WILDLIFE – The Wild Refuge Dinner and Auction to benefit Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge education programs will be March 11 at the Wren Pierson Community Center, 615 4th St. in Cheney. Advance tickets are $45. Sign up: fotnwr.org.
PUBLIC LANDS -- Long-term recreation and land-use planning for Steptoe Butte and Steptoe Battlefield state park heritage sites in Whitman County is beginning with a public workshop next week. The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission has set the meeting for 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday,…
KAYAKING – Janet Breuer will present a free program, “Paddling through Lemons,” about her solo paddling journey on the Columbia and Missouri rivers, at 7 p.m. Monday at Mountain Gear Corporate Headquarters, 6021 E. Mansfield in Spokane Valley. The program is sponsored by the Spokane…
WILDLIFE -- The Montana Senate has voted to tell Wyoming and federal wildlife officials to stop feeding elk outside Yellowstone National Park. The Associated Press reports that the resolution passed 50-0 Friday over concerns the feeding grounds increase the transmission of diseases that can be…
WINTERSPORTS -- Every report I've received today from Mount Spokane's cross-country or snowshoeing areas has been glowing. Fresh snow and rime coating trees and the Vista House make the winter wonderland surreal. Go for it.
ENFORCEMENT -- Fish and Wildlife enforcement agents don't just deal with poachers. They assist with all sorts of incidents, especially in rural counties where sheriff's deputies, state troopers, border patrol and Forest Service officers all chip in when they can. This week, a Washington Department...
FISHING -- Runoff has been melting ice from the edges of Hog Canyon Lake, a popular winter fishery hear Fishtrap Lake that's open to fishing through March 31. Ice could still be solid in the middle of the lake, but getting on to the ice…
HUNTING -- Years of legal skirmishes stemming from an Idaho predator hunting derby reached a partial decision yesterday. Very few predators were killed in the derby and no wolves, but the lawsuit seeks to sensationalize the event and chip away at the ability to conduct...
PUBLIC LANDS -- Utah lawmakers appear to be reconsidering their plan to commit $14 million of state taxpayer money to the controversial effort of trying to transfer federal land to state or private control. Here's the scoop from the Backcountry Hunters & Anglers on the…
BIRDING -- The recent weather meltoff makes spring bird migrations easier to fathom. Birds already are shifting gears in the hemisphere and some will be flying through this region soon. Two upcoming bird festivals help focus attention and education on migrations. Tundra Swan Festival, March…
CLIMBING -- The Red Rock Rendezvous is offering a UClimb Package for first-time and entry-level climbers at its 14th annual festival on March 24-27 near sunny Las Vegas. The popular festival of climbing is presented by Spokane-based Mountain Gear. Throughout the weekend participants will have…
FISHING -- Ice is remains thick enough for ice fishing on many North Idaho lakes, as illustrated by this photo from this morning of ice fishermen and even cross-country skiers on Hayden Lake.
PUBLIC LANDS -- Idaho can build its brand on the 62 percent of the state that is owned by the federal government, or it can isolate itself like Utah by rejecting the outdoor recreation industry and advocates for public access, says Rocky Barker of the...
FISHING -- Fishermen are sounding a good reminder that while getting rid of unnecessary regulations should be a priority goal, many regulations have been hammered out through a cloud of politics with the backing of scientists for the long-term benefit of industries and user groups....
HIKING -- The first "hikes" of the 2017 guided hike series hosted by the Friends of the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness will be on snowshoes. The group hikes are organized to introduce the public to the proposed 88,000 wilderness area that straddles the Montana-Idaho border northeast...
DAMS -- The level of Lake Pend Oreille will increase 1.5-2.5 feet by the end of February as the outflow from Albeni Falls Dam is decreased to assist with downstream maintenance work, water managers announced today. At the request of Bonneville Power Administration, the U.S....
FISHING – A fishing club in Oregon is asking officials to ban jet-powered boat engines from a portion of the upper Rogue River. The Mail Tribune reports that the Medford-based Rogue Flyfishers Association and riverside landowner Greg Layton have filed a petition with the Oregon…
FISHING – A free seminar on early season opportunities for fly fishing in the region is set for 9 a.m.-11 a.m. on Saturday at North 40 Outfitters Fly Shop, 170 E. Kathleen Ave. in Coeur d'Alene. Wayne Jordan will cover year-round waters and lakes that…
FISHING -- First there was the float tube, then the personal pontoon, kayaks equipped for fishing and stand-up paddleboards... the sudden rush of open water in the region has some anglers thinking about fishing boats and the options a mind-boggling. If you're looking for a...
HUNTING -- Now's the time to sign up for hunter education courses if you haven't satisfied the requirements and plan to hunt for spring turkey, or even for fall seasons. Avoid being left out in the inevitable rush that fills classes as hunting seasons draw…
FISHING -- The road leading to the water access site on Hog Canyon Lake owned by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in Spokane County is temporarily closed to vehicles. The gravel service road, owned and maintained by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management,...
PUBLIC LANDS – A North Idaho mountain biking club has detoured from the generally position of cyclists to endorse a proposed wilderness. “North Idaho currently has no designated wilderness, and we believe the area is worthy of Congressional designation,”wrote Mike Murray, president of the Pend…
PREDATORS -- Mountain Lions in Yellowstone National Park appear to be maintaining their population in the wake of wolf reintroduction and a 60 percent reduction in the number of elk, wildlife researchers say. Their study is using DNA analysis of scat and hair, along with...
PUBLIC LANDS – Oregon tourism officials are among at least three states courting the prestigious Outdoor Retailer trade shows now that the recreation business association has declared it will pull out of Utah as the state’s politicians continue efforts to take over and possibly privatize…
DOGS -- The size of the dog isn't important in the K-9 Keg Pull event of the Sandpoint Winter Carnival. It's all about desire and pleasing the crowd. The 10th annual K-9 Keg Pull will run dogs in three categories from 10 a.m. to noon…
Rich Landers writes and photographs stories and columns for a wide range of outdoors coverage, including Outdoors feature sections on Sunday and Thursday.
| Dec. 2017 | Nov. 2017 | Oct. 2017 | Sept. 2017 |
| Aug. 2017 | July 2017 | June 2017 | May 2017 |
| April 2017 | March 2017 | Feb. 2017 | Jan. 2017 |
