OUTPOST.

Byline: - Daily News and Wire Services

Anglers take note: The Department of Parks and Recreation and the North County Officials Association sponsor an annual fall adult trout-fishing derby Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Apollo Park, 4555 W. Ave. G in Lancaster.

Cash and prizes will be awarded to anglers who land the six heaviest fish. Pre-sale tickets through Friday are $15; derby-day ducats are $20. Information: [phone] or [phone].

Add trout tourney: Irvine Lake, the Orange County fish-for-a-fee facility at 4621 Santiago Canyon Road in Silverado, hosts a $5,000 tagged trout hunt today through Sunday. There will be 10 tagged fish for the event and any angler catching one of these receives $100 and is automatically entered in drawing for the $5,000 grand prize. Information: [phone] or [phone].

Nature 101: As part of an ongoing lecture series, the National Park Service presents a free two-hour informative program on Solstice Canyon that takes a closer look at its landscapes and environment. The program takes place Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Solstice Canyon, situated north of the Pacific Coast Highway (1) off Corral Canyon Road. Information: [phone]

For the birds: Murrelt Halternman, a Kern River Preserve researcher, speaks on the yellow-billed cuckoo at the general membership meeting of the San Fernando Valley Audubon Society on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks Senior Citizens Center, 5040 Van Nuys Blvd. All comers are welcome. Information: [phone].

Nagata appointed: Governor Gray Davis has announced Robert Y. Nagata's appointment to the California Boating and Waterways Commission. The Commission approves loans and grants requested by the Department of Boating and Waterways, as well as evaluating jurisdictional matters.

A study in irony: Hikers worry that saving bighorn sheep could keep them out of the desert wildlands they love.

``We're all for preserving the wildlife, but just don't shut us out,'' Coachella Valley trail guide Scott Scott told the Palm Springs City Council last week. He was among 75 people who showed up for a joint federal-state informational meeting.

Agencies are planning ways to protect a Peninsular bighorn sheep herd native to the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto mountains that has dwindled to 26 adults and is listed on the federal endangered species list.

``My concern is that some of the environmental agencies may try to close off a substantial percentage of the recreation trails now open to the public,'' Scott said. ``Is that the most effective way to reestablish the health of the bighorn?''

Take it for grants: The BOAT/U.S. Clean Water Trust is accepting applications for grants on environmental boating projects. The trust offers non-profit volunteer organizations grants of up to $2,000 for community-based projects advocating environmentally conscious boating and fishing. Projects range from recycling programs to oil spill prevention programs. Last year, $10,575 in grants were awarded. Applications must be postmarked by Feb. 1, 2000. Information: [phone], ext. 3824, or the buscwterols.com Web site.

Wildlife watching: This past year has been one of wildlife revelations for field scout Rich Callas, a Department of Fish and Game biologist who has been tracking deer and elk using global positioning system radio transmitter collars.

In one case, Callas tracked Deer 369 for two months, during which it moved infrequently, holding its range. Then at 12:16 a.m. one night, it suddenly covered 15 miles in a seven-hour span. Once the deer was motivated, Callas said it completed 25 percent of its migration in one 24-hour period.

The study will allow the DFG to track elk and deer in order to learn precise timing of their habitat preferences as the species migrate between summer and winter range. That information can later be used to protect valuable habitat niches on their migration routes.