SPOKANE, Washington (AP) — Laws in Idaho and Washington that allow people to salvage roadkill have yielded some benefits, according to wildlife officials in both states.

Idaho and Washington have passed laws allowing people to salvage roadkill, provided they fill out a short form with the state wildlife agency to get a permit.

Washington’s law, which took effect July 1, 2016, allows for deer and elk only, The Spokesman-Review reported. Between then and the end of 2017, 3,099 animals were salvaged off Washington roads, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said.

Idaho’s law, which took effect six years ago, is much broader, listing nearly 50 species of mammals and birds as salvageable. Most animals are fair game, provided they’re not endangered, threatened or otherwise protected by federal or state law.

Deer and elk top the list in Idaho. But Idaho residents have also hauled away 419 moose, 55 black bears, 51 wild turkeys and 39 beavers since the law went into effect.

Under a law passed last year, Oregon will begin allowing permit holders to salvage roadkill in 2019.

Salvagers don’t have to say what they intend to do with the animal. Gregg Servheen, the wildlife program coordinator at Idaho Fish and Game, said salvagers, in addition to eating, may be practicing taxidermy, looking for hides to display, gathering items for crafts or regalia or making their own fishing lures.

Idaho’s roadkill data is more detailed than Washington’s, with a greater variety of species and occasional notes from the salvager. The species is often a best guess from the salvager.

In Washington and Idaho, the locations of salvaged animals are reported by the people who take them home. People fill out the permit form online and have the option of clicking a point on a map or listing a highway and milepost.

Most of the animals end up along highways and major roads, as well as along smaller roads traveling through national forest land. Mapping Idaho’s roadkill produces a scattering of dots across Montana, Alberta and Oregon. Washington’s extends into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Aberdeen.

Wildlife officials in both states say they haven’t seen negative impacts from the law on other wildlife populations. Health districts haven’t complained either.

Their hope is that having fewer carcasses sitting alongside the road will prompt raptors and scavengers to stay away. That might mean people see fewer eagles in the wild, but it doesn’t mean they’re not there.

POCATELLO — Idaho State University professor Dr. Jeff Meldrum began researching Bigfoot in the mid-1990s, but it took almost 20 years before he would have a possible sighting of his own.

The well-known Sasquatch researcher said he might have laid his eyes on the creature during a 2013 trip to Canada.

In the later part of that year, Meldrum was invited by Todd Standing to visit an isolated area in Alberta called Nordegg, a location known for its high volume of Bigfoot sightings over the years.

The trip is featured in the documentary “Discovering Bigfoot,” which can currently be viewed on Netflix.

Standing is a controversial figure among Bigfoot researchers, with some praising him for his work on the subject while others call him a hoaxer. He is most well-known for his appearance with Les Stroud in “Survivorman Bigfoot,” and he has made headlines for petitioning the Canadian government to provide endangered species protections for Sasquatch.

Meldrum said he has received some criticism for appearing in “Discovering Bigfoot” with Standing. However, Meldrum said that it’s important to investigate and vet all possible sightings. He also said that appearing in the documentary is not indicative of an endorsement of Standing’s work.

“I make no apologizes,” Meldrum said about traveling to Nordegg. “That’s what investigative research is all about.”

But despite the questions over Standing’s methods and some of the more controversial scenes in the documentary, Meldrum said there were a couple intriguing incidents that occurred while he was camping in Alberta with Standing and fellow researcher John Bindernagel, Ph.D.

The first incident was Meldrum’s sighting of a tall, dark figure that emerged from the shadows near the group’s campsite.

At approximately 1 a.m. during one of the nights, the three men were startled by a high-pitched, avian-like vocalization near their campsite. They tried to follow whatever it was that made the sound, but Meldrum said it kept its distance.

“Whatever made this sound, it was stomping through the underbrush and it sounded like a bull elk,” he said. “It was cracking branches in our attempt to approach it.”

However, Meldrum said that during this incident, he had a possible sighting of the creature he had been studying for almost two decades.

“I could only see it from the waist up, and it was clearly an upright figure,” he said. “It was kind of intriguing. It was the closest I’ve ever had to a Bigfoot sighting.”

The sighting only lasted a few seconds and all Meldrum could see was its silhouette.

Later, Standing filmed Bingernagel walking the path that the shadowy figure followed. Then Standing sent this footage to Meldrum.

“The figure I saw was a foot and a half taller than John,” Meldrum said.

After Meldrum returned to Pocatello, he spent a lot of time researching night bird calls, but he could never match the eerie vocalization that he heard the night he saw the shadowy figure.

Unfortunately, the filmmakers did not get any footage of the figure that Meldrum saw, though the documentary “Discovering Bigfoot” does depict the aftermath of the incident.

“That’s the curse of Bigfoot,” Meldrum said. “Electronics aren’t working whenever there’s a sighting.”

The documentary also details an attempt by Standing to bait a Sasquatch with apples near a tepee-like structure made of deadfall. Some Bigfoot researchers believe these structures, which can be found in wooded areas, are created by Sasquatch creatures as some sort of trail sign or means of communication.

Meldrum is skeptical that Sasquatch creatures would build such structures. But he said in one instance the apples disappeared and there were distinct, deeply impressed 13 1/2-inch footprints left in the moss on the ground nearby. According to Meldrum, the footprints didn’t appear to have been made by a human.

“There were no signs of deer or elk,” he said. “Chipmunks and squirrels couldn’t get to the apples, and there were no signs of peels or scraps.”

In Meldrum’s line of work, he said it is important to be skeptical and objective about the evidence, and the scenes depicted in “Discovering Bigfoot” are no exception to this rule.

He says the jury is still out on the authenticity of Standing’s work researching Sasquatch.

Though Meldrum has only seen the documentary once, he said watching his adventure in Canada has made him eager to continue his research into the mystery of Bigfoot.

“Reliving those experiences up in Canada has gotten me very excited to get back into the field this spring and summer,” he said.

POCATELLO — Authorities are asking residents to use caution while outdoors after a mountain lion confronted a man south of Pocatello late Friday night.

The encounter occurred around 11:30 p.m. at Fort Hall Mine and Portneuf roads when a mountain lion walked up to a man who was checking the game cameras he had posted near the intersection, authorities said.

The big cat startled the man and he quickly retreated to his pickup truck and drove away, according to the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office.

The man, who was not injured during the encounter, then contacted the Sheriff’s Office and deputies were sent to the area to investigate.

As of early Saturday morning, the deputies had not located the mountain lion.

The man’s identity has not yet been released.

The Sheriff’s Office is urging the public to be careful while outdoors because a mountain lion is definitely in the area.

Last month authorities fatally shot an injured mountain lion in the Buckskin Road area east of Pocatello after the big cat killed a resident’s dog.

Residents are being encouraged to contact local law enforcement immediately regarding any mountain lion sightings.

The Bannock County Sheriff’s Office can be reached at 208-236-7111.

POCATELLO — A fishing derby Jan. 27 at Sportsman’s Park on the west side of American Falls Reservoir features a $500 first-place prize for the largest trout and a $100 first-place prize for perch.

The derby runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sportsman’s Park near Aberdeen. The derby is a fundraiser for the Portneuf Unit of the American Fisheries Society, a student-run organization at Idaho State University.

In the trout category there will also be a $250 cash prize for second and a $150 cash prize for third. Runner-up in the perch category is free entry into next year’s derby.

Winners will be announced at 3:30 p.m. Participation is limited to the first 100 participants. If spots still remain, limited registration will be available during the fishing derby at the registration booth.

A copy of the rules and release of liability will be provided at the registration table. All contestants must sign the release of liability form to participate in the derby.

Sportsman’s Park is located off Highway 39 at the end of Boat Dock Road.

There is a $35 per person entry fee. Participants can register online at https://goo.gl/w4VdFR or call (208) 282-2139.

POCATELLO — Idaho State University professor Dr. Jeff Meldrum began researching Bigfoot in the mid-1990s, but it took almost 20 years before he would have a possible sighting of his own.

The well-known Sasquatch researcher said he might have laid his eyes on the creature during a 2013 trip to Canada.

In the later part of that year, Meldrum was invited by Todd Standing to visit an isolated area in Alberta called Nordegg, a location known for its high volume of Bigfoot sightings over the years.

The trip is featured in the documentary “Discovering Bigfoot,” which can currently be viewed on Netflix.

Standing is a controversial figure among Bigfoot researchers, with some praising him for his work on the subject while others call him a hoaxer. He is most well-known for his appearance with Les Stroud in “Survivorman Bigfoot,” and he has made headlines for petitioning the Canadian government to provide endangered species protections for Sasquatch.

Meldrum said he has received some criticism for appearing in “Discovering Bigfoot” with Standing. However, Meldrum said that it’s important to investigate and vet all possible sightings. He also said that appearing in the documentary is not indicative of an endorsement of Standing’s work.

“I make no apologizes,” Meldrum said about traveling to Nordegg. “That’s what investigative research is all about.”

But despite the questions over Standing’s methods and some of the more controversial scenes in the documentary, Meldrum said there were a couple intriguing incidents that occurred while he was camping in Alberta with Standing and fellow researcher John Bindernagel, Ph.D.

The first incident was Meldrum’s sighting of a tall, dark figure that emerged from the shadows near the group’s campsite.

At approximately 1 a.m. during one of the nights, the three men were startled by a high-pitched, avian-like vocalization near their campsite. They tried to follow whatever it was that made the sound, but Meldrum said it kept its distance.

“Whatever made this sound, it was stomping through the underbrush and it sounded like a bull elk,” he said. “It was cracking branches in our attempt to approach it.”

However, Meldrum said that during this incident, he had a possible sighting of the creature he had been studying for almost two decades.

“I could only see it from the waist up, and it was clearly an upright figure,” he said. “It was kind of intriguing. It was the closest I’ve ever had to a Bigfoot sighting.”

The sighting only lasted a few seconds and all Meldrum could see was its silhouette.

Later, Standing filmed Bingernagel walking the path that the shadowy figure followed. Then Standing sent this footage to Meldrum.

“The figure I saw was a foot and a half taller than John,” Meldrum said.

After Meldrum returned to Pocatello, he spent a lot of time researching night bird calls, but he could never match the eerie vocalization that he heard the night he saw the shadowy figure.

Unfortunately, the filmmakers did not get any footage of the figure that Meldrum saw, though the documentary “Discovering Bigfoot” does depict the aftermath of the incident.

“That’s the curse of Bigfoot,” Meldrum said. “Electronics aren’t working whenever there’s a sighting.”

The documentary also details an attempt by Standing to bait a Sasquatch with apples near a tepee-like structure made of deadfall. Some Bigfoot researchers believe these structures, which can be found in wooded areas, are created by Sasquatch creatures as some sort of trail sign or means of communication.

Meldrum is skeptical that Sasquatch creatures would build such structures. But he said in one instance the apples disappeared and there were distinct, deeply impressed 13 1/2-inch footprints left in the moss on the ground nearby. According to Meldrum, the footprints didn’t appear to have been made by a human.

“There were no signs of deer or elk,” he said. “Chipmunks and squirrels couldn’t get to the apples, and there were no signs of peels or scraps.”

In Meldrum’s line of work, he said it is important to be skeptical and objective about the evidence, and the scenes depicted in “Discovering Bigfoot” are no exception to this rule.

He says the jury is still out on the authenticity of Standing’s work researching Sasquatch.

Though Meldrum has only seen the documentary once, he said watching his adventure in Canada has made him eager to continue his research into the mystery of Bigfoot.

“Reliving those experiences up in Canada has gotten me very excited to get back into the field this spring and summer,” he said.

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho (AP) — Officials in Kootenai County have located a snowmobiler who was reported missing on Thursday evening.

The sheriff’s office says 62-year-old Fredrick Goodwin of Rathdrum was found around 8:40 a.m. Friday by searchers.

Goodwin was on foot when found.

The sheriff’s office says he was cold, wet and tired and suffering from the onset of hypothermia. Medical personnel treated him at the scene.

Goodwin was snowmobiling in the Panhandle National Forest on Thursday when he became separated from his party.

Officials searched the area Thursday night but were hampered by bad weather.

Idaho has nine 12,000+ foot peaks: Borah, Leatherman, Mt. Church, Diamond, Mt. Breitenbach, Lost River, Mt. Idaho, Donaldson, and Hyndman. In the winter of 2016-17, Teton Valley resident Mark Ortiz skied all of them, and evidence indicates he’s the only person ever to have done so.

All but two of the peaks are in the Lost River Range in central Idaho. The Lost River Range is home to Borah, Idaho’s tallest mountain ,and has distinctive geology that creates layer-cake-like bands of cliffs on its peaks. Diamond Peak is in the Lemhi Range just east of the Lost River Range, and Hyndman is a bit to the southwest in the Pioneer Range.

Ortiz, who migrated east from Boise half a dozen years ago, said that at the start of every winter he throws together a list of ski objectives to whittle away at through the season. The nine peaks found their way onto his list, and the weather proved to be ideal for chasing big lines when the snowpack stabilized in the spring. Last year’s list had 41 ideas, most of which he described as “a little outlandish.”

He documented his mission and edited it down to a 12-minute slice of big mountains and raffish charm. The film will be featured at the Winter Wildlands Alliance Backcountry Film Festival at the Wildwood Room, at 7705 Lupin Drive in Victor, this Friday, Jan. 12.

Ortiz had partners for only a couple peaks and attempted the majority of his missions solo.

“I didn’t want to drag people along for a misadventure,” he said.

There was limited beta available for most of the peaks. Borah and Leatherman are skied relatively often (for mountains in sparsely populated areas of Idaho, anyway) but the others required a lot of research and a good deal of wandering around.

“It added to the allure of the mission,” Ortiz said about the uncertainty.

He said Mt. Idaho was the coolest ski line, one he would actually recommend to other skiers. Some of the other peaks were a little less enticing. Mt. Church, the last summit on his checklist, required a 15-mile bike ride to the trailhead because Ortiz’s minivan didn’t have the clearance to attempt the access road. Then he faced an eight mile walk through grasslands and scree fields, in spring when river crossings were at their highest.

Several peaks took multiple attempts. He finally skied from the summit of Lost River Peak on his birthday, after three tries.

“It’s a good thing I’m stubborn as s—,” he said.

Ortiz, who can often be found throwing 360s at Grand Targhee with dreadlocks flowing from underneath his helmet, works at Anicca Bags and skis on Segos.

His priority isn’t stellar filmmaking or a bigger message.

“It’s about skiing first and foremost,” he said. One word of caution: there may or may not be nudity in the film.

He will continue making short edits and films and plotting out more peak bagging and general shenanigans.

Admission to the film festival, which is sponsored by NOLS Teton Valley, is $10, and the doors open at 5:30 p.m. Films start at 7. Beer, wine and dinner will be available for purchase. Proceeds support Teton Valley Trails and Pathways in its human-powered recreation and conservation efforts.

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — A Rock Springs man paid $1,290 in fines after authorities say he illegally shot a wolf in western Wyoming and attempted to conceal the animal from a game warden.

The Jackson Hole News & Guide reports 30-year-old Clinton Blake settled the poaching case with a Teton County court last month after he was cited for hunting during a closed season, failure to tag an animal and shooting from a roadway.

Wyoming Game and Fish Department warden Jon Stephens says he intercepted the man driving a pickup truck after he was tipped off about suspected poaching last month.

Stephens says the man admitted to the poaching after Stephens saw the dead wolf in a box in the truck.

The newspaper’s attempts to reach Blake for comment were unsuccessful.

___

Information from: Jackson Hole (Wyo.) News And Guide, http://www.jhnewsandguide.com

What started out as an idea by local county commissioners to reopen a popular farm-to-market road 19 years ago continues to be a success not just for humans, but also for wintering wildlife.The absence of human disturbance created by the closure allows…

INKOM — In conjunction with the National Safety Initiative, Saturday is Max Safety Day at Pebble Creek Ski Area in Inkom.

The object of the initiative is to communicate a strong safety message. We recognize there are inherent risks to skiing and snowboarding. It’s important to keep these risks in perspective and realize that personal responsibility is key in further reducing the frequency of accidents. Activities throughout the day will focus on safety awareness and the role of ski patrol on the mountain.

Ride Another Day is a National Ski Area Association program focusing on speed and collision safety. The program reminds people to Be Ready, Stay Alert and Plan Ahead. The Ride Another Day video will be playing in the lodge.

“Heads Up, Know the Code” is the theme of a Kid’s Poster Contest. Children are invited to draw a poster of one of the seven safety codes. The poster drawing station will be set up in the lodge with crayons and paper available, or they can take a safely coloring book home. Winning posters are entered in the National Contest.

Patrollers will meet with kids during lunch with prizes for those who “Know the Code.” Throughout the day, Patrollers will reward those seen demonstrating extraordinarily safe behaviors and those who know the code.

The feature event is Peter Noorda’s Sweet Turns for Safety Race. Turning helps you control speed and avoid obstacles. The racecourse on the Aspen will have fun twists and turns to show how you can be in control by turning. The Sweet Prize of a candy for all entrants is sponsored by Gem State Distributing. Race time is 2 p.m.