HUNTING -- An Idaho Senate panel dropped a bill aimed at gutting the Department of Fish and Game’s authority to regulate where hunters can drive their all-terrain vehicles. The Senate Resources and Environment Committee rejected the measure this week, while also shooting down legislation that…
WINTER SPORTS -- The Winter Wildlands Backcountry Film Festival, canceled in February by a storm that closed the school, is rescheduled for Friday at Gonzaga University. Several winning festival films will be shown at the Jepson Center, Wolfe Auditorium. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., show…
ENDANGERED SPECIES -- In past years, Washington and Oregon have been little more than footnotes in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service annual report on western gray wolves in the Northern Rockies. However, the 2010 report gives the relatively new breeding packs in those states…
WILDLIFE -- The Idaho Legislature seems willing to take a step backward in regulations designed to protect the state's priceless wild elk herds. Elk ranchers who sell meat and charge hunters to shoot trophy bulls inside fences convinced a Senate panel to relax requirements to…
WINTER SPORTS -- Some snowmobilers seem to enjoy breaking the law and offending others more than the sport itself. Backcountry skiers recently documented snowmobile tracks in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness near Leavenworth. Sadly, they got little reaction from the local Sheriff or Forest Service when…
STATE PARKS -- The latest step in a long effort to expand the downhill ski area at Mount Spokane State Park will be explained in a public workshop with time for public comment tonight, 6:30 p.m., in Building 17 at Spokane Falls Community College, 3410…
WINTER SPORTS -- I wish I could say it's uncommon for people to chase wildlife on motor vehicles, but it's not. I've seen it often, and heard about it more often. And some people, such as the snowmobiler above in Colorado, are bold enough to…
PADDLING -- Supporters of the proposed Spokane River Whitewater Park in Peaceful Valley are still plugging along at getting approval for all the various permits. Spokane Parks and Recreation Department had organized an e-mail list to help people stay up to date on progress. Click…
CONSERVATION -- Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an international leader in the cause for clean and healthy waterways, will be in Sandpoint on May 18 and Spokane on May 19 to promote cleaning up and protecting two of the inland Northwest’s signature waterways. “Robert F. Kennedy…
HUNTING -- The Idaho Fish and Game Department has just posted its big-game hunting season proposals for the Panhandle region, based on biologists surveys and adjustments after taking comment from hunters at recent public meetings. The proposals that will go the the Fish and Wildlife…
BIRDWATCHING -- Reservations are filling for field trips during the Othello Sandhill Crane Crane Festival scheduled for March 25-27. The are excellent educational opportunities on field subjects ranging from Ice Age Floods -- check out the guided hiket through the Drumheller Channels National Landmark --…
HUNTING – Barbed-wire fences have scarred, crippled or killed wildlife ranging from birds to elk since it was stretched across the West beginning in the 1870s. But this photo suggests that a fence actually saved the life of one lucky buck or coyote in western…
SALMNG FISHING -- This year is not expected to be as good as last year, but the 2011 Chinook salmon return is on track to be the sixth best year since 1980. Most of the fish are still out in the Pacific Ocean, but the…
SALMON FISHING --Spring chinook, expected to be headed up the Columbia in good numbers, are catching a lot of angler attention already in the lower Columbia. Holding the bright, beautiful fish at left is Buzz Ramsey and his friend and guide Eric Linde with a…
WILDLIFE PARTS -- Furs, hides, antlers, traps and miscellaneous hunting and fishing equipment confiscated by Idaho Fish and Game Department officers will be sold in an auction April 2, at IFG's Clearwater Regional office, 3316 16th St., in Lewiston. View the items beginning at 8…
WILDLIFE ENFORCEMENT – The beat goes on for Washington Fish and Wildlife police in the 10 far-eastern counties, according to the weekly report obtained today. Illegal possession of painted turtles, dispatching injured deer, citing anglers from Hog Canyon to the Grande Ronde all were in…
FISHING -- The short-lived early season brown trout bite has been on at Liberty lake. Washington Fishand Wildlfie Department police report seeing anglers with limits of brown trout last week at the recently opened Spokane County Lake. Brave ice-fishermen were still catching fish on the…
HUNTING/FISHING -- The Idaho Conservation Officers Association has set its 2nd youth conservation camp for Aug. 15-19 and expanded the number of camper slots to 36. Insiders recommend that kids sign up now if they’re interested fishing, hunting, tubing, zip lines, target shooting – and…
FLY FISHING -- "We've seen a significant amount of Skawala stonefly nymph activity throughout the day," Jim Gallagher reports this morning from the Yakima River. "In the afternoon, with a little warming, there have been adult skawalas on the water surface. Most success has been…
NATIONAL FORESTS -- The U.S. Forest Service has scheduled public meetings this month to explain the details and intent of the recently proposed draft Planning Rule. If put into law, the rule would serve as a national blueprint for how hundreds of individual forest plans…
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION – The Pullman, Washington Chapter of Ducks Unlimited will hold its annual fund-raising banquet on March 26 at Banyan’s Restaurant, 1260 NE Palouse Ridge Road on the WSU Golf Course. Doors will open at 5:30, with raffles, games and silent auctions during the…
ENDANGERED SPECIES -- The 2010 annual report on the Northern Rockies gray wolf poplation released this week by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seems to have given everyone some ammunition. Overall the wolf population has remained roughly the same. However, while Montana and Wyoming…
PUBLIC LANDS -- Ah, Sunday -- time to relax and perhaps put a little energy into local conservation efforts by sending an e-mail to your state representatives to support funding for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program. As I explained in my Thursday column, Gov.…
HUNTING -- Feral hogs have been reported in Idaho where the Bruneau River enters CJ Strike Reservoir. With turkey hunting still a month off, some hunters are heading out for an early season target. Here are the rules just clarified by Idaho Fish and Game:…
PUBLIC LANDS -- The Washington Department of Natural Resources is trying to take steps to keep state lands from becoming dumps. The agency has posted an interactive map on its website showing locations of more than 200 sites that experienced illegal dumping last year on…
Rich Landers writes and photographs stories and columns for a wide range of outdoors coverage, including Outdoors feature sections on Sunday and Thursday.