Outdoors

By the California Department of Fish and Game
Scientists working on the recovery of endangered coho salmon in northern California appreciate success even if it comes in small doses.

Field biologists from the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) are reporting the largest number of coho returning to spawn in Sonoma County tributaries of the Russian River in more than a decade. 

By the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Anglers can look forward to another promising steelhead season on the Columbia River and its tributaries this year, based on a forecast released recently by a team of state, federal and tribal biologists.

By the Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association
Prime birding opportunities abound in the Shasta Cascade region. With more than 20 wildlife viewing areas, 4 wildlife refuges, and over 11 wilderness areas, bird enthusiasts are sure to spot a wide variety of bird species.

The sky was gradually beginning to get light in the east when I very quietly began to row my small, inflatable raft away from the Cave Rock boat launch on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe.

Just moments before, Elaine and I had neatly stowed our lunch, drinks, fishing poles, reels, tackle box, net, battery-operated fish finder and video camera into the bottom of the raft.

Elaine and I took a ride on Wednesday from Carson City to Kit Carson Pass (elevation 8,500'), via U.S. Highway 395, Nevada State Route 88 and California State Route 88, to get some pictures of the deep snow in the high country.

Here are eight photos to enjoy:

Photo No. 1: The Hope Valley Store on the way to Kit Carson Pass. They might have a problem in getting to the tire chains.

Photo No. 2: Some summer rental cabins in a meadow, just before reaching Red Lake.

If you like to fish in the State of Nevada, you might be interested in entering the 2011 Ormsby Sportsmen’s Association (OSA) fishing contest.

This annual contest is inexpensive, you can have fun fishing during the year and you might even win some nice cash, just before Christmas.

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Click here for this week's fishing report and here for other outdoor-related stories.

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If you’re interested, here is all kinds of information on that contest:

By the Nevada Department of Wildlife
Some sportsmen and women are already calling it the hunt opportunity of a lifetime, but what really has people talking is the fact that Nevada’s new Silver State Tag is available to the average sportsman at a price that won’t break the bank.

This is a first reminder that if you're one of many tens of thousands of big game hunters interested in drawing a 2011 hunting tag for Pronghorn Antelope, Mule Deer, California Bighorn Sheep, Desert (Nelson) Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mountain Elk and Rocky Mountain Goat in the State of Nevada, be advised that the final deadline for RECEIVING your application(s) is 5 p.m. on Monday, April 18.

The drawing results will be made available to the public by June 13.

If you want to apply, you can do so by one of two different methods:

By the Idaho Department of Fish and Game
Idaho Fish and Game will auction furs, hides, antlers, traps and miscellaneous hunting and fishing equipment on Saturday, April 2, at the Clearwater Regional office, 3316 16th St., in Lewiston.

Anyone interested may view the items beginning at 8 a.m., with the auction beginning promptly at 10 a.m.

Auction items include furs, whole carcasses, antlers, and skulls of elk, moose, deer, black bear, mountain lion, otter, beaver, bobcat and fox.

By the Bureau of Land Management
A dedication of Nevada's newest state historical marker, which commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Pony Express Trail, will be on Thursday, March 31 on public land east of Fallon. The ceremony begins at 10:30 a.m. The public is invited.

Here is the Northern Nevada outdoor sports calendar for the month of April:

Here is the weekly fishing report for Northern and Southern Nevada, Northern California, Eastern Sierra and Southern Oregon rivers and lakes. This report runs through April 5.

ALMANOR LAKE, CALIF:
Brian Roccucci of Big Daddy’s Guide Service (539) 283-4103) www.bigdaddyfishing.com reports:
The winter trout bite at Lake Almanor continues to be pretty solid....when you can get to the lake!

Here is the latest fish plant news as reported by the Nevada Department of Wildlife:
March 23: Liberty Pond in Churchill County: 800 rainbows: 10.8 inches.
For information, call NDOW Headquarters in Reno at (775) 688-1500 during regular business hours.

If you're one of many thousands of big game hunters (54,000-plus last year) interested in drawing a 2011 hunting tag for Pronghorn Antelope, Mule Deer, California Bighorn Sheep, Desert (Nelson) Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mountain Elk and Rocky Mountain Goat in the State of Nevada, be advised that you can now submit your application(s) to hunt one or more of the big game species listed above.

The 2011 application period began Friday, March 18 at 8 a.m.
The final deadline for RECEIVING your application(s) will be 5 p.m. on Monday, April 18. Remember that key work: Receiving.

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Go here for more outdoor stories and here for this week's fishing report.
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The drawing results will be made available to the public on June 13. If you would like to apply, you can do so by one of two methods:

Here is the fishing report for Northern Nevada, Northern California, Southern Oregon and the Sierra for the week of March 23 through March 30:

By the Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management-Nevada (BLM) announces the spring meeting of the Sierra Front-Northwestern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council (RAC), which will meet on Wednesday, March 30, 2011, 8:00 a.m., at the BLM-Carson City District Office (CCDO), 5665 Morgan Mill Road, Carson City, Nev.

By the California Department of Fish and Game
A 28-year-old man has been arrested for impersonating a California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) warden in Tulare County.

Joshua Adam O’Daniel, a Terra Bella resident, was sought by law enforcement for allegedly claiming to be a game warden making a field contact with a mother and daughter.

On Dec. 30, 2010, the mother and daughter were parked along Blueridge Road in rural Tulare County when O’Daniel stopped his pickup nearby and approached them.

Here are the most recent fish plants in Western Nevada by done by the Nevada Department of Wildlife:

By the Nevada Department of Wildlife
This is a final reminder that eligible hunters who have purchased their waterfowl stamp ‘privilege” over the internet or at Point of Sales locations also have the opportunity to receive the actual physical stamp at the end of the license year.

For the purist, or for nostalgia’s sake, many hunters like to maintain a real copy of the year’s stamp, and this NDOW offer allows just that.

By the Nevada Department of Wildlife
This is a reminder that the Operation Game Thief (OGT) Citizens’ Board has offered a $4,000 reward to generate tips to solve a criminal case of eight deer shot in Voltaire Canyon near Carson City.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) released information on the case on Feb. 15 hoping to generate tips and solve the case.

The Citizens’ Board is a volunteer organization that manages donations to the OGT program and offers rewards to solve poaching cases.

By the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission has set the 2011 sport halibut seasons for the Oregon Coast.

Oregon halibut anglers will enjoy slightly more fishing opportunity in 2011 thanks to a 12 percent increase in the harvest quota set by the International Pacific Halibut Commission, according to Gway Rogers-Kirchner, ODFW marine fishery manager.

Courtesy of GrandViewOutdoors.com
The bill to allow a small group of enthusiasts to hunt with spears has been stopped in the House.

The measure targeted at a subgroup of hunters who hunt like prehistoric man for sport was tabled in the House Fish, Wildlife and Parks committee Friday.
The bill, which had already passed through the Senate, drew a large amount of public interest because of its unusual topic.

Courtesy of GrandViewOutdoors.com
A caribou herd shared by Alaska and northwest Canada has rebounded after a near one-third decline, according to a photo census announced by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

State biologists said the Porcupine Caribou Herd has grown to an estimated 169,000 animals.

"People on both sides of the Alaska-Canada border are pleased,'' said Jason Caikoski, an assistant area biologist.

By the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) announced on March 15 that the sturgeon retention season on the lower Willamette River downstream from Willamette Falls, including Multnomah Channel and the Gilbert River, is now closed.

ODFW closed the season following creel survey analysis that indicated harvest was at or near the pre-season guideline of 2,550 sturgeon, following the last fishing day on March 12.

The season had been open three days a week since Feb. 17.

Courtesy of www.GrandViewOutdoors.com
On a July evening a few years ago, a massive bull moose wallowed belly-deep in a small stream in the canoe country north of Ely. Facing the other direction, he had no idea a canoe was silently slipping up behind him. He kept dipping for the stems of water lilies and chewing them in the rich evening light.

We approached so closely that the 17-year-old in the bow of the canoe began backpaddling. He looked over his shoulder and shot me a silent glance that told me we were too close to that moose.
He probably was right.

By the Nevada Department of Wildlife
Sometime in mid-March the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) will release the last load of rainbow trout for the agency’s annual stocking season at Lake Mead and Lake Mohave.

But unlike years past, the release of these final truckloads of fish will mark more than the end of a trout stocking season.

They will mark the end of an era, the end of NDOW trout stocking efforts along the Lower Colorado River.

Courtesy of GrandViewOutdoors.com
Alaska wildlife officials said last Tuesday that they were appalled the federal government rejected their plan to kill wolves to protect caribou on a remote Aleutian Island.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced this week it would not sign off on the state killing seven wolves in the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge on Unimak Island.

Here's a couple of upcoming events for the week:

By the Nevada Department of Wildlife
Eligible hunters who have purchased their waterfowl stamp ‘privilege” over the internet or at Point of Sales locations also have the opportunity to receive the actual physical stamp at the end of the license year.

For the purist, or for nostalgia’s sake, many hunters like to maintain a real copy of the year’s stamp, and this NDOW offer allows just that.

The 13th Annual Big Game Banquet of the Tahoe Basin Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will be held in Carson City at the Casino Fandango April 30.

Those active in the foundation are asked to help with donations and underwriting of the event. Donation entries for the Program placement with proper credited entry prior to the program printing are needed by March 20th. Any help you can give the foundation will be greatly appreciated!