Spring Round-Up Elk Calling contest in Orofino Saturday

OROFINO - The 10th annual Spring Round-Up Elk Calling Championship will be held here Saturday. It is sponsored by the Clearwater Valley Chapter of the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association.

The event includes elk calling, live music, raffles, games, live and silent auctions and a barbecue rib-eye steak dinner.

The roundup starts at 1 p.m. in the Orofino City Park. Elk calling starts at 3 p.m. The dinner and auction will follow at 5 p.m. at the nearby Best Western Lodge at River's Edge. Proceeds are used to provide scholarships to four area high school students and the Cancer Assistance and Recovery Effort.

More information and tickets are available by contacting Leo and Dee Crane at (208) 476-5971, the Guide Shop at (208) 476-3531 or Sue Black at (208) 983-9267.

Grants available for public shooting ranges

OLYMPIA - Shooting clubs and range operators have until June 30 to apply for federal grants to construct, maintain or expand public shooting-range facilities in Washington state.

The grants are coordinated by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and are awarded each year through the department's Shooting Range Program. Approximately $50,000 in competitive grants are expected to be awarded this year, with individual awards ranging from $5,000 to $25,000.

Prospective applicants must attend a May 1 grant-writing workshop. The workshop is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Washington Cattlemen's Association building, 1301 N. Dolarway Road, Ellensburg.

The Shooting Range Program was established in 2002 and supports development of not-for-profit shooting ranges with proceeds from a federal excise tax on archery equipment and firearms. The grants reimburse eligible shooting ranges for a significant portion of their construction, materials and other building expenses.

Successful applicants must pay for construction and materials up front, and are then reimbursed for up to 75 percent of the cost. The remaining 25 percent must be raised locally. Administration of the grant program helps the department meet its goal of promoting firearm safety.

Information and grant applications are available through the department's Web site at http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/shooting_ranges, or by contacting the Hunter Education Program at (360) 902-8111 or huntered@dfw.wa.gov.

Lewis and Clark trail group sets meeting to plan national event

The Idaho Chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Clearwater River Casino Event Center. The casino is along U.S. Highway 95/12 east of Lewiston.

The Idaho Chapter is hosting the national foundation's annual meeting in Lewiston this August and the meeting will focus on planning for that event. Members from throughout the United States will spend Aug. 1-4 on portions of the trail in Nez Perce country.

After a review of the plans for the annual meeting, the group will visit the Nez Perce National Park site at Spalding, which will host part of the meeting. In the afternoon. the group will visit Coulter Creek, site of several events in the Lewis and Clark Expedition through this area in 1805 and 1806. More information is available by contacting Chuck Raddon in Orofino at (208) 476-3123 or idahoclarkies@gmail.com.

Best of Telluride film festival to be shown

MOSCOW - The Selway-Bitterroot Foundation is presenting the Telluride Mountain Film Festival from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre on 508 S. Main St. here.

Each year, a selection of films from the Telluride (Colo.) international film festival are taken on the road to reach audiences who otherwise wouldn't have a chance to see them. The films display themes of adventure, mountaineering, remarkable personalities and important environmental and social messages.

The Selway-Bitterroot Foundation is a local nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting citizens and communities to assist in the stewardship of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and surrounding wildlands.

Doors open at 6 p.m., with films starting at 7. Tickets are $11 for students and $13 for general admission. Coeur D'Alene Brewing Company will be on hand to serve beer throughout the night. A raffle drawing will be held during intermission.

Course on GPS technology set

next week in Orofino

OROFINO - A field day on global positioning systems will be held here April 16.

The one-day course, sponsored by the University of Idaho Clearwater County extension office, Idaho Department of Lands and U.S. Forest Service, will teach participants how GPS devices work, forestry application of the GPS, how to shop for a unit and the future of GPS technology.

The course also includes a field exercises and one-on-one interactions between students and teachers on such things as setting way points, marking trails and streams, determining acreages and geocaching.

The program runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Orofino Community Church, 14233 U.S. Highway 12. Those wishing to participate are advised to preregister by Tuesday at the University of Idaho Clearwater County Extension Office. A $20 registration fee covers resource materials and refreshments. Those who participate eligible for four Society of American Foresters CFE credits and six Idaho Pro-Logger credits. More information is available by contacting the Clearwater County Extension office at (208) 476-4434.

Native plant group to journey to Wenaha area

TROY, Ore. - The White Pine Chapter of the Idaho Native Plant Society will take a field trip to the Wenaha River Canyon near here Saturday.

The group will meet at 8 a.m. at the Eastside Marketplace in Moscow for carpooling and return by 5 p.m.

Starving mountain lion killed after dog attack

HAMILTON, Mont. - State wildlife officials said a crippled and starving mountain lion was shot after it killed a pit bull that was out for a walk with its owner in the Darby, Mont., area over the weekend.

Fish, Wildlife and Parks Warden Lou Royce said the lion killed the 13-year-old, 50-pound dog last Saturday, after the dog ran toward a creek to get a drink.

Royce called some local houndsmen, who treed the lion near where the attack occurred and shot the cat.

Royce said the lion had a badly broken back leg, weighed about 60 or 70 pounds and was starving. He said a healthy cat would have weighed about 120 pounds.

Birders set annual bluebird excursion

TROY, Ore. - The Canyon Birders will take their annual bluebird trip along the Grand Ronde River here Saturday.

Those interested in attended can meet at Clarkston's Swallows Park Marina at 8 a.m. for the all-day trip. Those who attend are advised to bring food and drinks, and warm clothing for the cool morning air.

Fishing Montana rivers is topic of meeting

Tonight's meeting of the Kelly Creek Flycasters will include a presentation on fishing Montana's Beaverhead and Big Hole rivers. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at the Quality Inn in Clarkston.

Tim Tollet, of Dillon, Mont., will talk about and show slides of fishing some of the best and most famous water in southwestern Montana.