WILDLIFE WATCHING -- With no tools save for what nature gave him, a woodpecker patiently scopes out a site and hollows out a nest cavity from scratch in this fascinating time-lapse video. Check it out.
FISHING -- Feast on the hatchery trout you catch at Lake Roosevelt, but let the wild ones go. New fishing rules are in effect to protect wild native redband rainbow trout on Lake Roosevelt and the Spokane and Sanpoil Arms of the 150-mile reservoir. Anglers…
TRAILS -- Eddie Vedder, front man for the rock group Pearl Jam, says the band plans to contribute $25,000 to the Ferry County Rail Trail Partners next surfacing project on the trail that runs from near Republic to the Canada border. The donation comes from...
BIRDING -- The best part about devoting a day to the Christmas Bird Count is the chance to socialize with local Audubon Society members and celebrate the sighting of an unusual bird. But some species are fairly predictable. Gary Blevins, Spokane Auduboner and biology prof…
PUBLIC LANDS – President Barack Obama designated two national monuments today totaling 1.65 million acres at sites in Utah and Nevada that have become key flashpoints over use of public land in the U.S. West. The are: Bears Ears National Monument, 1.35 million acres in...
WATERSPORTS -- Limits on jet boats and other motorized watercraft on nearly 50 western Montana river and stream segments are being sought by a sportsman's group. Public hearings are set to begin next week. Backcountry Hunters and Anglers’ Quiet Waters initiative offers a mix of...
WILDLIFE -- Dozens of wintering elk are dead after the herd fell through the ice on a Snake River reservoir in eastern Oregon. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a Facebook post that 41 elk died Tuesday on the Powder River arm...
WINTERSPORTS – A professional ski guide has been named director of the Wallowa Avalanche Center, replacing a director who was killed in an avalanche last spring. Victor McNeil fills the vacancy left by the death of Kip Rand, who died in an avalanche last March...
WINTERSPORTS -- A Spokane nordic skier and his dogs have qualified for the big-leagues of skijoring. Team Hanks -- Louie (Australian shepherd), Lucky (border collie), Mountie (greyster) and Dan Hanks (human) have qualified to compete in the 2017 International Federation of Sleddog Sports World Championships...
FISHING -- The ocean still holds many secrets, and perhaps that's a good thing for most of us. We'd never get a good night's sleep if we knew what all is going on down in the depths. Russian deep sea fisherman Roman Fedortsov has been…
WINTERSPORTS -- Cross-country skiing trails have been groomed in the Coeur d'Alene area today by the Idaho Panhandle Nordic Club to take advantage of low-level snow. "Avondale was groomed this morning for track and skate skiing," reports Geoff Harvey, who heads up the club grooming...
HIKING -- Enough walkers have been out on Tubbs Hill overlooking Lake Coeur d'Alene to pack trails and make for easy walking, that is if you have ice-grabbing traction devices on your boots. "Tubbs Hill hike this morning, great way to work off some of…
WILDLIFE WATCHING -- "This guy didn't get the message that winter is here," says Montana outdoor photographer Jaimie Johnson. The photo of a Western meadowlark was captured as the songbird of the prairies puffed out its downy underfeathers to hold in body heat. The temperature…
WILDLIFE WATCHING -- Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays. Consider wildlife one of your most special gifts.
WILDLIFE WATCHING -- The 26th annual Eagle Watch Week sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and Idaho Fish and Game is set for Dec. 27-31 based out of the Mineral Ridge boat launch and the Mineral Ridge trailhead parking areas along the northeastern...
WILDLIFE – If you’re interested in getting a look at the bounty of elk the Yakima region has to offer, drop into the Oak Creek Wildlife Area’s feeding station west of Naches. The annual winter elk feeding is underway by the state Department of Fish...
WATERSPORTS -- The 2017 annual boat launching permits for Lake Roosevelt are available, but the National Park Service no longer offers discounts for early purchases. A permit is required for launching any type of vessel at all designated National Park Service-managed launch ramps the reservoir…
WILDERNESS -- Mountain goats grace the winning image in the 2016 Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness photo contest. "It should be noted that Leslie Kiebert’s winning photo of a mountain goat nanny and kid in the was taken with a telephoto lens," said Sandy Compton,…
WILDLIFE WATCHING -- People planning landscaping changes this spring should take a tip from the birds and consider planting a a version of mountain ash. The clustered fruits produced by regular or dwarf varieties are a hit with birds from fall through winter, as the...
An Olympic National Park ranger captured the above video of a bobcat fishing for salmon this month. Lee Snook, a Port Angeles-based ranger, captured the video during a break she was taking for a hike near the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center. “I wanted to…
ENVIRONMENT -- Today, President Obama withdrew 115 million acres of the Arctic Ocean and 21 underwater canyons in the Atlantic Ocean from future oil and gas development. The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act vests the president with the authority to withdraw unleased offshore areas from…
WINTERSPORTS -- Changing temperatures and heavy snowfall has prompted an avalanche warning for mountainous areas outside of controlled areas at ski resorts. The Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center's advisory today warns that recreationists who venture into avalanche terrain today have a high probablity of triggering avalanches.…
WINTERSPORTS -- In bitter cold temperatures, ski mountaineers tested themselves against the mountain, competitors and themselves last weekend at Brundage Mountain near McCall. The Northwest Passage Ski Mountaineering Race, Dec. 16-17 at Brundage Mountain, attracted some of the top backcountry skiers in the country. Skimo...
WINTERSPORTS – Two youth cross-country skiing camps are being organized for learning skate and classic techniques over the holiday break at Mount Spokane State Park. Both camps, taught by certified instructors, will run 9 a.m.-noon on Dec. 27-28, sponsored by Spokane Nordic. Both camps are…
WINTERSPORTS -- Ice climbers jumped at the rare opportunity this bitter-cold weekend to find solid ice at Palouse Falls State Park. Good all-weather gear highly recommended.
Rich Landers writes and photographs stories and columns for a wide range of outdoors coverage, including Outdoors feature sections on Sunday and Thursday.
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