Outdoor news
Kids fishing derby
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will host a kids fishing day as part of the Flathead Fishing Fair at Snappy Sports Senter on Saturday, May 5, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. In addition to the fishing derby for ages 12 and younger, there will be fun and educational activities for kids and adults. Fishing will be limited around Snappys Pond for safety.
Trapping course
Registration is now open for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park’s Trapper Education Course for Northwest Montana, which will be held at Lawrence Park, in Kalispell, on Saturday, May 5, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Instructors will emphasize trapper ethics, regulations, trapping heritage and will show actual trap sets and techniques. Instructors include members of the Montana Trappers Association and the Montana Fur Harvesters. To register, stop by FWP offices in Kalispell or call 752-5501.
Owl watching
Flathead Audubon will lead a trip to hear the hoot of the only barred owl in the Flathead Valley on Saturday, April 28. Meet expert owl caller and trip leader Pete Smith at 7 p.m. in the Silver Bullet Bar parking lot, on Highway 206, to caravan to the site. For more information, call 250-9624.
Clean-up help needed
The Glacier Institute will hold its annual volunteer work day on Saturday, May 5. Volunteers are needed at the Glacier Park Field Camp, in Glacier National Park one mile north of West Glacier, and the Big Creek Outdoor Education Center, on the North Fork Road about 21 miles north of Columbia Falls. Volunteers are needed for cleaning, painting, light carpentry, and outdoor work such as raking, sweeping, and many other tasks. Participants are asked to bring carpentry tools, rakes, shop vacuums, wheelbarrows and work gloves. Lunch and dinner will be provided. Volunteers may stay overnight but need to reserve a spot. For more information, call 755-1211 or e-mail register@glacierinstitute.org.
Loon countvolunteers
The Montana Loon Society and the Montana Common Loon Working Group need volunteers to help observe and count loons on lakes throughout Northwest Montana on Saturday, May 12, Spring Loon Census Day, and on Saturday, July 14, Loon Day. For areas west of Kalispell, call Gael Bissell at 751-4580; for the Tally/Stillwater area, call Laura Holmquist at 758-3501; for West Flathead Valley and Upper Whitefish Lake, call Chris Forestall at 751-2258; and for Glacier National Park, call Jamie Belt at 888-7986.
Bison Range
Visitors are invited to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day with a drive up Red Sheep Mountain Drive in the National Bison Range in Moiese on Saturday, May 12. For more information and to sign up for a beginner’s bird walk as well as other events, call the National Bison Range at 406-644-2211.