Field reports: Bill seeks increase in sportsmen’s fees

OLYMPIA – Legislation was introduced Thursday for the first across-the-board increase in Washington hunting and fishing license fees in 14 years.

House Bill 1387 would increase revenue 7.3 percent from hunting licenses, 12.6 percent from sportfish licenses and 51.4 percent from commercial licenses.

In a few cases, such as for youth and seniors, license fees would be reduced.

The measure was requested by the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

“This legislation is our top priority for this legislative session,” said Phil Anderson, agency director. “Its outcome will greatly determine this department’s  ability to maintain fishing and hunting opportunities and move forward with conservation efforts around the state.” 

Vancouver Columbian

CdA bald eagles still lingering

WILDLIFE – Bald eagles are dispersing from their annual kokanee feast at Lake Coeur d’Alene, but they’re not gone.

Thursday’s survey by Carrie Hugo, U.S. Bureau of Land Management wildlife biologist, tallied 64 bald eagles – 56 adults and eight immature – in the Wolf Lodge Bay area.  

The count during this week last year totaled 46.

Rich Landers

Thompson, tribes focus of Nisbet talk

ADVENTURE – Historian and author Jack Nisbet of Spokane will give a slide presentation on “David Thompson among the Kalispel” Tuesday, 6 p.m., at the Camas Wellness Center, 1821 N. LeClerc Road in Usk, Wash. Admission is free with a food bank donation.

Preregister: (509) 447-2401 or e-mail cmack@wsu.edu.

Rich Landers

Crane festival back on track

BIRDING – After organizers called it quits two months ago for lack of resources, the Othello Sandhill Crane Festival is back on track with field trips and other programs scheduled for March 25-27, with “preview” trips scheduled for March 19-20.

Volunteers and the City of Othello stepped forward to keep the popular birding and nature event rolling near the Columbia Wildlife Refuge.

Info: www.othellosandhill cranefestival.org

Rich Landers

Runners targeted in grizzly encounters

FORESTS – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s grizzly bear recovery team says long-distance trail runners are approaching photographers as the backcountry group most likely to be badly hurt in an animal encounter.

Running in grizzly country at dawn and dusk is risky, the experts say, but no one is proposing regulations to restrict the sport.

Structured races in bear territory, in particular the growing interest in competitive ultra-marathons that send runners 100 miles along mountain trails, are netting more human-bear encounters.

The Missoulian