PREDATORS -- A few people pooh-poohed my Friday post about recent sightings of a mountain lion at Mount Spokane State Park, including one that circled the Quartz Mountain Lookout several times in the daylight while campers were inside. OK, fine. I agree that cougars are...
PREDATORS -- At least two parties have reported seeing a mountain lion at Mount Spokane State Park in the past two weeks. Normally elusive, a cougar was seen and photographed in daylight outside the Quartz Mountain Lookout. Joe and Gail Madsen were renting the lookout...
FISHING -- A state record largemouth bass weighing 12.53 pounds was caught on Monday, Aug. 8, in Lake Bosworth south of Cedar Falls, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed today. Bill Evans of Bothell caught the monster bass in the Snohomish County lake...
FISHING -- Although it's going to be hot this weekend, the mixture of cool weather and occasional rain has kept the area's trout waters fishing quite well during the normal dog-days of summer, says Sean Visintainer of Silver Bow Fly Shop. "I'm actually quite surprised…
ENDANGERED SPECIES -- Two gray wolves in Ferry County have been killed by helicopter gunners after the Profanity Peak Pack was linked to killing livestock, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife reports. Staff has been in the field every day since Aug. 4 after...
SKYWATCHING -- Tonight and Friday are among the best nights of the year for skywatchers to be camping high on an open mountain. The annual Perseid meteor shower is peaking with high probability in early morning hours of seeing "shooting stars" streaking across the night...
PARKS -- Following news that Glacier Park is setting records for visitation this summer, Yellowstone National Park set a new record for monthly visitations in July, which is often the busiest month of the summer season. Park officials say 995,917 people visited in July, topping…
CLIMBING – A climbing guide fell to his death on the Grand Teton last month; a climber suffered a serious injury last week on Granite Peak, the highest point in Montana, and on Wednesday, for the second time in two weeks, a climber has been...
FISHING -- "Hoot owl” fishing restrictions have been lifted today on the Bitterroot River as well as the Blackfoot and its tributaries where water temperatures are cooling, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. The entire Blackfoot and its North Fork, Copper, Monture and Morrell…
HUNTING – Marlin “Red” Nierstheimer, 61, died on July 22, leaving a big hole in Spokane-area hunter education programs. “We have a lot of great and devoted instructors, but Red was a cornerstone guy in Spokane,” said Mike Whorton, area Hunter Education coordinator for the…
PUBLIC LANDS -- Publicity about the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service may have contributed to Glacier National Park having its busiest month on record in July, with more than 818,000 people visiting the Montana gem. Park officials say that the previous single-month record...
BIRDING -- "I just returned from Montana and was lucky enough to find this great gray owl west of Anaconda," says Cheney photographer Buck Domitrovich. "I have seen them before but always a big thrill to find one." Great grays are the longest of the...
WATERSPORTS -- The Asotin County commissioners approved a shorelines conditional-use permit Monday for an expansion at the existing Heller Bar boat ramp on the Snake River south of Asotin. A Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife plan would add an additional 20 feet on…
FISHING -- Since I'm currently raising a puppy, I'm a bit desensitized to this, but the normal angler curiosity about what fish are eating led to a bit of a surprise for Tri Cities fishing guide Jacob Munden. In his words: Best part of cleaning…
WILDLIFE -- No one should be surprised that a trail-cam photograph has been circulating of what appears to be a gray wolf on Mount Spokane. I was offered a chance to publish the photograph last month but the photographer told me I had to agree...
FISHING -- A recent Idaho Fish and Game Department kokanee survey at Dworshak Reservoir indicates the fish are stacking up in huge numbers in the upper reservoir and their size is quite appealing. Bottom line: Get there soon! The larger fish have begun their migration…
OUTDOORS -- Programs for hunters and some special water-related activities for kids are being organized for the weekend at Cabela's in Post Falls. Cabela's Big Game Classic is set for Saturday and Sunday, including free presentations related to the upcoming hunting season. Among the offerings:…
PROTECTED SPECIES -- In the past two years, we've seen fines of $400 for chasing and grizzly bear in a pickup in Montana and $100 for chasing and killing a wolf in Whitman County (see story). In Alaska, a Fairbanks man was fined $1,125 Wednesday…
WILDFIRES -- A lightning-caused wildfire in Palouse Falls State Park has grown to 2,500 acres, forcing closure of the park and threaten some homes and crops. The fire is expanding about five miles southeast of Washtucna in Franklin County, according to the Washington State Patrol....
TRAILS -- Development of the John Wayne Pioneer Trail was backed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission last week. The citizen panel adopted policy to move ahead with developing the cross-state trail system along abandoned railways. Meeting in Clarkston, the commission also approved…
FISHING -- Comparing Columbia River dam fish counts from year to year can be insightful or simply frustrating. For what it's worth, here's the latest on summer steelhead from Joe Hymer of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Department in Vancouver: Summer steelhead crossing Bonneville Dam…
WILDLIFE -- Along with a strong rebuke to local wildlife managers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is banning brown bear baiting and other Alaska-legal predator hunting techniques in national wildlife refuges within the state. “Over the past several years, the Alaska Board of Game…
TRAILS -- Coyotes are reportedly menacing dogs -- mostly unleashed dogs -- along the South Hill bluff trails below High Drive. It's late in the season for the coyotes to be associated with a den as was the case in 2012 when several dogs were…
TRAILS -- Coyotes are reportedly menacing dogs -- mostly unleashed dogs -- along the South Hill bluff trails below High Drive. It's late in the season for the coyotes to be associated with a den as was the case in 2012 when several dogs were...
FISHING -- Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is lifting the fire-related Bitterroot River closure, effective immediately, from Wally Crawford Fishing Access Site to Angler’s Roost, the agency announced this morning in a media release. The river has been closed to access since Tuesday because of…
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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