Outdoor news
Fishing derby
The 14th annual Canyon Kids Christmas Fund Lion Lake Fishing Derby will take place at Lion Lake on Saturday, Feb. 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Raffle tickets are $1 apiece for a pontoon boat donated by Snappys Sports Senter. Tickets are available at Dam Town Tavern, Zip Trip, Hungry Horse Liquor Store, Deer Lick, Southfork Saloon, Packers Roost, Glacier Center Cenex, Dew Drop Inn, Stonefly Inn and at the derby. Prizes will be awarded for top three trout and perch for adults and top two trout and perch for children 12-and-under. Free chili, hot dogs, coffee and hot chocolate will be available for contestants. An auction will be held at the Dew Drop Inn at 5:30 p.m.
Wilderness art
Applications to participate in the 2013 Artist-Wilderness-Connection Program must be postmarked by Feb. 28. The program is sponsored by the Flathead National Forest, Hockaday Museum of Art, Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation and the Swan Ecosystem Center. Professional working artists of various disciplines, media and styles spend up to two weeks in a remote forest cabin in the Bob Marshall and Great Bear wilderness areas. More than 25 artists have participated in the program since its start in 2004. For more information, contact Teresa Wenum at 758-5218 or Liz Moss at 755-5268.
Bowhunter education
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will offer classes in the Columbia Falls area at the North Valley Community Center, on Nucleus Avenue, on June 11 and 13 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. with a field course on June 15 from 9 a.m. to noon. Test night will be June 17 from 6:30-9 p.m. For more information, call Dave Yeats at 892-4527. A class for all students in the Flathead area 11-17 years of age will be held at the Flathead Valley Trap Club north of Kalispell on April 11 and 12 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. and April 13 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Registration will be done online at http://my.register-ed.com/event/studentchooseevent. Students 18 or older may take the course online at www.bowhunter-ed.com/mt/index.htm, but field day options are limited to July 20 at the Flathead Valley Trap Club in Kalispell unless arrangements can be made with an instructor. Courses and field days must be completed by July 31 of each year. For more information call FWP at 752-5501.
DREAM fundraiser
A dinner, dancing and live and silent auction fundraiser for DREAM Adaptive, which helps impaired people enjoy skiing and other outdoor recreation, will take place at the Hilton Garden Inn on Friday, Feb. 22, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6:15 p.m. Tickets are $50 each available at Snappys Sports Senter or by calling 862-1817. For more information, visit online at www.dreamadaptive.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 to 8 p.m.