In brief: Outdoor advocates rally against land proposals

Sportsmen’s groups and outdoors business owners have scheduled rallies at the Idaho and Montana capitols to protest efforts by some state lawmakers to take control of federal public lands.

The groups contend state takeovers would ultimately result in the public losing access to millions of acres of land critical to hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation opportunities.

In Boise, a rally is set for noon today, organized by Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Idaho Wildlife Federation, Trout Unlimited and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.

In Idaho, the legislature is attempting to take control of up to 34 million acres of federal public lands. One proposal would spend a half-million dollars of state funds, plus an additional quarter-million every following year, to pursue options for transferring ownership of federal lands in Idaho to the state.

Wolf revival topic of panel discussion

Six panelists with different viewpoints will speak on the revival of wolves in the Northwest during a program at 7 tonight at Gonzaga University’s Jepson Center, Wolff Auditorium, 502 E. Boone Ave.

Moderated by Rich Landers, Outdoors editor at The Spokesman-Review, the discussion about the merits and woes of wolf reintroduction will range from the perspectives of a hunter, cattleman, wildlife biologist, philosopher, conservationist and ethicist.

The audience will be invited to submit questions.

The program is sponsored by Humanities Washington and organized by the Spokane County Library District.