Outdoor Briefs for Feb. 13
Comments sought on trout suppression
Fish, Wildlife and Parks is seeking public comment for its Flathead River Hybrid Trout Suppression Project. FWP proposes to continue removing hybrid and rainbow trout from the mouths and channels of Abbot, Sekokini, Rabe, Ivy and Third creeks in the main stem and the North Fork of the Flathead River. Trapping and electrofishing would be used to catch fish during their spawning season, from April to May, and move them to community fishing ponds. FWP would also electrofish between July and September to remove hybrid and rainbow trout offspring. The goal of the proposed suppression effort is to minimize the loss of westslope cutthroat trout populations in the Flathead River system. A draft report on the project is available for a 30-day public review through March 8. For more information, contact FWP fisheries biologist Amber Steed at 751-4541 or asteed@mt.gov.
Avalanche talk
The Flathead Avalanche Center and its partners will host an avalanche safety awareness event at the Whitefish Moose Lodge, 230 West 10th St., in Whitefish, on Tuesday, Feb. 19, from 6:30-8 p.m. Presenters will include Mark Dundas with Big Mountain Ski Patrol Inc. on backcountry skiing around Whitefish Mountain Resort; Steve Burgland with Flathead Nordic Backcountry Patrol and USGS snow scientist Erich Peitzsch on recent avalanche incidents; and Seth Carbonari with the Forest Service and the Flathead Avalanche Center about the center’s role as a resource for decision-making. For more information, visit online at www.flathead avalanche.org/education or call 758-5204.
Park talk
The Montana House and Glacier National Park Fund will co-host a “Look Listen and Learn” presentation by Chris Peterson, photographer for the Hungry Horse News at the Montana House in Apgar Village on Saturday, Feb. 16, at 4 p.m. His photographic presentation will be about taking long multi-day loop hikes in Glacier National Park and Bob Marshall Wilderness. His work has appeared in the New York Times and National Geographic’s Crown of the Continent Map. He is the creator of the quarterly Glacier Park Magazine, now available as an iPad app. For more information, call 892-3250 or visit online at www.glaciernationalparkfund.org.
Wilderness talks
The Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation’s 2013 Wilderness Speakers Series will present three talks about wilderness stewardship, conservation and recreation. Research biologist Kate Kendall will talk about grizzly bears on Feb. 21, local author Matt Holloway will talk about “The Wild and the Not-Wild: A Discussion of Wilderness in Today’s Mind” on March 14, and former Glacier National Park ranger Charlie Logan will talk about “Recollections of a Rocky Mountain Ranger” on April 11. The talks will be held in Flathead Valley Community College’s Arts and Technology Building from 6:30-8 p.m.
Hunting Deadlines
Flathead hunters will need to keep their sights on March 15, May 1 and June 1 for this year’s hunting licenses.
March 15 is the deadline to apply for 2013 deer and elk hunting permits. Streamlined eight-page application packets that contain all the information residents need to apply are available at all license providers, FWP offices and online at fwp.mt.gov.
Nonresidents who wish to apply for big game combination, elk combination or deer combination licenses and deer and elk permits for the 2013 Montana hunting season can also apply online or download an application from FWP’s website.
May 1 is the deadline to apply for moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat and bison licenses.
June 1 is the deadline to apply for Elk B, Deer B and Antelope licenses. Cow elk hunting opportunities are available as “Elk B” licenses; and doe hunting opportunities are available as “Deer B” licenses.
Bird count
The 2013 Great Backyard Bird Count will take place on Feb. 15-18. The annual event is for beginners to experts. Participants enter their observations on the GBBC website. For information on local counts, contact Bob Lee at 270-0371 or rml3@centurytel.net or Kathy Ross at 837-3837 or mtkat@montanaport.net.