NRA basic pistol course, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today, register by today, Lake Thompson Fish & Game in Oxford, $125, includes books, firearms and ammunition, and lunch. The shooting portion will be held indoors. The course meets the requirements for state concealed weapon permit. Register by calling Western Maine Property Protection, 739-9774, or e-mail westernmainepropertyprotection@yahoo.com.
Ice-climbing talks and demonstrations on Bethel’s 100-foot WinterFest ice tower, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday and Friday. Ice climber Bob Baribeau will demonstrate how to climb safely, explain what equipment is needed and share a little about the history of the sport. Events are weather permitting, so check at www.bethelwinterfest.com or call the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce at 824-2282.
Additional Photos
The L.C. Bates Museum will be open during February vacation week, with several family programs planned. Monday at 1 p.m.: Presidents Day Winter Walk. Wednesday at 1 p.m.: Animals in Winter. Thursday at 1 p.m.: Winter Birds Indoor Bird Walk. The museum is located in Hinckley on the campus of Good Will-Hinckley. For more information, call 238-4250 or e-mail lcbates@gwh.org.
Maine Audubon will host Ted Ames, the commercial fisherman and fisheries scholar, on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth. The program, which focuses on alewives and the cod family, is free and open to the public.
School vacation programs for kids, 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday and Thursday, Marine Environmental Research Institute, 55 Main St., Blue Hill. Marine life sculpting and drawing with Rebekah Raye on Feb. 22, ages 8 and older, $25. Lobsters — up close, ages 6-10 years old, $15. To register, please contact MERI at 374-2135 or e-mail info@meriresearch.org. For more information, go online to www.meriresearch.org.
Handgun safety class, sponsored by the Gardiner Sportsmen’s Club, 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday. This class meets the requirements to qualify for a concealed firearms permit. The cost is $60. Call 441-7870 to sign up.
Kittery Trading Post Kid’s Derby, 8 a.m.-noon, Friday, Range Ponds State Park, Poland Spring; limited to children age 12 and under; free entry for derby, with $1.50 park admission fee for those ages 12-64. Run in cooperation with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The first 500 children to register will receive a free ice-fishing tip-up. To learn more or to register, go to www.icefishingderby.com/maine/kids-derby/
Looking ahead
Hunter safety course, sponsored by Fairfield VFW Post 6924, 6 to 9 p.m. March 1 and March 3, and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 5. Call Don Perrine at 660-6382 to register.
The Stanton Bird Club will host “Tracking the Stonewalls of the Forest” at the Thorncrag Nature Sanctuary on Montello St. in Lewiston from 1:30-3:30 p.m. March 6. Naturalist Susan Hayward will lead the event, which provides the opportunity to both snowshoe through the sanctuary along the stonewalls and find and identify the tracks left in the late winter snow by animals that use the stonewalls for shelter. This event is free and open to the public. Meet at the Thorncrag Parking. For directions and a map of Thorncrag, visit the website: www.stantonbirdclub.org. For more information, call 784-8307.
Introduction to winter camping, March 11-13, Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson. Participants will receive a detailed gear list before the class. It will start on Friday with snowshoeing or skiing into the yurt, a comfortable, warm winter shelter with a woodstove; Saturday and Sunday will be spent mostly outside. Topics include trip planning, clothing, safety, travel, shelter and food. Cost is $125 for HVNC supporters, $150 for all others. Register with David Butler at www.canoemaine.com or by calling 877-632-2663.
The Waterville/Winslow Chapter of Ducks Unlimited will hold their annual fundraising banquet March 12 at the Winslow VFW. The event includes dinner, a live auction, a silent auction, various raffles and games. Reservations are required. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. For more information, contact Casey Carey at 441-0397.
Maine Guide Training Program, Skowhegan Community Center, 39 Poulin Drive, Skowhegan, April 14, 15, 16 and 17. The course prepares students for taking the state’s licensing exam for recreational, hunting and fishing guides. The cost is $475 per person, and $200 deposit is required upon registration. For more information or to register, contact Carroll Ware at Fins and Furs Adventures at 474-5430.
Ongoing
Walk-On Adventures, L.L.Bean, Freeport. Snowshoeing, 9:30 a.m. to noon, and cross-country skiing, 1 to 3 p.m., every Saturday and Sunday through March, conditions permitting. Equipment provided. $15. Call 1-877-755-2326 or stop by the information desk in the Discovery Lobby.
Portland Trails Winter Walks, Presumpscot River Preserve, Saturday; Riverton Trolley Park, March 5; Presumpscot River Trail, March 19. Register by e-mailing info@trails.org or calling 775-2411. Portland Trails has snowshoes available (free for members, $5/non-members) that can be reserved. FMI:www.trails.org.
The Portland Water District invites preschoolers to join it for environmentally themed stories, activities and crafts. Sessions include: Incredible Insects, Friday; Plants and Their Parts, March 18; Fun with Frogs, April 15. Programs run 10 a.m. to noon at the Sebago Lake Ecology Center in Standish. To register, e-mail sebagolake@pwd.org or call 774-5961, ext. 3319 or 3320. Donation supports loon preservation. Scholarships are available and snacks are provided.
Weekly Bird Walk, 8 a.m. Thursdays at Gilsland Farm, off Route One, Falmouth, $5 for Maine Audubon members, $8 for nonmembers. Bring binoculars and a field guide and meet in the visitor center parking lot. FMI: Call 781-2330, ext. 209.
Snowshoeing at Inland Woods/Pine Ridge Trails in Waterville, 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Head lamps required. Meet at the trail head behind Inland Hospital, 200 Kennedy Memorial Drive. FMI: e-mail ewells@emh.org or call 861-3292.
Bird Walks, 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesdays through March 9, George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History at College of the Atlantic, 105 Eden St., Bar Harbor. FMI: e-mail astunkel@coa.edu or call 288-5395.
Tracking Walks, 10 to 11 a.m. Thursdays through March 10. Learn to identify tracks and signs of creatures. Meet at the George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History, College of the Atlantic, 105 Eden St., Bar Harbor. FMI: e-mail mdickinson@coa.edu or call 288-5395.
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