Outdoors

Fly Fishing Banquet Scheduled in Twin Falls, Idaho

The Magic Valley Fly Fishers are busy preparing for their annual fly fishing banquet to be held  February 20th.    It will be an honor and a special treat for area fly fishing enthusiasts to  hear from Trout Unlimited’s On the Rise host, Frank Smethurst.   The Turf Club  always prepares a delicious dinner with choice of prime rib or chicken teryaki.  The evening will be filled with the program, games, and prizes. Ticket holders will also be treated to a morning Fly Tying Seminar given by Frank Smethurst.  The registration form misstated the location for the seminar which will be held in the College of Southern Idaho (CSI)  Desert Building Room 119 at 9 AM on the 20th.
This event is just one of the many outdoor recreation related opportunities available to the Magic Valley area in Twin Falls.  Be sure to check it out, you won’t be disappointed.

Magic Valley Fly Fishers Host Annual Banquet

Magic Valley Fly Fishers  will be hosting their 41st annual banquet on February 20th featuring FrankSmethurst, noted TV host and guide.   Register by February 17, 2010.  See details at Magic Valley Fly Fishers. This is a fun event, with raffles, silent auctions, awards, and a great program.   The Turf Club always provides a great meal.

Fly Tying Classes

Fly tying classes are being offered during the month of February by Ron Hicks.  See details at Magic Valley Fly Fishers site.

Fly Fishing Derby Planned

Clear Lake Country Club is planning a Fly Fishing Derby on February13th.  It sounds like a fun event.  Register early as there is a limit to how many can enter.  Read more at Magic Valley Fly Fishers.

SCI Conservation Efforts Benefit North American Hunters

In the last decade, Safari Club International has spent $140 million on protecting the freedom to hunt through advocacy, research and education to ensure that the hunting heritage is accessible for future generations. These programs benefit hunters throughout North American, and the majority of the work is funded with proceeds from its Annual Hunter’s Convention,  January 20-23 in Reno, Nevada.

Through direct involvement and partnerships with other conservation organizations, SCI contributes to dozens of projects in the United States and Canada every year. Earlier this year, Safari Club International Foundation (SCIF) and Mossy Oak joined forces to help ensure healthy white-tail deer populations throughout North America. They have provided funding for white-tailed deer research at the University of Georgia and the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study.

The project will investigate reasons for expansion of epizootic hemorrhagic disease viruses (EHDV) and bluetongue viruses (BTV), better define the impacts of these viruses on deer populations, and then develop recommendations to control and curtail spread of the diseases if possible. The research findings will be shared with the hunting public and wildlife professionals to better maintain healthy white-tailed deer populations throughout North America.

On the West Coast, SCI’s efforts also contributed to the successful vote by the California Fish and Game Commission against extending the current lead ammunition ban for big game hunting to the hunting of small game and upland birds in so-called condor “range.” SCI filed comments that agreed with the finding of the California Fish and Game Department that the extension of the ban was not supported by the science.

The participation of Safari Club International (SCI) in a federal lawsuit has helped ensure that hunters in Idaho and Montana can continue hunting wolves under state seasons. The Montana federal court denied a preliminary injunction requested by Defenders of Wildlife and other plaintiffs who sued to stop the hunting season, and to challenge the delisting of Idaho and Montana’s wolves.

SCI was also instrumental in successfully challenging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s ban on the import of polar bears from Canada. When the FWS listed the polar bear as threatened in May 2008, it also determined that imports of polar bear legally hunted from approved populations in Canada would no longer be allowed, as they had been for the previous 12 years. In June, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia rebuffed the FWS’s attempt to have SCI’s lawsuit dismissed without full briefing on the merits.

Another key research project funded by SCI involves the decline of woodland caribou in northern Quebec and Labrador. The caribou herds are vital to the local Inuit and Cree Indians who hunt them for subsistence, but also rely on income generated from guiding and outfitting hunters. Early indications have shown that loss of habitat and predation by black bears are two crucial factors that need to be addressed in order to preserve this resource and hunting opportunity.

These are just a few examples of the conservation efforts in North America that are made possible through the generous support of its Convention exhibitors, donors, advertisers, members and corporate sponsors. For more information on these and other conservation projects in North America, visit the SCI web site at www.safariclub.org.

SCI-First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI’s approximately 190 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 18 other countries. SCI’s proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page www.safariclub.org or call (520) 620-1220 for more information.

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See the original article at OutdoorMediaResources.com

Good News! Idaho has a Plan to Keep Parks Open

I was glad to read the article  in the Times News written by Ben Botkin that stated  “Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter and Idaho Parks and Recreation Department Director Nancy Merrill announced on Friday plans aimed at shifting the agency’s dependence away from the state’s general fund and making Idaho’s parks more self-sustaining through business plans tailored for each park. . . . “  This welcome plan should have been addressed years ago before they become a drain on our state’s general fund.  According to the article the plan will go before JFAC on February 1.  I have said in several conversations that if they raised the fees slightly, it would help with the cost.   I’m certainly willing to pay $1 more to camp in a state park.  The article didn’t mention any changes to the cost of the annual state parks pass, but a small increase there certainly shouldn’t affect sales.  Until now, I figured very few would even buy the annual pass, not knowing if there were going to be very many state parks still open.  Cudos to those who have worked hard and provided input to come up with a plan.  As a Hagerman resident I am pleased that we will not be looking at closure of the state parks in our area.  Read the entire Times News article.

Visit Us at the SCI Convention

We’re at SCI in Reno all week, drop us a line if you’d like to hook up. The easiest way to get in touch is cory@gothunts.com

If you’ve never been, you should make it a point to visit the first chance you get. It’s an incredible show.

See the original article at GotHunts.com

Philosophy, finances behind push to trim Idaho PTV

I’ve been reading about another action that Idaho’s Governor Butch Otter is taking to cut costs.  He is trying to shut down Idaho Public Television.  I think this would be a travesty.  I particularly enjoy watching Outdoor Idaho that is produced by this network and know many others who also watch it ans several of the other programs.  Can’t he find solutions other than shutting down Idaho Public Television or dismantling our State Park System?  Read more about the Idaho Public Television proposal.

Magic Valley Fly Fishers

I love sharing  my passion  for fly fishing with other enthusiasts of the sport.  The Magic Valley Fly Fishing organization provides me with that opportunity.

The goal of the Magic Valley Fly Fishers is to promote, preserve, protect, and enhance fly fisheries and function exclusively for education, charity and betterment of all fishing and conservation in the Magic Valley and the state of Idaho.  MVFF coordinates with governmental agencies, the Idaho Fish and Game, and private land holders to improve and promote fly fishing.

MVFF supports trout in the classroom, habitat rehabilitation, access for handicapped, and the Ruel Stayner scholarship to College of Southern Idaho fisheries students.

Learn more about this group and their upcoming January meeting.

Idaho Budget Cutting could negatively affect Recreational Opportunities

I just read about another wonderful state park that is in jeopardy of loosing its funding from the State of Idaho.  That park is Harriman State Park located in Island Park.  It is a wonderful park along the banks of the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River, home of beautiful, elusive rainbow trout, wildlife, birds, history.  Over the years I’ve visited it in the winter on cross country skis, and in the summer while fly fishing.  It would be a shame to see this park and others in our great state go by the wayside because of budget cuts.  Other parks that are threatened include Thousand Springs State Park Complex  in the Hagerman area.  Communicate with your legislators about these parks and their importance to our communities.  Read more about Hariman State Park, Thousand Springs State Park Complex

Legislative and governor contact information:

Governor

Representative Donna Pence
Representative Jim Patrick
Representative John "Bert" Stevenson
Representative Leon Smith
Representative Maxine Bell
Representative Scott Bedke
Representative Sharon Block	
Representative Stephen Hartgen
Representative Wendy Jacquet
Senator Bert Brackett
Senator Chuck Coiner
Senator Clint Stennett
Senator Dean Cameron
Senator Denton Darrington	

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