Gear’s corporate headquarters, an old warehouse renovated with skylights, energy management systems and drought-tolerant landscaping irrigated with collected rainwater.

Recycled materials, low-flow plumbing, waterless urinals and energy-efficient lighting were added. Incentives for employees to commute efficiently or bike to work top it all off.