Outdoor news
Photo show
Acclaimed nature photographer Tom Ulrich will draw on 40 years of photographic experience in presenting “Anomalies and Curiosities of the Animal World” at Flathead Audubon’s Monday, Sept. 8, meeting in the United Way Conference Center at Gateway West Mall in Kalispell starting at 7 p.m. Ulrich has traveled the world as a wildlife photographer since 1975. His photos have appeared in Audubon, National Geographic, Montana Outdoors and Ranger Rick and earned him many prestigious awards. He also has published five nature books: “Mammals of the Northern Rockies,” “Birds of the Northern Rockies,” “Once Upon a Frame,” “Photo Pantanal” and “Mt. Reynolds, The Story.”
Bat trip
Flathead Audubon and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wildlife staff have rescheduled a late evening bat viewing, listening and capturing field trip for Friday, Sept. 5. The previous field trip scheduled for Aug. 15 was canceled because of rain. This is a great chance to see the latest research and technology related to bat inventory work. Trained biologists will work the nets and process the bats. Participants will not handle any bats. Participants will meet at the Old Steel Bridge in Kalispell at 8 p.m. and then carpool to the Foy’s Bend Fish Conservation Area. The field trip will end around 11 p.m. For more information and to sign up, contact Alissa Anderson at 206-498-4744 or alissa.kate.anderson@gmail.com, or contact Kaitlyn Farrar at 802-681-8369 or kfarrar17@gmail.com.
Raptor Day
Montana State Parks will partner with the Flathead Audubon Society to present the eighth annual Raptor Day at Lone Pine State Park on Saturday, Sept. 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. A community bird walk will kick off the event followed by a short address from Flathead Audubon. The family of Rod Ash, Doug McCarter and colleagues from Montana Wildwings Recovery Center will give a dynamic presentation with live birds at 1:30 p.m. Bring a sack lunch or purchase lunch from Bennie's Dog House. Lone Pine will provide activities for kids during breaks.
Park photography
The Glacier Institute will offer a landscape and wildlife photography workshop in Glacier National Park on Tuesday through Friday, Sept. 2-5, taught by Tom Ulrich. Participants will learn basic terminology and concepts, including lighting, composition, film, depth-of-field, perspective, capturing motion and macro-photography, along with ethics of wild land and wildlife photography. Most of the day will be in the field, but there will also be time for classroom discussion and student critiques. Register by calling 406-755-1211 or visiting online at www.glacierinstitute.org. Cost is $425 per person.
Wilderness panel
The 2014 Fall Mansfield Conference, titled “The Storied Past, the Troubled Future: The Imperative of Wilderness at 50 Years,” will be held Wednesday-Friday, Sept. 10-12, at the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center at the University of Montana. The conference will focus on roles Montana and Montanans have played in pursuing, establishing and realizing wilderness. Featured speakers include David James Duncan, Holmes Rolston, Sharman Russell, Doug Scott, Pat Williams and Donald Worster. All sessions are free and open the public, however RSVPs are requested. To view a complete schedule of events and to register, visit online at www.umt.edu/ethics/events/wilderness-conference.
Wolf trapping
Registration has opened for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ wolf trapping certification class to be held at the FWP Region 1 offices, 490 North Meridian Road, in Kalispell, on Saturday, Sept. 27 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This one-time certification is required for all wolf trappers in Montana. Individuals who have been certified in years past do not need to take the class again. Another wolf trapper certification class will be held at the Flathead County Fairgrounds in Kalispell on Saturday, Dec. 6. Classes are taught by FWP staff and experienced wolf trappers. In addition to specifics on equipment and techniques, participants will learn about the history, ethics, management, regulations and requirements of wolves and wolf trapping. Register online at http://fwp.mt.gov under “Education.”