McDowell Lake gets treatment

Eurasian watermilfoil in McDowell Lake southeast of Colville is scheduled to be treated with a herbicide sometime this week, U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials say.

A boat launch is being developed at the north end of the lake to help workers spread herbicide in the 48-acre lake on the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge.

Before the exotic weed infested the entire lake, McDowell was among the area’s top rainbow trout fly-fishing lakes. A tench infestation also contributed to the trout’s decline.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife plans to draw down the lake level in October and treat the waters with rotenone to kill the tench.

The rejuvenated waters would be restocked with rainbow trout next year.

Info: Little Pend Oreille Refuge (509) 684-8384.

Rich Landers

CONSERVATION

Pheasants Forever targets Escure Ranch

The fledgling Inland Empire Pheasants Forever Chapter is starting small but thinking big.

The group will hold its first fundraising banquet on Saturday at the Eagle Lodge North, 6410 N. Lidgerwood.

Members already are planning their first pheasant habitat conservation project.

“We’ve been working with the BLM on a project to improve winter habitat along Rock Creek on the Escure Ranch,” said Mark McNaghten, chapter president. “The next step would be developing five acres above that for nesting cover and food plots.

“All of the money we raise at banquets and auctions stays with us,” he said. “It doesn’t go off to the national group and trickle back. We plan to keep our money locally and put it into public land.”

The Escure Ranch has more than 13,000 acres of public land with good potential for pheasants if the habitat can be improved, he said.

The chapter currently has about 70 members.

“We’ve had a fantastic response from everyone we’ve talked to so far,” he said.

The club also is planning a youth pheasant hunt in June at DoubleBarrel Ranch south of Mica Peak, he said.

“Our first youth hunt will involved about 25 young hunters who will get a lot of attention in the basics of hunting, knowing pheasant habitat and why it’s important, as well as gun safety and hunter ethics.”

On Saturday, the first banquet evening starts with drinks at 5 p.m. followed by prime rib dinner at 7 and auction and events at 8.

For tickets – $20 for members, $50 for new members and $70 for new member couples, call 994-4879 or e-mail tjett@northlightservice.com.

Rich Landers

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

Land-trade impacts to be discussed

The brewing effort to free public lands from the “checkerboard” pattern with private lands in Eastern Washington will be discussed by Rance Block, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation western region director, on Thursday, 6:30 p.m., at the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council, 6116 N. Market.

State agencies, including the Natural Resources and Fish and Wildlife departments as well as the Forest Service are negotiating with private timber companies to exchange and block up their land holdings.

The land exchanges can be beneficial in preventing development of important wildlife winter ranges.

It’s critical for sportsmen to understand how this could change the landscape of where we hunt and fish, said Lloran Johnson, Inland Northwest Wildlife Council executive director.

Rich Landers