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

Field reports: Idaho youth pheasant hunters can pursue stocked roosters

Staff ,wire reports

HUNTING – Idaho youth pheasant hunters can pursue stocked roosters through the pheasant season starting this weekend through Dec. 31, on an 810-acre Access Yes! parcel on the Palouse River, north of Potlatch.

Idaho Department of Fish and Game is promoting the program on the Palouse River Upland Game Bird Area with the help of an area landowner and the Game Bird Foundation.

Eligible youth must be 17 years or younger, possess a valid hunting license or passport and be accompanied by a mentor 18 years or older who has a valid hunting license. The mentor may also hunt.

Up to five youth hunters a day can be on the site. Little Canyon shooting area will provide 25 roosters a week for eight weeks to the site. Birds will be banded.

Hunters can report band numbers to be entered into a season-end prize drawing. Bands can be reported by calling the Idaho Fish and Game office in Lewiston.

To access site, go 2.75 miles west of Potlatch Idaho on Highway 6 to Wellesley Road. Turn left and go another 1.75 miles to South River Road. Turn left and cross the railroad tracks and the Palouse River Bridge. The parking lot and sign-in kiosk is on the left. A mandatory report forms are at the kiosk.

Info: Idaho Fish and Game office in Lewiston, (208) 799-5010, or the Gamebird Foundation, (208) 883-3423.

Banff Film Festival

screens in Spokane Nov. 17-19

ADVENTURE – The World Tour from the Banff Mountain Film Festival will make its stop in Spokane with three nights of different adventure films showing at the Bing Crosby Theater on Nov. 17-19.

The tour is sponsored in Spokane by Mountain Gear where advance tickets are being sold at the retail store, 2002 N. Division, or online at mountaingear.com.

It’s not too early to grab a ticket, since the show usually sells out well in advance, especially for Friday and Saturday nights.

This year’s screenings feature top mountain sport, culture and environmental films, letting viewers experience the thrill and challenges of the mountain environments.

The Banff Mountain Film Festival is the most prestigious mountain festival in the world. Right after the festival, held every fall in Banff, Alberta, the festival’s World Tour starts to travel the globe with stops in about 450 communities and 40 countries.

Spokane is among the first stops. The lineup of films, many of which are award winners at the festival in Banff, Alberta, often isn’t established until the first day of the Spokane screening.

Show times: Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., doors open at 6; Sunday at 6 p.m., doors open at 5.

Tickets: $20 a night or $54 for a three-day pass.

Helicopter to set power poles

on South Hill bluff

TRAILS – Portions of the South Hill bluff trails are set to be closed on Monday and Tuesday as Avista uses a helicopter to fly in new power poles for rebuilding a transmission line.

The transmission line corridor and all South Hill bluff trails that cross the corridor from Avista’s Sunset substation off Highway 195 to 57th Avenue and Hatch Road are scheduled to be closed from 7 a.m. on Monday until about 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Avista says in a release, noting that weather conditions could delay the work.

Congress budget would open

Arctic Refuge to drilling

PUBLIC LANDS – The U.S. Senate voted down an amendment last week that would have prevented Congress from advancing oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as part of a multistep budget process that is intended to be the basis for tax reform.

Recently, the House narrowly passed a budget resolution that includes Arctic Refuge drilling.

The upcoming congressional budget reconciliation process is the final opportunity to remove the Arctic Refuge drilling authorization from the budget.

Sno-Park season coming

at Mount Spokane State park

WINTERSPORTS – Sno-Park permits will be required on vehicles parking at Mount Spokane State Park trailheads starting with the first significant snowfalls that require plowing, said Jerry Johnson, park ranger.

Until then, Washington Discover Passes will suffice, he said. Usually significant snowfall occurs by Thanksgiving, he said. Either way, Sno-Park passes definitely would replace Discover Passes by Dec. 1.

Sno-Park Passes go on sale statewide on Nov. 1. Cost is $40 a season per vehicle. People parking at plowed areas with trail grooming, such as at the Selkirk Lodge at the cross-country ski park, must add a $40 grooming sticker to their Sno-Park Pass.

The pass is not required at the downhill ski area parking lots.

Program features wooden canoes

PADDLING – Mike Elliott, author of “This Old Canoe,” will present a free program on wooden canoes, 7 p.m., Monday at Mountain Gear Corporate Headquarters, 6021 E. Mansfield in Spokane Valley, sponsored by the Spokane Canoe & Kayak Club.