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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Idaho Prepares To Fight Outbreak Of Brucellosis

Brucellosis has been documented in elk at a Idaho Fish and Game winter feed ground at Rainey Creek in eastern Idaho, according to Idaho Fish and Game director Steve Mealey.

Brucellosis is a disease that can cause spontaneous abortion in cattle and wildlife, including elk and bison, and undulant fever in humans.

Recent testing of 33 elk at the Rainey Creek site revealed brucellosis in 11 animals. The disease has not been documented in free-ranging elk that are are not artificially fed.

Fish and Game and the Agriculture Department are developing a joint plan to curtail the disease.

Bluebird boxes available

Thanks to volunteer efforts and resources from the Idaho Forest Industries and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, many bluebirds in Idaho will have a place to nest and raise young.

Bluebirds, the Idaho state bird, do not have a bill suited for creating nest cavities. They often make nests in existing cavities excavated by woodpeckers or other animals. Manmade nest boxes help to fill the shortage of natural sites.

School and civic groups and the Regional Nongame Wildlife Committee have worked together to give out as many as 500 completed boxes a year to people interested in helping the bluebird.

With a donation of stock cedar from the Idaho Forest Industries, fish and game volunteers and reservists have built more than 250 bluebird nest boxes, which are now available at the IFG office at 2750 Kathleen Ave., in Coeur d’Alene.

The department is asking for a donation of $3 for each box to benefit the Watchable Wildlife Program, which provides wildlife education to students and adults in North Idaho.

Fly fishing class open

The Spokane Parks and Recreation Department is offering a fly fishing class that will teach all aspects of fly fishing from entomology, knot tying, rod and reel identification and casting techniques.

There will be five 2-hour classes once a week starting March 31 at 7 p.m. at Shadle Park High School. The cost is $49. For more information, telephone 625-6200.

Wildlife Commission to meet

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet April 3-4 at the Doubletree Hotel in Wenatchee.

Among the topics being discussed will be the department’s budget, the sportsfishing pamphlet simplification, elk calf survival studies, big-game hunting issues and the state and tribal hunting coordination plans.

Director Bern Shanks and members of the Colville Tribes will sign an agreement on hunting and fishing on the Colville Indian reservation.

The meeting starts at 1 p.m. and is open to the public. , DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: BIG-GAME RAFFLE Hunters can buy raffle tickets now for chances to win a 1998 big-game permit from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The department will sell chances on four permits - one each for bighorn sheep, moose, elk and deer. The drawing is Aug. 14 at the Wenatchee district office. Tickets cost $10 for a chance to win the bighorn sheep permit and $5 for the other three. Revenues raised through the raffle are returned to conservation programs for each of the four species. Raffle tickets may be purchased at the department’s headquarters in Olympia or at regional offices and at some hunting license dealers statewide. Raffle ticket forms are also available on the Internet at www.wa.gov/wdfw. The raffle ticket order forms must be filled out and returned with payment by 5 p.m. July 24. There is no limit on the number of tickets purchased and tickets may be purchased by residents or non-residents.

This sidebar appeared with the story: BIG-GAME RAFFLE Hunters can buy raffle tickets now for chances to win a 1998 big-game permit from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The department will sell chances on four permits - one each for bighorn sheep, moose, elk and deer. The drawing is Aug. 14 at the Wenatchee district office. Tickets cost $10 for a chance to win the bighorn sheep permit and $5 for the other three. Revenues raised through the raffle are returned to conservation programs for each of the four species. Raffle tickets may be purchased at the department’s headquarters in Olympia or at regional offices and at some hunting license dealers statewide. Raffle ticket forms are also available on the Internet at www.wa.gov/wdfw. The raffle ticket order forms must be filled out and returned with payment by 5 p.m. July 24. There is no limit on the number of tickets purchased and tickets may be purchased by residents or non-residents.