Spring is on its way -- honest
WILDLIFE -- Calm down, calm down. The first day of spring isn't until March 20. Everything will be better by then.
Outdoors blog archive for Jan. 1, 2011
TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2011
Conservationists boost rewards for bagging poachers in Washington
POACHING – Turning in a poacher in Washington can be rich experience, thanks to a commitment announced minutes ago by Conservation Northwest. The Bellingham-based group says it’s partnering with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to boost the reward for people who help Fish…
Palouse Falls has look of lace in bitter cold
OUTDOOR SIGHTS -- Penny Lapsley of Moses Lake didn't let last weekend's bitter cold keep her from a sight-seeing tour to Palouse Falls State Park. Indeed, the icy conditions were the attraction, as you can see from her photo of the falls flanked by ice…
Sportsman urge EPA to spare Bristol Bay from Pebble Mine
FISHING – A coalition of more than 360 fishing, hunting and sporting organizations from nearly every state in the nation U.S. have signed a letter urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to protect Bristol Bay, Alaska, from potential watershed damage by the proposed Pebble Mine.…
Wildlife photographer comes to aid of red-tailed subject
WILDLIFE -- A simple piece of twine created a life-ending situation for a red-tailed hawk in northwestern Washington until a hawk-eyed photographer focused on the situation. Check out the Everett Herald story featuring images by photographer Stu Davidson of Snohomish from his recent close wildlife…
Washington wolf status uncertain as pupping season looms
ENDANGERED SPECIES -- Washington biologists don't have a good handle on the state's fledgling gray wolf population going into the denning season. Poaching and loss of radio-collared wolves has hindered the monitoring. Wolves are likely to have another crop of pups in the northeast corner…
Big week for outdoor-related programs, meetings
OUTDO -- It's a big week of mostly free activities in Spokane, including nature photographer Art Wolfe, Canadian singer-songwriter conservationist Sid Marty, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, whitewater rafting vendors, youth hunting clinic, snowshoing tours and more. Check them out here.
Chill doesn't ground Yoke's Outrageous Air Show
FREESTYLE SKIING -- Even though it was cold enough to freeze your eyelids shut, the freestyle skiers in the Yoke's Outrageous Air Show let it fly at Schweitzer Mountain Resort on Friday and Saturday. Here Matt Gillis and Jordan Valenaar launch in one of the…
Fish and Wildlife cops have another busy week
WILDLIFE ENFORCEMENT – Snowmobilers and ATVers who are not good at reading signs continue to exercise the ticket-writing hands of Washington Fish and Wildlife police officers. Three wildlife officers joined with a Colville National Forest officer last week to follow up on a tip that…
MONDAY, FEB. 28, 2011
Salmon River steelheading is hot if you can take the cold
FISHING -- Two hours per fish? If you don't believe me, here's the report just filed by Idaho Fish and Game for steelheading success. Anglers are investing an average of 9-24 hours per fish on portions of the Clearwater. But the Salmon River fishing is…
Hanford Reach steelheading slow in February
FISHING -- Here’s the February steelhead fishing recap for the Hanford Reach of the Columbia just filed by Paul Hoffarth, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife fisheries biologist in the Tri-Cities: Lower Reach (Hwy 395 to old Hanford town site): An estimated 174 steelhead were…
Art Wolfe to present slideshow at Whitworth
NATURE/TRAVEL -- Wildlife photographer and Public TV “Travels to the Edge” host Art Wolfe will give a lecture and slide show Tuesday, 7 p.m., at Whitworth University’s Weyerhaeuser Hall Robinson Teaching Theatre. Wolfe, 59, is one of the best globetrotting nature imagers in the world.…
Non-resident hunting fees increase in Montana
HUNTING -- Out-of-staters will pay more for Montana big-game combination licenses in 2011. State voters approved a November initiative that moved 7,800 outfitter-sponsored big-game and deer combination licenses to the general nonresident license category, they also increased the associated license fees. The fee increases include:…
Plan ahead for big chinook run at Hanford Reach
FISHING -- The forecast is bright for the "upriver bright" fall chinook salmon headed primarily to the Hanford Reach of the Columbia this summer and fall. This year's run of fall chinook salmon to the Columbia River basin is expected to be the fifth largest…
Record run expected for "wild" fall chinook to Snake
FISHERIES -- Good news for the progress of restoring native Snake River salmon runs: Forecasts completed last week predict 17,500 Snake River “wild” fall chinook salmon will return to the mouth of the Columbia. This is a stock protected under the Endangered Species Act. A…
Fly pattern raffle boosts conservation
FLY FISHING – The Spokane Fly Fishers annual fly pattern raffle to support fisheries conservation projects is March 9, 6:30 p.m., at St. Francis School Auditorium, 1104 W. Heroy. Members and public alike can by chances on locally tested and tied patterns as well as…
SUNDAY, FEB. 27, 2011
BLM to rein in wild horse management
PUBLIC LANDS -- The U.S. Bureau of Land Management plans to scale back costly roundups of wild horses. In a news release issued Thursday, BLM officials said they will reduce the number of wild horses removed from the range by about one-quarter — to 7,600…
New ranger named for Colville's Republic District
PUBLIC LANDS -- The Colville National Forest has named a new district ranger for the Republic District. Tom Whitford, 20 years with the agency, will take over on March 14. He will replace Steve Rawlings, the forest’s fire management officer, who has served as acting…
Free skier abandons snow, hits the surf
SKIING -- If the bitter cold is turning you off to hitting the slopes in the Inland Northwest this week, maybe you should consider the possibilities of skiing Hawaii -- in the surf! Check out big-time freeskier Chuck Patterson's switch from the steep and deep…
SATURDAY, FEB. 26, 2011
Enchantments reservations go online Monday
BACKPACKING -- Reservations for overnight permits to camp in the Enchantment Lakes Basin will be available only online beginning this year, starting Monday. A popular destination in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, camping in the Enchantments from June 15-Oct. 15 is limited, and permits are picked…
Eagles terrorize Sprague Lake coots
WILDLIFE WATCHING -- The winter ice cap was almost gone from Sprague Lake a few days ago, but this week's cold snap has reversed the trend -- and that's bad news for the coots that had taken up residence in the open waters. Here's the…
Parks Canada gives cold shoulder to science experts
WILDLIFE -- Mike Gibeau, an internationally recognized grizzly bear specialist who spent more than three decades with Parks Canada, is retiring June 3 and the federal agency has no plans to replace him, just as the agency did not replace science manager Cliff White when…
FRIDAY, FEB. 25, 2011
Wolf poaching in Methow confirmed
ENDANGERED SPECIES -- Washington Fish and Wildlife Department officials this week confirmed the killing of an adult male gray wolf, shot in Eastern Washington more than a year ago and dumped in eastern Skagit County. Investigators believe the wolf was shot somewhere east of Rainy…
"Big" expectations for spring chinook run
FISHING -- Big is still the operative term for the spring chinook salmon fishery nosing into the Columbia River. Last year it was a big run. This year the emphasis is on the proportion of fish in the run that are big. The forecast is…
Rep. Hastings vows to block breaching Snake River dams
RIVERS -- Speaking to the Pasco-Kennewick Rotary Club on Wednesday, Congressman Doc Hastings, R-WA, said he’ll use his position as chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee to block any bills related to breaching lower Snake River dams. Hastings said salmon runs are recovering under…
Rich Landers writes and photographs stories and columns for a wide range of outdoors coverage, including Outdoors feature sections on Sunday and Thursday.
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