Bighorns Still Plagued
A pneumonia-like disease continues to plague the bighorn sheep population of Idaho, Washington and Oregon despite efforts of the Oregon, Idaho, Washington wildlife agencies. The outbreak occurred in the Hell’s Canyon area in early December. The Foundation for North American Wild Sheep flew 72 bighorns to Idaho’s Wildlife Health Laboratory in Caldwell to treat the sheep and attempt to prevent contamination of other herds. So far, 53 of the 72 sheep at the laboratory have died.
In a mid-January fly-over of the region, biologists counted 63 bighorns in Washington, 10 of which showed symptoms of pneumonia. A proposal to repopulate the herds by transplanting Canadian bighorns has been postponed until December.
Idaho elk hunts
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game will discuss changing regulations on elk and mountain lion hunting for the 1996 season at a Feb. 8 public meeting.
Proposals include extending the bull elk season by 10 days in Game Management Units 2, 3 and 5; allowing either-sex elk hunting for a small area southeast of Bonners Ferry to limit agricultural field damage; allowing controlled muzzleloader hunting in that region, and possibly extending mountain lion season by two to six weeks.
Public input is invited at the meeting, which will be held Tuesday, 7 p.m., in North Idaho College’s Student Union Building’s Bonner Room. Info: (208)-769-1414.
Roosevelt launch fees
Annual permits for launching boats at Lake Roosevelt are on sale for $30 through April. But the National Park Service says the price of the year-long permit will increase to $40 beginning May 1.
The permits are necessary at all Lake Roosevelt ramps except for tribal-regulated Two Rivers and Inchelium ramps. The permits are available at the National Park Service offices in Kettle Falls, Fort Spokane and Deer Park, or by mail at National Park Service, FDR Ramps Permit, 1008 Crest Dr., Coulee Dam, WA 99116.
Boat show features fishing
Fishing boats and the latest fishing electronics are on display at the Spokane National Boat Show today through Sunday at Spokane Interstate Fairgrounds.
Hours are noon-9 p.m. today and Thursday, noon-10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.
Idaho forest symposium
More than 300 people have registered for “Plants, Animals and People: Dynamics of Northern Idaho Forests” a symposium set for Friday and Saturday at the Coeur d’Alene Resort.
Although 30 percent of the participants are from state and federal agencies, the rest are from the general public, organizers say.
Sponsoring groups include Intermountain Forest Industries Association, Sierra Club, University of Idaho as well as several state and federal agencies and Indian tribes.
Info: (208) 476-8200.
, DataTimes MEMO: Cut in the Spokane edition