Out & About

Sportfish show ends in Spokane

OUTCAST – After giving the Spokane market a shot for three years, promoters of The Great Western Sportfishing Show have decided not to return to the Convention Center next spring.

“This was a very difficult decision for us to make because we truly felt the Spokane market was the ideal place for a fishing-only show,” said Merle Shuyler, who produces the show of vendors and seminars with his wife, Bev. They are based in Selah, Wash.

“But attendance dropped significantly the last two years while promotion costs and advertising costs increased,” he said.

“We can blame the weather, the dates, or even the facility, but the bottom line is with less than half of this year’s exhibitors planning to return, we would not be able to produce the quality of show that we are accustomed to producing.”

Shuyler Productions will continue to run the Washington State Sportsmen Shows during winter in Yakima and the Tri-Cities, he said.

Hiawatha Trail visits increase

OUTRIDE – A rainy June didn’t dampen enthusiasm to pedal bikes through the tunnels and over the trestles of the Route of the Hiawatha rail trail across the Montana-Idaho border.

The number of visitors so far is up 7 percent from the same time in 2009, a year in which a visitation record was set.

Info: www.ridethe hiawatha.com.

Bag a poacher with a text

OUTLAW – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has added a new text-messaging option for reporting activity that threatens fish, wildlife and critical habitat.

Tip411 allows users to send a text message to WDFW’s communications dispatch center.

The system removes the texter’s name and replaces it with an alias before the message is delivered to WDFW, said Mike Cenci, the agency’s deputy chief.

However, when necessary, the reporting party and the on-duty fish and wildlife officer can exchange text messages.

Citizens who observe suspicious activity should try to record license plate numbers, vehicle color and make, the type of violation, the time it occurred and a description of the individual or individuals involved.

Text tips to 847411 (Tip411).

Start the message with the letters WDFWTIP followed by a space, and then a brief description of the violation and location.