Idaho Outdoors calendar: Tuesday, Feb. 21

Tuesday, Feb. 21

Gem State Fly Fishers monthly member’s meeting: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 13751 Upper Embankment Road, Nampa. Fly tying/social at 6:30 p.m., business meeting to follow at 7:30 p.m. $30 annual family membership. 286-8482.

Outdoor Conversations Author Event: 7 p.m. at Rediscovered Books, 180 N. 8th St., Boise. Rick Johnson of the Idaho Conservation League and other authors will discuss their contributions to the book, “Idaho Wilderness Considered.” Free. 376-4229.

Thursday, Feb. 23

Explore Your Watershed: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Boise Public Library, 715 S. Capitol Blvd. Learn how you can prevent pollution from entering the Boise River and how your daily activities can either help or harm the river. Create a fun art project and leave with some helpful tips for protecting our watershed. Free. 972-8255.

Friday-Sunday, Feb. 24-26

Stanley Sled Dog Rendezvous: Check-in begins at 5 p.m. Friday, with a mushers meeting at 7 p.m. at the Stanley Community Building. On Saturday, race information and check-in available at 7:30 a.m. at the Mountain Village Restaurant, with races starting at 8:30 a.m. This is a two-day event, with mileage split between Saturday and Sunday. Skijoring takes place over both days. Junior races will be Saturday only. stanleycc.org/events/winter.

Saturday, Feb. 25

Duck Day Celebration: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument Visitor Center, 221 N. State St., Hagerman. Kids ages 8-12 will be able to create their own nature journal/sketchpad, learn about waterfowl ecology and behavior, and get inspired to enter the Junior Duck Stamp art competition. fws.gov/birds/education.php.

Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 25-26

Wilderness First Aid Class: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Young Hearts Education, 3350 Americana Terrace Blvd., Suite 120, Boise. Two-day course for trip leaders, camp counselors and outdoor enthusiasts covers patient assessment, musculoskeletal and soft tissue injury, splinting, and dealing with bad weather and non-standard equipment. $175. youngheartsed.com/first-aid/wfa.

Wednesday, March 1

Fly Tying: 6:30 p.m. at Ada Community Library, 10489 W. Lake Hazel Road, Boise. Learn basic fly tying techniques. Part of the Adult Night Out series. Free. Part of Read Me Treasure Valley (readmetv.com). Register: 277-6700.

Wild Idaho: Fishing Spots: 7 p.m. at Meridian Library District, 1326 W. Cherry Lane. Fishing and hunting feature writer Tom Claycomb gives the inside scoop on some of the best local fishing spots in and around the Treasure Valley. Free. Part of Read Me Treasure Valley. readmetv.com.

Thursday, March 2

The Wilderness: Why?: 7 p.m. at Idaho Outdoor Association, 3401 Brazil St., Boise. Author and Idaho Statesman reporter Rocky Barker examines the place of wildness and spirituality in literature, in the human experience and in his own life. Free. Part of Read Me Treasure Valley. readmetv.com.

Thursday-Sunday, March 2-5

Idaho Sportsman Show: 5 to 9 p.m. March 2-3, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. March 4, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 5, Expo Idaho, 5610 N. Glenwood St., Garden City. Gear and guides, RVs, boats, ATVs, seminars, children’s activities, more. $5 general, $4 seniors, free for children 12 and younger. idahosportsmanshow.com.

Saturday, March 4

Mastering the Art of Fly Fishing: A Life-Time Learning Experience: 11 a.m. at Ada Community Library, 5868 W. Hidden Springs Drive, Boise. Gary Green, a member of Boise Valley Fly Fishers and Trout Unlimited, will share his perspectives on fly tying through a discussion and demonstration. Free. Part of Read Me Treasure Valley. readmetv.com.

Refuge Star Party: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 13751 Upper Embankment Road, Nampa. College of Idaho’s StarLab, storytelling, crafts, and stargazing with the Boise Astronomical Society. Rain or shine. Free. 467-9278.

Thursday, March 9

Fly Fishing, Friendship & Fun: 7 p.m., Ada Community Library, 10489 W. Lake Hazel Road Boise. Hear from Patti Bantam and Judy Tallada of the Women Fly Fishers of Idaho how they got into the sport and how the club works to increase knowledge, experience and pleasure among others in the sport of fly fishing. Free. Part of Read Me Treasure Valley. readmetv.com.

Sunday, March 12

Courageous Kids Climbing event: 10 a.m. to noon at Wings Center, 1875 S. Century Way, Boise. Free event is open to 20 children with special needs, either physical or developmental. For more information, to volunteer or to register your child, contact Riechmann at jeffriechmann@cs.com or visit Courageous Kids Climbing on Facebook.

Thursday, March 16

Why Wilderness Matters: 6:30 p.m. at Ada Community Library, 10664 W. Victory Road, Boise. Brad Brooks, Idaho Deputy Regional Director of the Wilderness Society, extols the virtues of wilderness and how vital it is to protect our wildlands. Free. Part of Read Me Treasure Valley. readmetv.com.

Tuesday, March 21

STEM After School — Fish: 3:30 p.m. at Ada Community Library, 5868 W. Hidden Springs Drive, Boise. Hands-on activities focusing on defining characteristics of fish, habitat needs, and the art of fish printing (Gyotaku). See preserved samples of local fish, a fish skeleton, rubber fish for fish printing, coloring activities, and songs. Presented by Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge. Free. Part of Read Me Treasure Valley. readmetv.com.

Saturday, March 25

The Whys of the Boise River’s Fish: 1 p.m. at Ada Community Library, 10706 W. State St., Star. Joe Kozfkay, naturalist with Idaho Fish and Game, presents a family program on river ecology in our area. Participants are then invited to meet him at the River Walk to view what was covered. Free. Part of Read Me Treasure Valley. readmetv.com.

June 29-July 2

Ride Sun Valley Bike Festival: June 29 to July 2, Sun Valley. Music, bike clinics, demos, shuttle rides and the SCOTT Enduro Cup. ridesunvalley.com.

Aug. 5-12

Ride Idaho: Starts and ends in Ketchum/Sun Valley. For route, details and registration, go to rideidaho.org.

This story was originally published February 20, 2017 at 10:54 PM with the headline "Idaho Outdoors calendar: Tuesday, Feb. 21."