Field reports: Reward offered for Idaho grizzly poacher

PROTECTED SPECIES – Rewards totaling $10,000 are being offered for information on the killing of a federally protected grizzly bear in North Idaho.

In October, a radio-collared grizzly bear was found dead in the Grouse Creek drainage of Bonner County. Grizzlies are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case. Animal rights groups put up $5,000 for a tip that leads to a conviction.

Contact the Fish and Wildlife Service, (509) 370-0112, or Idaho Fish and Game, (208) 267-4085. Callers may remain anonymous.

Hunting rule changes

considered by panel

HUNTING – Hunting rule proposals, including changes in laws that allow baiting for deer and elk hunting, will be considered by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission this week.

The panel will take public comments on hunting rule proposals and other issues during its meeting Friday and Saturday, starting at 8 a.m. each day at the Civic Center, 401 S. Balsam St. in Moses Lake.

The agenda also calls for presentations on the status of Washington wolves, Columbia River fish hatcheries, landowner big-game tags, salvaging road-killed wildlife, impacts of Initiative 1401, predator-prey programs, cougar hunting season and more.

Details about proposed changes to state hunting regulations are on the Fish and Wildlife Department website, wdfw.wa.gov.

Volunteers sign up

for trail projects

HIKING – Trail work has become a good excuse for a group hike under programs organized by the Washington Trails Association.

Work parties range from one day to a week in choice areas from Olympic Coast beaches to East Side wilderness areas. All of the efforts involve hiking.

“We have a lot of room for more volunteers on the one- or two-day projects, but a lot of the longer projects in wilderness areas already are filling up,” said Holly Weiler, WTA regional coordinator in Spokane.

Building a new loop trail at Fishtrap Lake is a long-term project WTA is coordinating this year with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Volunteers are singing up for one or more sessions that started Saturday and will continue Thursday, March 23, 29 and 31, Weiler said.

“Then we’ll be moving to Riverside State Park and the Knothead Trail on April 6, 9-10, 16, 19 and 27.”

A WTA effort in the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness in April is filled with a waiting list.

“Pretty amazing,” Weiler said, noting that volunteers relish the hiking, work, camaraderie and accomplishment of building and maintaining trails.

Sign up on the WTA website, www.wta.org

Avalanche director killed

WINTERSPORTS – The director of an avalanche center in northeast Oregon, a guide and teacher of winter survival and avalanche awareness courses, has died in an avalanche.

Wallowa Avalanche Center Director Kip Rand was killed Tuesday in a steep fall from a cornice and subsequent avalanche. Rand was skiing near Chief Joseph Mountain in the Eagle Cap Wilderness.