Out & About

OUTHUNT

Doves go leaded

Mourning doves and waterfowl are federally managed migratory birds, but there’s a key difference for hunters heading out for the region’s dove opener on Saturday.

Lead shot is prohibited for hunting waterfowl while it’s still allowed for hunting doves, except when there’s an overall area requirement for non-toxic shot, such as on a wildlife refuge.

New this year, Washington’s hunting regulations request shotgun hunters to consider voluntarily switching to more expensive non-toxic shot for doves and upland birds to help reduce the potential for lead poisoning in other wildlife.

Incidentally, California is debating proposals to ban lead even in rifle cartridges to counter lead poisoning deaths in endangered condors that have ingested bullets when feeding on crippled game.

OUTSHOOT

Take free shot at new sport

What: Ninth annual New Shooters Day. Free introduction to firing .22 rifles, shotguns, sporting clays, archery, plus Laser Shot hunting simulator and hunting real pen-raised pheasants.

When: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sept. 9.

Where: Miller Ranch Hunting Preserve, 30 miles south of Spokane on Williams Lake Road.

Who: For anyone wanting to sample the sports of shooting and bird hunting, sponsored by Safari Club International.

Details: Free lunch, drawing for $250 White Elephant gift certificate; lessons in bird-dog handling and field-dressing pheasants.

Preregister: Contact Rick Osterback, (509) 993-3098, or e-mail dumpster43@yahoo.com.

OUTDRAW

High-odds elk tag

Washington hunters face stiff odds in drawing a coveted bull elk tag, but the odds in Kentucky are off the charts.

More than 31,000 people applied for 75 bull tags and 225 antlerless tags in the 2007 Bluegrass State elk season.

OUTLOOK

Best fishing times

Lunar tables from the U.S. Naval Observatory. Be fishing at least one hour before and one hour after peak times. Applies to all time zones.

(* indicates best days.)

Through Sept. 2

* Today

– 11:40 a.m.

Monday

12:05 a.m., 12:25 p.m.

Tuesday

1 a.m., 1:25 p.m.

Wednesday

1:50 a.m., 2:10 p.m.

Thursday

2:35 a.m., 3 p.m.

Friday

3:25 a.m., 3:45 p.m.

Saturday

4:20 a.m., 4:40 p.m.

* Next Sunday

5:15 a.m., 5:45 p.m.

See the Hunting-Fishing Report every Friday in Sports