Outdoor notes

POWDER MOUNTAIN POWER PACK

Powder Mountain will introduce a program, called "The Boys and Girls Club Powder Pack," in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Weber-Davis designed to introduce its members to the sport of skiing and snowboarding.

A donation of new winter clothing and equipment by an anonymous donor has made it possible for the Boys & Girls Club to operate a free winter rental shop for underprivileged youths. Club members from the ages of 16 to 18 will visit the slopes once a week during January. Powder Mountain will provide complimentary on-snow instruction, lift passes and any additional equipment.

Angie Illum, Powder Mountain's director of administration, said, "The kids will enjoy learning to ski or ride, but the most important lessons will be about patience and persistence. After four lessons, they will have mastered the basics of the sport and that will result in increased confidence and pride."

PROPOSED HUNT CHANGES

The Division of Wildlife Resources is proposing a change that would protect deer, elk, moose and their habitat.

The change would also allow people to gather antlers shed by deer, elk and moose any time in 2009.

The DWR is proposing the following for 2009: Before gathering shed antlers anywhere in Utah between Feb. 1 and April 15, people would first have to complete a free online shed-antler gathering course.

The course would give people information about deer, elk and moose and the condition the animals are in in late winter and early spring. Shed antler gathering would be allowed in northern Utah, and across the rest of Utah, throughout the year.

DEDICATED HUNTER

The DWR is proposing several changes in its dedicated hunter program.

The proposed changes would give all deer hunters an equal chance to join the program. Now that the cap has been reached in the program, the DWR is proposing the following changes for 2009:

Change the first-come, first-served enrollment process to a drawing.

Before hunters could apply to join the program, they would have to complete an online orientation course. The course would be available at wildlife.utah.gov.

The DWR is also recommending several changes to Utah's bonus point and preference point system.