In Brief
Spring birding hike May 21
Montana Wilderness Association is sponsoring a free spring birding hike. Participants will meet Saturday, May 21 at 9 a.m. at the Venture Inn, at 443 U.S. Highway 2 in Libby, Montana. This is a free-guided hike and space is limited so please register early. To Register: Go to wildmontana.org and see Flathead/Kootenai Chapter Hikes. Look up hike by title and date, and follow the easy to register directions or call Brian at 406-291-2154. Hike rated easy, road tour and some short walks into field sites.
Becoming an Outdoors Woman worshops
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ Becoming an Outdoors Woman Program (BOW) is sponsoring several workshops this spring and summer.
The following classes are designed for adult women but are open to anyone 18 years of age and older who has a desire to learn new skills:
A Muzzle Loader and Primitive Skills weekend workshop near Thompson Falls on June 4 and 5. Participants will experience an 1800s style mountain camp and learn to shoot a muzzle loader, throw tomahawks, start a fire with flint and steel and learn about Dutch oven cooking. The registration fee of $85 includes two nights camping and some meals. A limited number of spaces are available to sleep in a teepee, lean-to or wall tent for an additional $15.
Nature Journaling classes will be held at two locations: at Greenough Park in Missoula on June 12 and at the Montana Wild Education Center near Spring Meadow Lake State Park in Helena on July 17. Before the advent of modern photography, nature was recorded in words and illustrations. This class will explore how to capture not only the physical presence of our experiences in nature, but also the journalists’ feelings and interpretations. The one-day class is open to beginner and experienced nature journalists. The registration fee of $15 will include some art supplies.
The registration forms are available on the FWP website at fwp.mt.gov; click “Becoming an Outdoors Woman,” under the Education tab. For more information, contact BOW Coordinator Liz Lodman at (406) 444-9940.
Lower gas prices inspire road trips
More Americans are planning to hit the road this summer compared to 2015, according to the annual summer travel study conducted by GasBuddy. Over 75 percent said they would be traveling this summer, a 2.2 percent increase from last year, with an overwhelming majority (79 percent) doing so by car.
The staggering differences in gas prices from previous summers are playing a part in the influx of road trips. At $2.23, the current national average is almost 50 cents per gallon lower today than a year ago. In some states, the drop in even more dramatic — California’s average price is over $1 per gallon cheaper than 2015.
People are noticing too: 26 percent said they will take advantage of low prices compared to just 17 percent saying the same thing last summer.
“Motorists will be filling up their tanks with the cheapest summer gasoline since 2005 and we are finding that more people than ever will be taking advantage by hitting the road,” said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy. “As we kick off driving season, gas prices will be nearly a dollar per gallon lower than the ten year Memorial Day average of $3.15 per gallon. The incredible part is nationally, we’ll be saving $2.6 billion over the long weekend versus the highest-priced Memorial Day weekend in 2011 at $3.78 per gallon.”
Foresters meeting May 26
The monthly meeting of the Libby Chapter of the Society of American Foresters will be held May 26 in the Fireside Room of the Venture Inn. The event will begin with social time from 5:30 p.m. until 6 p.m., followed by dinner, ordered off the menu. This month’s presentation, given by experts from the Forest Service regional office in Missoula, will be about forest insect conditions and the results of a long term root disease study, including a discussion on the recent tent caterpillar outbreak. The presentation begins at 7 p.m.
Libby Dam operations update
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is hosting a Libby Dam annual operations public information meeting at the Boundary County Extension Office in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. on May 26.
Representatives from the Corps, National Weather Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will discuss water supply forecasts, Libby Dam operations, and Kootenai River white sturgeon recovery.
Members of the public, officials and stakeholders with an interest in Libby Dam and the Kootenai River are encouraged to attend and learn more about dam operations.
Kambel Scrambel set for June 25
The 13th Annual Kambel Scrambel will be held on Saturday, June 25, 2016, with a shotgun start at 9:30 a.m. The format consists of 18 hole scramble of five man teams at $275 per team.
Entry fee includes a round of golf, complimentary toast, T shirt, peach cigar, koozie, tees and dinner.
A derby will be held on Friday night at 5:30 at CVGC. Entries will be accepted as of May 11, 2016. Entry forms are available by contacting Deb Kambel or CVGC, or going to www.golflibby.com.
To guarantee entry paid registrations are encouraged due to a limited field. Entry fees will increase to $300 per team after June 15, 2016. Cart reservations will start on Monday, May 23, by calling CVGC at 293-7332. For more information contact Deb Kambel at 293-1042 or check out our FB page at Kambel Scrambel.
VFW Lil Anglers fishing day May 28
The VFW is hosting a free kids’ fishing day Saturday, May 28. No fishing license is required for participants or parents.
Anglers will gather at the VFW in Libby at 8 a.m. and receive a fishing rules and regulations packet and a free breakfast before the day of fishing begins.
Fishing is open to children between the ages of two and 13 and the event is free, but participants must be pre-registered and supervised by a responsible adult.
Registrations can be picked up at the Libby VFW or requested by email to shzgonecountry@hotmail.com. Registrations must be completed and returned by May 24, 2016.
FWP offers catch and release advice
With general stream fishing season underway on May 21, anglers are reminded to practice proper catch and release techniques for released fish.
Anglers can reduce stress on fish by keeping the fish wet while landing and releasing it.
The species of fish, water temperature and angler behavior affect the success of catch-and release fishing. Trout species are most susceptible to angling mortality. Warm water stresses fish more than cold water. How an angler fishes, choice of gear and how the angler handles the fish affect survival of released fish.
Here is what anglers can do to maximize fish survival:
Land the fish quickly and do not play it to exhaustion.
Wet your hands before handling the fish.
Keep the fish in the water as much as possible where it gills can absorb oxygen.
Minimize the time out of water for photos.
Remove the hook gently. Use of artificial lures, single and barbless hooks can make hook removal faster and easier.
Let the fish recover before release. If the fish is hooked deeply or bleeding, you may have to snip the line at the fish’s mouth, or consider keeping it if regulations allow.
Consider limiting your catch. Even with catch-and-release, fish are stressed and some
will die.