Out & About: Elk Foundation eyes $1 million at Spokane banquet

OUTSTANDING – The 26th annual fundraising banquet this month could put the Spokane Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation into the million-dollar club.

“We’re expecting this banquet to push us over the million-dollar mark since our chapter was started and we’d like to invite the public to come and join us,” said Joe Kimball, chapter spokesman.

Founded in 1984, the Missoula-based RMEF has 500 chapters that have raised funds to protect and enhance habitat on 6.2 million acres.

RMEF has helped facilitate land acquisitions as well as on-the-ground volunteer efforts boosting the Asotin Wildlife Area to improve habitat for Blue Mountains elk, said Paul Wik, Washington Fish and Wildlife biologist in Clarkston.

“These banquets are the meat and potatoes,” Kimball said.

The Spokane chapter banquet starts at 5 p.m. on Feb. 16 at the Mirabeau Park Hotel and Convention Center in Spokane Valley.

Ticket info: Rich Furry, (509) 290-3557; rmef.org.

Deer permits OK’d in Republic city limits

OUTFIELD – A Ferry County town for several years has been trying to deal with an urban deer population that delights some residents and plagues others.

Spokane men hired a few years ago to live trap the mule deer in Republic and relocate them were assisted by some locals and threatened by others.

In the latest development, Washington Fish and Wildlife police have issued the city permits to kill and remove 10 deer from the town with the possibility of permits to kill 10 more.

Timber company offers disabled permits

OUTACCESS – Disabled hunters can apply for special permits giving them access to Inland Empire Paper Co. lands during spring and fall hunting seasons.

Apply by April 4 for 25 access permits that will be issued in a lottery drawing.

Most of their roads are still locked to exclude full-size vehicles until May, but four-wheelers are may be OK’d for the first part of the wild-turkey season.

The applications can be downloaded at the INWC website, wildlifecouncil.com.

First click on Committees, and then on Disabled Access.

Applications also can be picked up at the council’s office, 6116 N. Market St. Info: (509) 328-6429.

$5 snowshoe rentals offered Saturday

OUTDEAL – Mountain Gear will offer 24-hour snowshoe rentals for $5 starting at 10 a.m. Saturday while supplies last. Info: 325-9000.