Out & About

OUTCRY

Species protection stalls

The current Bush administration has listed fewer species under the Endangered Species Act than any other administration since the law was enacted in 1973, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

The Department of Interior under Bush has listed 57 species compared with 512 under the Clinton administration and 234 under the President George H.W. Bush.

Despite 279 designated candidates for endangered species status, no species have been protected under the act for more than a year. The last time the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service went an entire year without protecting a single species was 1981, when James Watt was Secretary of Interior.

OUTHUNT

Top turkey states

As the spring turkey seasons wind down – ending May 25 in Idaho, May 31 in Washington – it’s time to ponder our place.

The top 10 states for wild turkey harvest:

1. Missouri 58,421. 2. Alabama 57,100. 3. Pennsylvania 43,657. 4. Wisconsin 42,970. 5. New York 36,000. 6. Mississippi 35,000. 7. Michigan 33,416. 8. Oklahoma 32,123. 9. Texas 28,953. 10. Kentucky 28,223.

Not even close: Idaho 5,600; Washington 4,550.

OUTSHOOT

Little PDO Refuge focus of contest

The second annual Amateur Photography Contest at the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge is under way, sponsored by the Friends of the LPO.

A short drive east of Colville, the 40,000-acre LPO has plenty to offer shutterbugs, including hiking, fishing, wildlife viewing and picnics.

Contest photos must be made before Aug. 15. Categories include animal life, plant life, scenic, public use-recreation and student.

Info: (509) 732-4350, www.refugefriends.com.

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 June 3

Today: 10:05 p.m. 10:25 a.m.

Monday: 10:45 p.m. 11:10 a.m.

Tuesday: 11:30 p.m. 11:55 a.m.

Wednesday: 12:20 a.m. –

Thursday: – 12:25 a.m.

Friday: 1:10 p.m. 1:40 a.m.

Saturday: 2:05 p.m. 2:35 a.m.

Next Sunday: 3 a.m. 3:25 p.m.