ENDANGERED SPECIES -- Five conservation groups filed a lawsuit today against the governor of Idaho and other state officials to halt trapping that can harm or kill Canada lynx, one of the rarest cats in the United States. The lawsuit charges Gov. Butch Otter, the…
PUBLIC LANDS -- National Forest travelers headed to the Pass Creek Pass area of the Colville National Forest, including the south trailhead for the Shedroof Divide and the Grassy Top Mountain trail, could experience delays this month on certain days. The Forest Service and Border…
FISHING -- An angler took a shot at me in the Sunday Sports Letters regarding my Thursday column updating the northern pike suppression effort on the Pend Oreille River downstream from Newport. That's fine. All opinions are welcome. But he insinuates that I "didn't tell…
WILDLIFE WATCHING -- A promising sight to behold. Thanks to Western Western Montana outdoor photographer Jaime Johnson for this week's antler-development update.
PUBLIC LANDS — The Nature Conservancy has purchased 1,280 acres of timberland from Plum Creek in the Manastash area west of Ellensburg, and transferred it to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to be managed as part of the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area. This…
WILDLIFE -- The 75th anniversary celebration for Washington’s first wildlife area – the Sinlahekin in northcentral Okanogan County near Loomis– continues with free public field trips and presentations on butterflies, bats, deer and more on Saturday and Sunday, July 5-6. Sponsored by the Washington Department…
HIKING -- It's called Coal Creek Trail No. 41, leading up, steeply up in some places, roughly 6 miles from the North Fork Coeur d'Alene River road to Graham Mountain, elev. 5727 feet, overlooking the Silver Valley. Great views from a former fire lookout sight,…
WATERSPORTS -- No more worrying about getting a lift back to your car at the put-in on Saturdays in July and August.
GEOLOGY -- The Dry Falls Visitor Center south of Coulee City, Washington, will open Saturday, June 28, with a new exhibit and a festival celebrating the unique geologic heritage of Sun Lakes/Dry Falls State Park. The annual Flood Fest, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday highlights…
WATERSPORTS --The 2014 Open Canoe Slalom National Championship starts today and runs through Sunday (June 29) near Missoula on the Blackfoot River upstream of the Roundup Fishing Access Site off Montana Highway 200. Spectators can view the American Canoe Association event for free in the…
CAMPING -- The Forest Service has re-opened Stagger Inn, the Roosevelt Grove of Ancient Cedars and Granite Falls, but visitors will be allowed in the area only during daytime. Camping will not be allowed this season. The sites were closed last summer for removing hazardous…
BICYCLING -- The annual SpokeFest event, with bike rides and activities for the whole family based out of Spokane's Riverfront Park and into Riverside State Park, isn't until Sept. 7. But if you register before Monday, June 30, your name will be entered in drawing…
HUNTING -- The wait is over for nonresidents still hoping to purchase a license to hunt deer and elk in Montana. A number of first-come first-served surplus licenses, good for antlered deer and elk in most hunting districts, can be purchased online or over-the-counter at…
WATERSPORTS -- Lake Quinault on Washington's Olympic Peninsula has reopened for summer activities including fishing and boating after a brief hiatus. Lake Quinault Lodge, located just steps from the lake and in the heart of a temperate rainforest, will again offer fishing, boat rentals and…
WATERFOWLING -- Hand-carved waterfowl decoys -- pretty to see and effective for hunting -- are on display through Sept. 13 at Gonzaga University. Artist Frank Werner of St. Maries, Idaho, will give a public lecture, “An Art of Deception,” about his decoys and his passion…
HUNTING -- Results for Idaho’s 2014 controlled hunts for deer, elk and pronghorn have been posted on the Idaho Fish at Game website. I held off with the notice that came yesterday because high interest in the results was causing delays on the website. Check…
WILDLIFE WATCHING -- The Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge is celebrating its 75th anniversary with various activities to help introduce the public to an area that's been wildly upgraded in recent years. This is a great time to visit the refuge. See upcoming events,…
HIKING -- "Road is open from Lightning Creek through to Trestle Creek," reports Mary Franzel of Hope, Idaho. But the photo she posted (above) indicates significant snow on the ridge at Lunch Peak Lookout. Creeks are still running high in most areas, making crossings a…
CLIMBING -- Climbing Mount Rainier with the Spokane Mountaineers clearly was a perfect way to celebrate the first day of summer. This group beat the odds and made it to the top. Only about 40 percent of the 11,000 mountaineers who attempt the climb reach…
OUTDOOR SAFETY -- Name the safest place to seek refuge if you are outdoors and a lighting storm moves in? Answer: An automobile -- totally safe, unless a tree blows down on top of you. This is Lightning Awareness Week, so be aware. Sure, you…
HIKING -- Bears have always been good at smelling opportunity. A hiker who fell, broke his leg and dislocated his shoulder in the North Cascades last weekend said he had to fend off bears while he waited several hours for a helicopter rescue team. The…
FISHING – Starting Friday (June 27), the lower Grande Ronde River will open to fishing for spring chinook salmon for the first time in 40 years. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has just announced that the river, from the Highway 129 Bridge upstream…
PUBLIC LANDS – A free mini-film festival celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act is traveling through the Inland Northwest this summer. The beauty, history and adventure of wilderness areas, the highest level of protection offered for America’s public lands, is featured in 10…
PUBLIC LANDS -- I'm still hearing some positive and some disturbing responses to my recent stories dealing off-road vehicle driving. But the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers have step up with some reasonable step toward accountability.
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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