Stories by Michael Wright for the Spokesman-Review

Sports > Outdoors

Public land sales provision would violate Senate rule, but its backer pledges to try again

UPDATED: Tue., June 24, 2025

A proposal that would mandate the sale of millions of acres of federal land in the West was found to violate Senate rules, a procedural decision that public land advocates are hoping will sink the effort for good.

Sports > Outdoors

Walleye run: Chasing Long Lake’s toothy and tasty predators

UPDATED: Mon., June 23, 2025

Your first walleye shouldn’t be huge.

Sports > Outdoors

Open house planned on future of Mount Spokane State Park

UPDATED: Fri., June 20, 2025

Washington State Parks officials are eyeing a pair of options for the future of their largest state park.

Sports > Outdoors

Loon Lake kokanee crash a mystery

UPDATED: Wed., June 18, 2025

Bill Baker has a mystery on his hands.

Sports > Outdoors

Fight over public lands sale revived

Tue., June 17, 2025

The fight over the sale of federal public lands in the West has been revived after the release of a fresh GOP proposal to sell millions of acres.

Sports > Outdoors

After court ruling, plans for Panhandle Bike Ranch on hold

UPDATED: Fri., June 13, 2025

SAGLE, Idaho – A series of mountain bike trails weaves through a steep piece of forest at the Panhandle Bike Ranch.

Sports > Outdoors

Plans to add Little Spokane property to Riverside State Park advancing

UPDATED: Fri., June 13, 2025

The grand plan to add a former dairy farm north of Spokane to Riverside State Park may take a little longer than originally expected, but it’s moving forward.

Sports > Outdoors

‘Silver lining’: CWD prevalence in North Idaho at less than 1%

UPDATED: Thu., June 12, 2025

An always-fatal disease did show up in deer in North Idaho last fall, but wildlife officials are feeling confident that the disease isn’t widespread.

Sports > Outdoors

On top of the world: Cheney High grad climbs Mount Everest, Lhotse

UPDATED: Fri., June 6, 2025

Katelyn Sims remembers reading books about Mount Everest in the third grade.

Sports > Outdoors

Creek repair: North Idaho conservationists work to fix trout habitat in Prichard Creek

UPDATED: Fri., May 30, 2025

MURRAY, Idaho – A century ago, there was a dredge floating in Prichard Creek.

Sports > Outdoors

Outdoor gear consignment shop opens in Spokane

UPDATED: Fri., May 23, 2025

Abby and James Nisbet had been joking about it for a while: What if they opened their own outdoor gear consignment shop?

Sports > Outdoors

WA governor signs hunting, fishing fee increases into law; Discover Pass price also rising

UPDATED: Wed., May 21, 2025

Washington hunters and anglers will pay more money for their licenses starting this summer.

Sports > Outdoors

Hunting advocates petition for removal of four Washington Fish and Wildlife commissioners

Sat., May 17, 2025

A national hunting advocacy group wants four Washington Fish and Wildlife commissioners gone, citing a trove of internal documents that the group says shows the commissioners acted improperly.

Sports > Outdoors

Feds to reduce grizzly monitoring in Selkirks

UPDATED: Fri., May 16, 2025

Federal grizzly bear managers plan to cut back on their monitoring efforts in the mountains of North Idaho and northeast Washington, leaving a hole in long-term efforts to keep an eye on the threatened bears.

Sports > Outdoors

Wolves attack calves in Ferry County

UPDATED: Fri., May 16, 2025

Wildlife officials are mulling over their options after a series of wolf attacks on cattle in northeast Washington.

Sports > Outdoors

Hunter cited for illegal killing of grizzly in North Idaho

UPDATED: Thu., May 15, 2025

Game wardens have issued a citation to a hunter who shot a grizzly bear in North Idaho last week.

Sports > Outdoors

Hunter kills grizzly bear in North Idaho

UPDATED: Mon., May 12, 2025

A hunter shot and killed a female grizzly bear in North Idaho Friday evening after mistaking it for a black bear.

Sports > Outdoors

Rainbows, tigers and cutthroats: Finding variety at Spokane County’s Williams Lake

UPDATED: Mon., May 12, 2025

Chris Donley loves fry plant trout.

Sports > Outdoors

Washington plans to kill brook trout in Pend Oreille County creek

UPDATED: Wed., May 7, 2025

Washington fisheries officials want brook trout out of a creek in Pend Oreille County to make more room for native westslope cutthroats.

Sports > Outdoors

Michael Wright: Searching for stoneflies on Montana’s Rock Creek

UPDATED: Fri., May 2, 2025

CLINTON, Mont. – The Rock Creek Fisherman’s Mercantile has anything an angler might want. Cold beer, fresh flies, tippett, leader, other miscellany that’s easy to leave at home. It’s the perfect store in the perfect spot – right off the interstate and at the opening of a canyon full of fish and possibility.

Sports > Outdoors

Despite proposed license fee increases, Washington wildlife officials are bracing for budget cuts

Thu., May 1, 2025

Washington hunters and anglers are preparing to pay more for licenses after a pair of bills that increase fees cleared the Legislature in its closing days last week.

Sports > Outdoors

Michael Wright: At the mercy of the wind

Sat., April 26, 2025

Wind is the enemy of anglers who use float tubes. It doesn’t matter if the tube is a doughnut-shaped belly boat or a U-shaped luxury vehicle. It’s still part tumbleweed.