Outdoors

By the Nevada Department of Wildlife
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) is holding a kids camp event throughout the upcoming Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) Elk Camp & Exposition show scheduled for March 3-6 at the Reno / Sparks Convention Center.

As host of the Kid’s Camp, NDOW will feature fly tying demonstrations, wildlife tracking, and an Operation Game Thief display, among many other displays and demonstrations, during the four day event.

By the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
This is a final reminder that the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is bringing the world elk calling championships, along with the annual convention and expo called “Elk Camp,” back to the Reno/Sparks Convention Center, March 3-6, 2011.


This year marks the 27th annual RMEF Elk Camp & Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Expo — the organization’s largest annual fundraiser for its conservation programs.


By the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Opening ceremonies, volunteer and chapter awards, banquet speakers and presentations, and other select Elk Camp attractions will be broadcast live from Reno, Nev., March 3-5, on the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) website.


Live video will begin streaming each evening at approximately 6:00 p.m. (PT) at www.rmef.org/elkcamp.
The special Friends of the Foundation breakfast with Bob Eubanks also will broadcast live beginning at about 8:00 (PT) on March 4.

By the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
This is a final reminder that amateur and professional elk callers from across the United States will converge on Reno for the RMEF/Leupold World Elk Calling Championships, March 4-5, 2011.


Preliminary rounds begin March 4 at 9:00 a.m., and championship rounds begin March 5 at 9:00 a.m., at the Reno/Sparks Convention Center.
The championships are a centerpiece of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s annual Elk Camp & Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Expo.

Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe is opening up night skiing on the weekend and it's free with a day lift pass. Otherwise it's $22, but free for season pass holders on Fridays.

The area is on both sides of the Ponderosa lift and there are two new terrain parks with all the bells and whistles. Night sporting there is to last into March. Mt. Rose joins Squaw Valley and Boreal with night skiing and riding.

— Sam Bauman

For all of you muscle-powered enthusiasts, Jeff Moser at bikecarson.com spells out in words and photos the weather dynamics of February, which made for some great spring-like riding and hiking. That is until Mother Nature reminded us that even Punxsutawney Phil is prone to judgement lapses. Welcome to déjà vu all over again. Click here for the story and photos.

Saturday evening, March 5, will be the date of my all-time favorite fundraiser: The highly-popular and fun-filled, Carson Valley Chukar Club fundraiser, which will be held as usual at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.
More importantly, this year’s version will be its 25th.

Wow! 25 years! Congrats for all you have done for Nevada’s wildlife!

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For more of Don Quilici's Outdoors, click here.
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Here is the Northern Nevada, Northern California and Sierra Fishing Report For the week of Feb. 23:

BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF:
Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (866) 694-2930 www.woodfordsstation.com reported:
The road is closed for the winter.

CHETCO RIVER, ORE:
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (800) 720-ODWF www.dfw.state.or.us.com reported: Low and clear. Steelhead are throughout the system. Anglers fishing smaller baits and lighter line are doing the best.  Boat and bank angling pressure is light.

The Clear Creek Bowmen, an archery organization in Carson City, will host their annual “Hell or High Water” archery shoot on Sunday, March 13.
That shoot will be held at the Centennial Park Archery Range (east of the Eagle Valley Golf Course), just off of U.S. 50.

It will be a target archery competition with all ages welcome.
Registration begins at 8 a.m., with competition shooting beginning at 9 a.m.

Registration fees are:
Adults: $15.
Family: $25.
Youths: $ 6.
Cubs: Free (Anyone 11 years of age or younger). For information, call Jim and Carol Davis at 883-0389.

By the California Department of Fish and Game
A bear poaching conviction has landed a Novato, California man in state prison for two years. Wayne Richard Barsch, 49, was already a two-strike felon when sentenced on Feb. 4 by Glenn County Judge John Tiernan.
Barch will also face an as-yet-undermined fine, and his hunting and fishing privileges have been revoked for life.

Here is the outdoor calendar for the remainder of February.

Feb. 28 – Closing day of the 2010-2011 Nevada Falconry hunting season.
Call the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) in Reno at 688-1500 or go to Internet website www.ndow.org.

Feb. 28 – Closing day of the 2010-2011 fishing season at Big Springs Reservoir in Northern Humboldt County.
Call the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) in Reno at 688-1500 or go to Internet website www.ndow.org.

Feb 28 – Last day of the 2010-2011 Nevada fishing license year.

Courtesy of GrandViewOutdoors.com
On a sunny afternoon, 15 workers are waist deep in a half-acre pond, tromping through 46-degree water and dragging a 120-foot net to catch several hundred small fish.

The fingerling yellow perch are being pulled from the water to be part of studies of the small fish, which is being introduced as an alternate commercial species in Alabama.

Courtesy of GrandViewOutdoors.com
The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) has announced the release of the 200,000th wild bird in southern Arizona.

The trapped bird was one of 15 Gould's wild turkeys captured in the Coronado National Forest and then taken to Gardner Canyon near Tucson.

NWTF says Gardner Canyon has suitable habitat but no wild turkeys.

Courtesy of GrandViewOutdoors.com
A small herd of elk roaming southern Allamakee County in Iowa is causing an uproar.

Jim Jansen with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources told the Cedar Rapids Gazette that the state has shot some of the elk and there are plans to take down the rest.

But several residents think the state should consider allowing the elk to roam free and re-establishing Iowa's wild elk population.

Tim Mason of rural McGregor says the animals should be nurtured, not shot.

By the Nevada Department of Wildlife
Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) game wardens are seeking the public’s help to solve a criminal case of several deer shot and left to waste in Voltaire Canyon near Carson City.

Game wardens discovered one dead buck Jan. 12, and tracked the trails of at least seven other injured deer in the Voltaire Canyon area.

By the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
This is a reminder that amateur and professional elk callers from across the United States will converge on Reno for the RMEF/Leupold World Elk Calling Championships, March 4-5, 2011.
Preliminary rounds begin March 4 at 9:00 a.m., and championship rounds begin March 5 at 9:00 a.m., at the Reno/Sparks Convention Center.
The championships are a centerpiece of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s annual Elk Camp & Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Expo.

Checking in with Sierra-at-Tahoe, bottomless is the word of the day. The resort reports a mountain of new snow, as La Niña has lived up to her name graciously delivering the biggest storm of 2011.

The resort reports up to 8 feet of snow and counting, so make sure you wear you pole straps or you might not find them till the spring.

You'll feel confident when you huck those tricks you weren't brave enough to throw on hard pack. Today is the day with the resort filled with pillow soft landings.

Here's the latest from 1960 Olympics host resort, Squaw Valley. I'm sure much of the same can be said for other resorts. My Carson Cirty patio got about two feet of snow over the last couple of days. Maybe I'll get my x-c skis out and try the rose garden run!

— Sam Bauman

With around 5 feet of fresh snow falling around Lake Tahoe this week, the Mt. Rose ski area has begun a couple of Monday options worth considering.

If you buy a teen lift ticket online through www.skirose.com, you can save $12 off the regular rate at the window.

In separate offer, present your previous Saturday or Sunday lift ticket to receive a Monday ticket for only $29. No weekend ticket?  Mt. Rose will still sell you a ticket on Monday for only $39.

These offers are valid Feb. 21 and every Monday during the rest of the season. 

Seven fun-loving people from this area spent last Saturday and Sunday, February 12-13, traveling on the Amtrak passenger train between Reno and Sacramento, Calif.

--See Don Q's Outdoor report

Those seven were: Mary Bottoms, Bob “Slick” and Lynda McCulloch, Elaine and I, all of Carson City; and Sal and Catali Quilici of Dayton.

Here is the Fishing Report for the week of Feb. 16-23:

ALMANOR LAKE, CALIF:
Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530) 365-7500 www.shastacascade.com reported:
Current water surface temperatures are at 35.5 degrees with water clarity at 7.5 feet. It has been sunny all week as forecasted. With the afternoon highs moving into mid to low 50s, and more sunshine is on the way, with the next possibility of some rain near mid week.

By the California Department of Fish and Game
The public is invited to testify at an upcoming public meeting about salmon populations and the 2011 ocean and river salmon fisheries.

The 2011 Salmon Information Meeting, sponsored by the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG), will be held March 1 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Sonoma County Water Agency Building located at 404 Aviation Boulevard in Santa Rosa.

By GrandViewOutdoors.com
The battle to rid Alexander Creek of salmon-munching northern pike may escalate into a war next summer. More pike will be targeted by state biologists after the Alaska Department of Fish and Game was awarded $635,000 from the Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund for a four-year program to kill pike.

That supplements $127,000 in state money devoted to the project.

By GrandViewOutdoors.com
A federal agency has announced $23 million to protect grasslands in Wyoming, Colorado and Montana for sage grouse, a chicken-sized bird whose males are known for flashy mating displays.

It would be offered as matching funds, with state, local and tribal governments or non-government agencies providing the other $23 million.

By GrandViewOutdoors.com

Some Idaho hunters who prefer to mount all-terrain vehicles to pursue their big-game quarry are chafing at Department of Fish and Game restrictions on where they can ride.

Under current hunting regulations, the state requires armed hunters who head out onto public land in about a third of Idaho's 99 hunting units to stick to established roads, while keeping away from off-road vehicle or jeep trails and areas that are otherwise open to unarmed recreational ATV riders.

By The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is bringing the world elk calling championships, along with the annual convention and expo called “Elk Camp,” back to the Reno/Sparks Convention Center, March 3-6, 2011.


This year marks the 27th annual RMEF Elk Camp & Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Expo—the organization’s largest annual fundraiser for its conservation programs.


By The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Amateur and professional elk callers from across the United States will converge on Reno for the RMEF/Leupold World Elk Calling Championships, March 4-5, 2011.


Preliminary rounds begin March 4 at 9:00 a.m., and championship rounds begin March 5 at 9:00 a.m., at the Reno/Sparks Convention Center.
The championships are a centerpiece of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s annual Elk Camp & Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Expo.

Here is the Northern Nevada and Sierra area sports and outdoor calendar for the remainder of February:

Feb. 16 – Regular monthly meeting of the High Sierra Fly Casters Club in Douglas County at 7:00 p.m. at the Carson Valley Methodist Church, 1375 Centerville Lane in Gardnerville.
Call Bob Taormina at (775) 265-9159.

Feb. 28 – Closing day of the 2010-2011 Nevada Falconry hunting season.
Call the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) in Reno at 688-1500 or go to www.ndow.org.

For the Northern Nevada and Sierra sports and outdoors men and women out there, here is the Outdoor Calendar for February:

Feb. 12 – Opening day of the 2011 fishing season at the Fort Churchill Cooling Ponds near Yerington.
This season closes on Sept. 30.
Call the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) in Reno at 688-1500 or go to www.ndow.org"

Feb. 12 – Opening day of the 2011 fishing season at Hinkson Slough on the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area near Yerington.
This season closes on Sept. 30.

By Nevada Department of Wildlife
Hunters hoping to draw a wild turkey tag for Nevada's 2011 spring hunting season shouldn't wait much longer.

The deadline for submitting tag applications is 5 p.m. February 15, and they must be delivered through a postal service.

In order to apply, hunters must have a license valid March 1, 2010 through Feb. 28, 2011. But they can purchase a 2011-12 hunting license online as part of the application process.