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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Field reports: Women in wilderness explored by panel

From staff and wire reports

OUTDOORS – Four local women with wide-ranging experience in the great outdoors will join for a panel presentation on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Bowl and Pitcher amphitheater at Riverside State Park.

The “Women in the Wilderness” panel is the latest in the summer-long Wednesdays in the Woods presentations organized by REI.

Four women will share how they found their place in the wild and what they’ve learned along the way:

    Sister Madonna Buder, known as the Iron Nun, a Catholic sister and Senior Olympian triathlete. Buder, at 82, set the record for the oldest female to finish an Ironman Triathlon.

    Holly Weiler, the Eastern Washington regional coordinator for the Washington Trails Association and co-chair of Spokane Mountaineer’s hiking committee. Weiler guides outdoor adventures with Mountaineers, leads trail crews with WTA and coaches high school track and cross-country teams.

    Gretchen Matt, veteran trekker who’s completed 6,000 miles of thru hikes including the Pacific Crest Trail in 2015, the Appalachian Trail in 2016 and the Florida Trail this year.

    Diana Dupuis, whose conservation career path has led her current position as manager of Riverside and Mount Spokane state parks.

The program is free, but guests should register online at REI.com/Spokane.

First-time hunters guided by volunteers

HUNTING – First Hunt Foundation members in the Spokane area are taking applications for mentored duck and goose hunts during Washington’s youth waterfowl season, Sept. 16-17, and for mentored pheasant, quail and partridge hunts during the youth upland bird season Sept. 23-24.

First-time hunters also are encouraged to apply for deer hunts and other open spots in later seasons. There is no charge for the volunteer service.

“Many of our mentors with FHF are especially interested in helping first hunters to go for deer but there is no special or early season for youth hunts for big game,” said Jerry Hickman, local coordinator for FHF, which is based in Kamiah, Idaho.

The fall wild turkey season is can be especially good for first time hunters, he said.

“Our mentors include archers for the September bow seasons, upland bird hunters with bird dogs, waterfowl hunters and deer hunters.”

Contact Hickman, (509) 315-7087.

Fall chinook season opening on Snake

FISHING – Washington is opening the Snake River to harvest for fall chinook salmon starting on Friday through Oct. 31, the Fish and Wildlife Department has announced.

Fishing will be allowed daily from the mouth to the Oregon state line. A significant number of the 260,000 upriver brights headed up the Columbia this year are bound for the Snake, biologists said.