Outdoors blog archive for Jan. 2014
TUESDAY, JAN. 21, 2014
Recent outdoors stories in the Spokesman-Review
Advance planning required for cabins, lookouts, permits Beyond feeding: birders create habitat in yards Field Reports: Montana high court upholds stream access law Women's Souper Bowl a chance to revel in winter Out & About: Women adventurers detail their travels on Jan. 27 Effort to…
Trail cam catches battling bald eagles 5
WILDLIFE WATCHING -- Sometimes trail cams are flat out lucky -- as effective as a pro photographer at snapping the shutter at precisely the right moment to capture wildlife in action. Here's a case in point. The two photos, provided by a reader, show not…
Revised plan is status quo for Columbia salmon
FISHING -- The federal government’s management plan for protecting salmon and steelhead populations imperiled by federal dams in the Columbia River basin differs little from its earlier version and continues to rely heavily on habitat improvement. Click continue reading for a report by the Associated…
Fly Fishing Film Tour coming Feb. 4 to the Bing
FISHING -- Savvy anglers will get their tickets early for what's likely to be another sellout crowd for the annual Fly Fishing Film Tour set to screen at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb.4, at the Bing Crosby Theater in Spokane. Save a couple bucks by…
MONDAY, JAN. 20, 2014
4th of July Pass nordic trails groomed
WINTER SPORTS -- Snowshoers and cross-country skiers have some decent opportunities this week at Fourth of July Pass. Here's today's grooming report from Geoff Harvey of the Panhandle Nordic Club: Glen Truscott and I groomed a good deal of the Area today. The Inner Loop…
Mount Spokane skiers rise above it all
WINTER SPORTS -- Pity everyone who has no way out from the gloom of the lowlands. A few folks are choosing to rise above the persistent fog by heading to their favorite ski resort. John Stucke joined Caroline Woodwell got up early enough to be…
SUNDAY, JAN. 19, 2014
Schelly details trek in Black Sea region, Eastern Europe
NOTE DATE: The date for this program was incorrect in today's version of the story in print. OUTTRAVEL – Jane Schelly, a globetrotting Spokane teacher and backpacker, will present a free program on her summer outdoor travels in the Black Sea Region of Eastern Europe…
Flash flood ordeal recounted by paddlers
NOTE DATE: The date for this program was incorrect in today's print version of the announcement. PADDLING – Four Spokane Canoe and Kayak Club members who survived a close call with a freak flash flood event while kayaking the Green River of Utah will present…
SATURDAY, JAN. 18, 2014
Spring chinook will double the pleasure at Drano Lake
FISHING -- Here's the latest forecast for a niche of the Columbia River spring chinook run popular with anglers:
FRIDAY, JAN. 17, 2014
Dead hawk owl to live on in WSU collection
WILDLIFE WATCHING -- The northern hawk owl that thrilled hundreds of birders as it ranged south to hang out around Moscow this winter was killed in a vehicle collision Thursday but will live on as an exhibit at Washington State University. Judging from the emails,…
Tribes angling to get authority to middle of Lake Roosevelt
FISHING -- Here we go again. A reader called Thursday and said he was told the Colville and Spokane tribes were trying to get authority to govern -- and possibly to require tribal fishing licenses for non-tribal anglers -- out to the middle of the…
THURSDAY, JAN. 16, 2014
Northern hawk owl visiting Moscow reported dead 1
WILDLIFE WATCHING -- Sad news: the northern hawk owl that's been attracting birders from far and wide to the Moscow, Idaho, area has been reported dead. The rare visitor from the arctic has been hunting and hanging out in the area since it was spotted…
Wife carrying race a hit at Lookout Pass Winter Carnival
WINTER SPORTS -- The 8th annual Wife Carrying Contest will be a feature attraction Sunday, Jan. 19, at the Lookout Pass Winter Carnival. Info: 208 774-1301. Question: What about the cases of couples in which the wife is tougher than the husband? Can we switch…
Montana Supreme Court upholds public access to waterways 1
PUBLIC ACCESS -- A landowner’s claims that he can keep the public out of a portion of the Ruby River don’t hold water, the state Supreme Court said Thursday in a decision upholding Montana’s stream-access laws, the Associated Press reports. The 5-2 decision favored the…
Wash. Congressman breaks ranks to support conservation funding
CONSERVATION -- If we're handing out medals for bravery this week, save one for Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash., who broke ranks with House Republican leaders on Wednesday to save the vital Land and Water Conservation Fund. Reichert was among a small number of GOP lawmakers,…
Minor fluctuations in Roosevelt levels expected
BOATING -- The elevation of Lake Roosevelt was 1278 feet Wednesday and is expected to range from 1270 to 1278 through mid-February as the dam operates primarily for providing power, the Bureau of Reclamation reports. Although local snowpacks are thin, the status of the Columbia…
Ice sailors get wild, sketchy ride on Sprague Lake
WINTER SPORTS -- Take this as an ice fishing report or an ice sailing report. Either way, Sprague Lake is pretty much off limits until the next good freeze. Dave Farmer of Revival Lighting has been bummed to have such great ice conditions recently with…
States react to hunters scouting with drones
HUNTING -- My recent post on states reacting to the possibility of hunters using camera-toting drones for scouting caught the attention of Northwest Sportsman editor Andy Walgamott, who checked the regulations of regional wildlife agencies. Both Washington and Idaho have regulations banning the use of…
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 15, 2014
Big bore defense: handgun designed for your backpack? 10
SHOOTING -- It's being touted as the perfect gun to carry in your backpack with the necessary stopping power to fend off attacks by pigs and bears. Smith & Wesson on Monday touted its new .460-caliber revolver as an ideal firearm for your backpack in…
Lottery winner's first purchase: Lifetime membership to Elk Foundation
CONSERVATION -- A Spokane man who won a big lottery jackpot put wildlife on the top of his list of benefactors from the windfall. Kelly Cruz, 53, a local carpenter, scored a win in the Lucky for Life scratch ticket and will receive $1,000 a…
Ethics issue: Hunters using drones to track game 5
HUNTING -- I'm sure some hunters will be outraged that wildlife managers are taking a hard look at the trend of hunters using drones to find game. But really? Drones are one of the fastest growing tech products on the market. The technology offers a…
Tough kids ski the elements at Telemark clinic
WINTER SPORTS -- The weather served up a bitter pill last weekend for the youth Telemark Turn clinic at 49 Degrees North, with high winds, power outages and crusty snow. But the few kids that toughed it out had a blast learning the age-old free-heel…
Comment requested on proposed wildlife land acquisitions
PUBLIC LANDS -- More than 700 acres along the Kettle River in Ferry County is among 13 proposed land acquisition areas for fish, wildlife and related recreation the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is considering in the next three years. The agency has posted…
Time to reserve forest cabins, lookouts for summer 14
PUBLIC LANDS -- Most rentals for cabins and fire lookouts on national forests and parks are reserved on a national reservation system that allows the public to book dates no more than 180 days in advance. Check out the National Recreation Reservation Service online or…
Rich Landers writes and photographs stories and columns for a wide range of outdoors coverage, including Outdoors feature sections on Sunday and Thursday.
Blog Archives
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