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Idaho Fish and Wildlife Auction Goes Online Today

Posted on: Saturday, 1 April 2006, 12:00 CST

By Roger Phillips, The Idaho Statesman, Boise

Apr. 1--You can surf for steelhead or type your way into Idaho's vast wilderness starting today through Idaho Fish and Wildlife Foundation's annual auction of unique outdoor adventures.

The auction moves from radio and telephone to the Internet this year, and bidders have all week to bid on items that include steelhead fishing, birdwatching, jetboat trip, fly-in wilderness trips, and many other items, including original artwork.

"We're looking forward to this new format for our biggest fund-raiser," said Gayle Valentine, executive director for the foundation. "We hope to keep both our loyal bidders from past years, as well as expand our audience through this online event. This is definitely a big change for us, and we're hoping for a great response."

Proceeds from this year's auction will benefit Idaho Hunter Education and help pay for two new shooting ranges in Jerome and Lewiston.

This is the group's only fund-raiser of the year. It hopes to double last year's $10,000.

Trips are all outdoor-oriented and include locations throughout the state. Many are unique trips that revolve around F&G activities, including birdwatching with biologists, sturgeon fishing to tag and measure the fish for research, jetboating up the Salmon River for patrols with F&G conservation officers, and observing wild salmon spawning in the headwaters of the South Fork of the Salmon River.

Other trips are purely recreational, including guided steelhead fishing on the Salmon River, upland bird hunting in the Magic Valley, whitewater rafting at Riggins, and float fishing on the South Fork of the Snake River, and even golfing in the Teton Valley.

On-line bidding starts today, but people must register with the auction house before bidding. People who register over the weekend will be eligible to bid Monday.

After you bid on a trip, you are notified by e-mail if you've been outbid.

Bidding closes at 11:59 p.m. April 9.

If you win the bid, you pay the cost of your bid, plus a 13 percent commission to the auction house and 5 percent Idaho sales tax.

Idaho Fish and Wildlife Foundation is a non-profit group that "works to protect and sustain Idaho's hunting, fishing and wildlife heritage for present and future generations," according to its mission statement.

The group was established in 1990 and works in all regions of the state, funding habitat projects and wildlife conservation education projects.

Last year's auction raised $10,000 for Interpretive signs at Wilson Springs Ponds in Nampa.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Idaho Statesman, Boise

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The Idaho Statesman, Boise

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