From grizzly bears to fly fishing, several interesting outdoors related programs are scheduled tonight in Spokane, plus one biggie for anglers in Sandpoint.

It's too bad people have to choose just one to attend.  Here's a sampling of the lineup:

• Fly fishing film helps anglers “Connect” with steelhead.
• 'Grizzly Manifesto” author to speak at Gonzaga.
• Bhutan trekking slide show funds opposition to Mt. Spokane ski area expansion.
• Lake Pend Oreille “state of the lake” fisheries presentation tonight.

PREDATORS — Wolf culling has ended for the season in the Lolo Zone as aerial gunners, trappers and sport hunters have killed a total of 42 wolves since spring 2011, Idaho Fish and Game Department officials reported this afternoon.

With moose and elk populations at critical low levels, Idaho went to the extraordinary measures of enlisting aerial shooters from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlfie Services to kill 14 of the wolves from a helicopter in early February.

State officials say the Lolo Zone wolf numbers have been reduced by about half but as may as 50 or so still remain in the zone bordering Montana.

As of today, Feb. 22, hunters and trappers have taken a total of 318 wolves across the state since seasons opened last fall.

Read on for more details.

HUNTING — Californians love and protect their mountain lions, even though the state is among the few where cougars have attacked and killed people in the past 20 years.

But the president of the California Fish and Game Commission is getting pressure to resign after he booked a perfectly legal mountain lion hunt in Idaho and filled his tag.

The incident is highlighted in this Huckleberries post by Dave Oliveria.

Tonight's program on trekking in an exotic land is aimed at funding a local issue at Mount Spokane.

Spokane mountaineer John Roskelley will present a program on trekking in Bhutan tonight, 6 p.m., at the Community Building, 35 W. Main.

Donations benefit Save Mt. Spokane Coalition. RSVP: aswan@landscouncil.org.

The Spokane Mountaineers has voted to join The Lands Council in opposing a plan to expand the alpine ski area at Mount Spokane.

Roskelley, a mountaineer and former Spokane County commissioner, has been an outspoken opponent to adding a chairlift and opening ski runs on what's now considered the “backside” of the Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park.

FISHING – The Lake Pend Oreille Fishery Recovery Task Force and Idaho Fish and Game Department will update the status of trout and kokanee in Lake Pend Oreille at the annual “State of the Lake” public meeting tonight

The meeting is set for 6 p.m. at Ponderay Events Center by the Bonner Mall north of Sandpoint.

Wisconsin-based lake trout expert Mike Hansen will offer his perspective on the program to control lake trout and restore the Pend Oreille kokanee fishery.

Presentations will summarize 2011 predator removal, including lake trout netting, telemetry, Angler Incentive Program and response of the lake’s fishery to recovery efforts.

Info: (208) 769-1414.

CONSERVATION FUTURES — Getting a ticket.

That's the answer the hiker wanted to hear after he snapped this photo of an vehicle that had been illegally driven into the Spokane County Conservation Futures land that rises up behind East Valley High School.

The ruts these clowns created will remain as a reminder of their selfishness. They went beyond the locked gates and got stuck on roads that are closed to unauthorized vehicles to protect the area and its wildlife.

But there's some consolation, the hiker reports. They had to pick up the beer cans they littered in the area and the county issued the driver dude a $134 citation.

Hats off to the hiker who took the time to take the photo and make the case so the county could bring some justice to the vandals.

HIKING — Mary Aegerter, a hiking author from Lewiston, has opened a Hiking from HERE website featuring some of her favorite hikes in the region geared to hikers leaving from the Lewiston-Pullman areas.

She plans to change the offerings every few weeks.

Currently, she's offering information on early-season hikes at the BLM's Escure Ranch south of Sprague, WA, as well as Rapid River near Riggins, ID. 

WINTER SPORTS — I'm working with other media to help get word out the avalanche conditions are dangerous throughout much of the region.  The latest of at least five avalanche deaths reported in the region in the past three days occurred Monday in northwestern Montana.

Two Washington snowmobilers were caught in an avalanche that killed a man from southeastern Washington.

The Flathead County sheriff's office says the slide occurred at 4 p.m. Monday about 12 miles east of Kalispell in the Lost Johnny drainage of the South Fork of the Flathead River.

Undersheriff Jordan White says 33-year-old Charles John Dundon III of Connell, Wash., triggered the slide as he rode his snowmobile across an open slope. Dundon and another man were caught in the slide, but the second man wasn't buried.

Dundon is the fifth person to die in an avalanche in Montana this winter.

AVALANCHE DANGER RATED HIGH

Today, the West Central Montana Avalanche Center upgraded the avalanche danger to “high” in the Rattlesnake, southern Swan and southern Mission mountains above 5,000 feet. The center said the ski patrol at Snowbowl is reporting that ski cuts are producing dangerous slab avalanches.

Bitterroot Mountains avalanche danger will be raised to “high” once snow starts falling, the avalanche center said.

In southeastern Montana, the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center rated the avalanche danger as “high” on wind-loaded slopes steeper than 35 degrees in the Bridger, Gallatin and Madison ranges, the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone and the mountains around Cooke City.

“Today is not a day to trifle with the snowpack,” the center said in its report. “It’s ornery and getting more dangerous as more snow falls and wind blows.”

WINTER SPORTS — Like other commentary's on Sunday's avalanche fatalities in the North Cascades, my column today is getting some people to think and learn.

Other readers are reacting emotionally and telling writers and the experts we quote that we have no business analyzing avalanche incidents.

The people involved in the Stevens Pass avalanche tragedy were carrying equipment and using safety techniques that were adopted after experts had investigated previous accidents.

Skiers who enjoy the backcountry will add what they learn from Sunday's incidents in the Cascades to make their next outing safer.

No one is saying they shouldn’t do it.  Objective people are saying look, understand, learn.

• Start with this website of video avalanche tutorials.  “A Dozen More Turns” is a must see. It was made by the sister of an avalanche victim who saw the value in analyzing a tragedy so others might learn and live.
• Subscribe to the region's avalanche advisories. They're conveniently linked from a tabs on the S-R outdoors web page.
• View two video interviews: (1) Elyse Saugstad , who credits an avalanche airbag backpack for helping her survive the Stevens Pass avalanche, (2) KHQ-TV's Dave Cotton interviewing me on the lure of skiing backcountry.
• Read todays New York Times story on western avalanche fatalities this season.
• See my blog post with numerous links for more information about the Stevens Pass avalanche incident.
• Bookmark the website for avalanche.org, for authoritative discussion and links of avalanche awareness. 

COUNTY PARKS — A hiker sent in this photo of a pickup stuck on Antoine Peak, the Conservation Futures area above East Valley High School.

The mountain is managed by Spokane County Parks. No unauthorized motorized vehicle access is allowed.

My question to the hiker:

I wonder if this is another example of the sad way maintenenace workers leave ruts in the access road as they maintain the radio towers on top of the peak, or whether it's another case of vandals disregarding the “No Motor Vehicles” signs and locked gates.

His answer:

Not unless Busch Light cans tossed about are part of “maintenance.” Already sent the ranger an email with this shot & a couple others.

BOATING – The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is proposing recreation fee increase for sites around Lake Coeur d’Alene.

Daily boat launch fees at Blackwell Island and Mineral Ridge would increase from $4 to $6 and season passes would increase from $30 to $40.  

Tent camping fees at Mica Bay Boater Park, Killarney Lake Recreation Site, Huckleberry Campground and Windy Bay Boater Park would rise from $8 to $10 a night. 

Trailer camping fees at Huckleberry Campground along the St. Joe River are proposed to increase from $15 to $18 a night.

No fee increases have been proposed for the U.S. Forest Service sites in the area.

The proposals will be considered by BLM’s District Resource Advisory Council  Wednesday (Feb. 22)  at the BLM office, 3815 Schreiber Way.

Info: (208) 769-5004.

WINTER SPORTS — It's time for skiers and snowshoers to hitch a ride behind their dogs and sign up for the sixth annual Paws & Poles Race. The event that benefits SpokAnimal CARE is set for March 3 at 49 Degrees North.

Enter a 5-kilometer cross-country skijoring race or leash up to your dog for a 3K snowshoe race.  Both races will begin at 11 a.m. at the resort's Nordic Center. 

Registration opens at 9 a.m. Entry fee: $20.

Pre-register at Mountain Gear in Spokane. Info: 325-9000.

See photos of last year's event here.

WILDLIFE — Canadian conservation author Jeff Gailus will read from his book “The Grizzly Manifesto” at Gonzaga University this week, sponsored by the university's Environmental Studies Speaker Series.

The program will start at 7 p.m., Wednesday, (Feb. 22) in the Jepson Center’s Wolff Auditorium. Gailus plans to read from his book and discuss the future of grizzly bears in the United States and Canada.

Gailus has developed extensive knowledge of grizzlies, following them from Yellowstone National Park through the Canadian Rockies to the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area (pronounced musk-quah-ke-chee-kah) in northern British Columbia.

The free event, open to the public, is titled, “A Grizzly Tale of Two Countries: Grizzly Bear Management and Recovery across the Medicine Line.”

Elyse Saugstad describes surviving the Stevens Pass-area avalanche.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

My Monday interview with KHQ regarding the lure of skiing out of bounds.

WINTER SPORTS — Pro skier pro skier Elyse Saugstad gave a TV interview this morning answering questions about the ABS Avalanche Airbag device she credits with saving her life Sunday in the deadly avalanche that killed three of her companions near Stevens Pass.

• Here is the ABS Avalanche Airbag website.
• See my Monday interview with KHQ-TV regarding the lure of skiing out of bounds as well as video of friends and family remembering the victims of Sunday's avalanche.

If asked the question, I'm sure Saugstad would point out that the airbag would not have helped her if the avalanche had rammed her into a tree or rock. But in this case it helped, and it's worth checking out, investigating, learning, understanding….

The three were skiing in a group of 13 friends that included both local and visiting skiers, according to ESPN Freeskiing editor Megan Michelson, who was among the skiers in the group.

WINTER SPORTS — Pro skier  pro skier Elyse Saugstad gave a TV interview this morning answering questions about the ABS Avalanche Airbag device she credits with saving her life Sunday in the deadly avalanche that killed three of her companions near Stevens Pass.

• Here is the ABS Avalanche Airbag website.
• See my interview with KHQ-TV regarding the lure of skiing out of bounds as well as video of friends and family remembering the victims of Sunday's avalanche.

If asked the question, I'm sure Saugstad would point out that the airbag would not have helped her if the avalanche had rammed her into a tree or rock. But in this case it helped, and it's worth checking out, investigating, learning, understanding….

The three were skiing in a group of 13 friends that included both local and visiting skiers, according to ESPN Freeskiing editor Megan Michelson, who was among the skiers in the group.

FISHING - Friday was a shirt-sleeve day with plenty of action for Grande Ronde River steelheaders.

Dennis Matsuda and Dan Hansen of Spokane caught and released 13 steelhead during the day, some of them beautifully fall bright fish.

Not bad for February.

WINTER SPORTS - Skiers and riders can perform bold new tricks in the terrain park with greatly reduced risk at Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area, Feb. 24-26.

A large inflatable air bag will be in place Friday through Sunday below the biggest ramp at Lookout’s Exit 0 terrain park, located directly above the base lodge.

Read on for details from Lookout Pass spokesman Bill Jennings.

BOATING — The Washington State Boating Program reached a milestone in its mandatory boater education program last week, issuing card number 100,000.

David Eckols of Seattle won tickets to a Seattle Seahawks game for being the 100,000^th boater card recipient.

See my recent column pointing out that since January, all Washington powerboat drivers age 40 and and younger must  have a boater education card to operate a boat powered by a 15 horsepower motor or larger.

Last year, the Boating Programs recorded 17 boating fatalities, the lowest number in 10 years. According to Washington State Parks Director, Don Hoch, educated boaters are less likely to be involved in boating accidents than non-educated boaters.

“Since the program started in 2008 we have had an outstanding compliance rate,” says Hoch. “The great news is that we are starting to see a reduction in boating fatalities, property damage and injuries. We hope this trend continues.”

Read on for more details about Washington boater education requirement.

TOURNAMENT FISHING — Brandon Palaniuk, 24, of Rathdrum, Idaho, has been pre-fishing this weekend, warming up with the 50 anglers competing in the 2012 Bassmaster Classic, Feb. 24-26, on the Red River near Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.

This is the second consecutive year Palaniuk has qualified for the “Super Bowl” of tournament bass fishing.

Palaniuk caught a lot of attention in last year's main event. The youngest competitor in the 2011 classic and the only angler to qualify from the West, He finished in fourth place, winning $30,000. 

This year, four anglers from the West are in contention, including Josh Polfer of Nampa, Idaho, and Californians Jared Lintner and Iah Monroe. 

Read on for more details on Palaniuk and the ESPN Bassmaster Classic TV coverage scheduled for the following week.