August 18 - 31, 2004

Contact: Craig Bartlett, (360) 902-2259

Even in the dog days of summer, change is in the air - and in the state's coastal waters.

From Puget Sound to the Pacific coast, shorebirds are flocking south in the first wave of the annual fall migration. Meanwhile, with the coastal salmon season nearing its peak, increasing numbers of fish are moving into "inside" waters, brightening fishing prospects from the Columbia River to Hood Canal.

"If I had to pick one time of the year to fish for salmon, this would be it," said Steve Thiesfeld, Puget Sound recreational fishing manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). "The next few weeks are prime time for salmon fishing in Washington state."

That's the word at Buoy 10 at the mouth of the Columbia River, where catches of fall chinook are picking up after a slow start earlier this month. It's also true at Sekiu, where two out of three anglers are now catching marked coho as thousands of feisty silver salmon are stream into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

And a growing number of those fish are now winding up in anglers' creels from Admiralty Inlet to Point Defiance. "The coho are arriving in Puget Sound a lot earlier than in the past few years - and they're biting well," Thiesfeld said. "This is a more normal pattern, and we're definitely glad to see it."

Ocean anglers also continue to catch a lot of marked coho - along with some chinook up to 45 pounds - from Neah Bay to Ilwaco. And in northcentral Washington, parts of the upper Okanogan River and the lower Similkameen River will open to summer chinook and sockeye salmon fishing Aug. 19 through Sept. 19, thanks to healthy returns of fish.

As anglers consider their fishing options, hunters are preparing for statewide seasons opening Sept. 1, including those for forest grouse, doves and - for archers - deer. An early season for Canada geese will also get under way that day in Grays Harbor and Pacific counties (Management Area 2B), where the hunt is timed to take place before flights of protected dusky geese arrive in the region

Hunters are reminded that, beginning Sept. 1, it will be illegal to return to Washington with bone-in carcasses and body parts of deer or elk that were harvested in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Dakota, Nebraska or the Canadian province of Saskatchewan - all of which have chronic wasting disease (CWD) in their wild deer and/or elk populations. Violation of the new rule is a gross misdemeanor carrying a maximum penalty of a $5,000 fine or a year in jail. Hunters will still be allowed to bring back de-boned deer and elk meat from the CWD-affected regions, as well as finished taxidermy mounts; skulls, antlers and teeth with all soft tissue removed; and hides or capes without heads attached. For more information, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/do/aug04/aug1604a.htm on the department's website.

Also, whether hunting, fishing or otherwise enjoying the outdoors, everyone should be mindful of the high danger of wildfires throughout the state, said Jeff Koenings, WDFW director. Campfires - except in iron or concrete fire pits - are banned on all lands managed by WDFW and the Washington Department of Natural Resources, both of which are urging visitors to be extremely careful with burning cigarettes.

"We've been lucky so far this season," said Koenings, noting that several small fires on WDFW lands have been quickly controlled. "But with these extremely dry conditions, the wildfire season is far from over."

With that in mind, here's a summary of outdoor opportunities throughout the state:

North Puget Sound

• Fishing:Chinook salmon fans have one more weekend of fishing opportunity in Elliott Bay, Aug. 20-22. The Elliott Bay bubble has produced some great catches this year, including many chinook that tipped the scales at 30 pounds or more. There is a two-fish daily limit and a 22-inch minimum size for chinook. Handling rules are in effect for chum salmon during the bubble fishery, which means salmon that cannot be retained must not be brought into the boat. The remainder of Marine Area 10 stays open through October with a two-salmon daily limit. Chinook and chum salmon must be released, and handling rules are in effect for those species. The Tulalip Bay bubble fishery for chinook remains open through the end of September on a Friday-through-Monday schedule, but fishing has been slow. Elsewhere on the saltwater, salmon anglers are catching a mix of resident and migratory coho. The hot spots seem to be along the Kitsap County side of Puget Sound, including Jefferson Head and the Kingston area. Anglers are finding plenty of bait in the water around Possession Bar, but coho catches have been slim in this well-known fishing spot at the southeastern end of Whidbey Island. The Possession Point area should be one of the first places in the region to see good numbers of big migratory coho later this month. Farther north, Bellingham Bay opened to salmon fishing Aug. 16 with a four-fish daily limit, no more than two of which can be chinook (minimum size 22 inches). See page 106 of the "Fishing in Washington" sport fishing pamphlet for fishing boundary details. Salmon fishing throughout the San Juan Islands (Marine Area 7) has been extremely slow, with little few reports of chinook or coho hitting the landing nets. The daily limit for the San Juans outside the Bellingham Bay fishery is two fish, no more than one chinook (minimum size 22 inches). Release wild coho and chum salmon. The northernmost portion of Puget Sound opened Aug. 16 to crab fishing. The area includes the popular Bellingham and Point Roberts areas. The daily limit is six male Dungeness crab of at least 6 ¼ inches wide. Don Velasquez, WDFW shellfish biologist, said early reports from the recently opened area indicate good numbers of legal-sized crab. With most of the region's rivers still hurting for rain, anglers are scratching to find steelhead. One bit of good news for steelheaders is that the Reiter Ponds section of the Skykomish River is scheduled to open to steelhead fishing on Saturday, Aug. 21, giving anglers access to one of the most productive spots on the river. The area from 1,500 upstream to 1,000 feet below the hatchery had been closed since Aug. 1 because of low steelhead returns to the facility. Chad Jackson, WDFW fish biologist for the Snohomish River basin, said steelhead fishing elsewhere in the watershed has been quite slow, although there was a nice 19-pound fish taken recently from the Snohomish. "There are some steelhead in the system, but it's hard fishing because the river is so low," Jackson said. Elsewhere on the Snohomish, anglers are still finding a few pink salmon, although Jackson said the run is tapering off, particularly in the lower river. Fishing for pinks has been best from the Douglas Bar upstream to the confluence with the Skykomish. The Snohomish River pink fishery runs through the end of August with a two-fish daily limit. Fishing for bass, crappie and catfish is at its peak in lowland lakes during the dog days of summer, while trout fishing is quite slow in most areas except alpine lakes.

• Hunting: A few big-game hunting opportunities become available in early September, including archery deer season (Sept. 1-30) and archery elk season (Sept. 8-21). Black bear and cougar seasons have been under way since Aug. 1 throughout the region. For bird hunters, Sept. 1 marks the beginning of the forest grouse and dove seasons. Dove hunting runs through Sept. 15, while the forest grouse season runs through the end of the year. The fire danger is high throughout the region, and hunters should check for access and fire restrictions before heading out.

• Wildlife viewing: A sharp-eyed birder reporting to the Tweeters birding website recently identified three different species of sandpipers on the Duwamish Flats south of Harbor Island in Seattle. Western, semipalmated and least sandpipers were all seen during one outing, as well as a hunting peregrine falcon, four osprey, several great blue heron, a long-billed dowitcher, a double-crested cormorant and more European starlings than anyone could - or would want to - count. The starlings were seen feeding on the ample supply of blackberries. Whale watchers off the west side of San Juan Island recently saw how smart - and lucky - a harbor seal can be. One observer reporting to the Orca Network sightings website was following five transient killer whales, which eat a variety of marine mammals, when an obviously terrified harbor seal leapt from the water and onto the engine bracket of a small whale-watching craft. "It stayed there for apparently more than 15 minutes until the transients had moved south quite a distance," the observer noted. Killer whales - both the marine mammal-munching transients, and the fish-eating residents - can be seen throughout the San Juans during this time of year.

Olympic Peninsula/South Sound

• Fishing: While fishing on the coast continues at a feverish pace, an increasing number of salmon are moving "inside," boosting catch rates from the Strait of Juan de Fuca to southern Puget Sound. In Sekiu, 184 anglers caught 127 marked coho - many up to 12 pounds - on Aug. 14, a sure sign that ocean-going salmon are heading for inside waters. "It's only going to get better for coho from now on in the Strait," said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW recreational fishing manager for Puget Sound. As a side note, two anglers fishing out of Sekiu also reported catching record-breaking sockeye salmon during the second week of August - one over 7 pounds and the other over 9 pounds. WDFW is verifying their reports, either one of which would topple the current 6.05-pound record for a sockeye salmon caught in saltwater. While anglers fishing in the western Strait have been required to release all chinook salmon since Aug. 9, that's not the case in Hood Canal south of Ayock Point, where catch rates for both chinook and coho have also been on the rise. Eighty-one anglers at the Hood Canal public boat ramp were checked with 26 chinook and 24 coho that same Saturday in mid-August. Those fishing at Point Defiance that day did even better, splitting 70 chinook and 18 coho among 113 rods. Salmon fisheries even deeper in south Puget Sound, which had been extremely slow earlier in the season, have also started to light up, Thiesfeld said. Anglers checked 22 chinook salmon Aug. 14-15 at the Luhr Beach boat ramp at the mouth of the Nisqually River, including at least one 25-pounder. "Mid-August is prime time for chinook salmon fishing from Vashon Island south," Thiesfeld said. The same could be said this year of the ocean fishery out of Ilwaco (Marine Area 1), where anglers have been bringing in at least one king for every three hatchery coho boated. Anglers can now retain two chinook (measuring at least 24 inches) for their two-salmon daily bag limit in marine areas 1-3, making Ilwaco a popular spot, said Wendy Beeghley, a WDFW fish biologist who helps monitor the catch. But coho rule farther north, making up most of the one-to-1.5 fish per rod caught in marine areas 2-4. "Westport really pick up this past week, and the (hatchery) mark rate for coho has been topping 50 percent there and in Ilwaco," Beeghley said. Fishing in Willapa Bay, which opened with a six-salmon daily limit (no more than two adults) Aug.16, started slow, but anglers have been doing well fishing ocean waters right off the bar, said Scott Barbour, another WDFW fish biologist who helps monitor the ocean catch. Farther north on the coast, summer coho are building up in the Quillayute and Sol Duc rivers, although low-water conditions make fishing them a challenge. The same is true of summer steelhead on the Calawah River, where anglers are finding some success using a bobber and jig. Remember that all unmarked coho and chinook must be released through the end of August on all three of these rivers to protect weak natural stocks. Meanwhile, the Hoh River continues to run high with poor visibility due to glacial melt, making fishing conditions marginal. Anyone planning to float the Hoh should be aware that a diversion dam has been installed between the Oxbow and Nolan Creek, shifting the river into an old, reconfigured channel to allow construction of logjams to protect nearby Highway 101. The diversion is about one-quarter mile long, and boaters should look it over carefully before floating it. In other areas, the action has been picking up for hatchery steelhead on the Wynochee River and a lot of anglers are reportedly taking limits of kokanee out of Alder Lake. Those fishing for rainbow trout at Offutt Lake aren't catching a lot of fish, but the ones they do catch are running 14 to16 inches. Meanwhile, crab fishing has remained strong throughout the Strait and Puget Sound, where all marine areas are open until further notice.

• Hunting: As in the rest of the state, early hunting seasons will get under way in the region Sept. 1 for forest grouse, doves and - for archers - deer. Also beginning Sept. 1 in Grays Harbor and Pacific counties (Management Area 2B) is the first opening of the season for Canada geese. The early timing of the goose-hunting season in those counties is designed to encourage the take of abundant local geese before flights of protected dusky geese arrive in the region, said Jack Smith, regional WDFW wildlife manager. "We have a large population of local geese and their numbers are expanding," Smith said. For geese and other species open to hunting Sept. 1, Smith recommends making arrangements with local landowners before the hunt begins. "Making arrangements now, before these seasons open, should be a high priority for any serious hunter, Smith said. Finally, those interested in commenting on a draft management plan for the Olympic elk herd can do so at any of three public meetings scheduled by WDFW over the next few weeks. The plan, slated for completion this winter, is designed to guide management of the herd during the next five years, addressing issues ranging from future hunting opportunities to initiatives designed to increase elk forage. All three public meetings will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the following dates:
  • Aug. 25 - West End Sportsman's Club, 243 Sportsman's Drive, Forks
  • Sept. 1 - Montesano City Hall, 112 N. Main Street, Montesano
  • Sept. 2 - KBH Clubhouse, Old Belfair Highway, just south of the Mason/Kitsap county line

  A draft of the Olympic Elk Herd Plan for 2005-10 is posted on WDFW's website. Written comments will be accepted through Sept. 30, 2004, and should be addressed to Olympic Elk Herd Plan, Wildlife Program, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 600 Capitol Way N., 98501-1091 (or to wildthing@dfw.wa.gov via e-mail).

• Wildlife viewing: Although the calendar shows summer continuing for another month, the "fall" shorebird migration is already in full swing for many species. One contributor to the Tweeters birding website reported sooty shearwaters streaming past his post at Grayland at a rate of 200 birds per minute. Another described a bar-tailed godwit at Dungeness Spit showing "light buff patches of winter plumage." Compared to their northward migration in spring, shorebirds leave their breeding grounds rather haphazardly, heading south whenever their chicks have fledged. Actually, some don't wait that long, leaving their mates to tend the eggs alone. Southbound migrants also tend to get lost more frequently, particularly the inexperienced juveniles. Whatever their state of organization, plenty of birds are on display on the coast right now. Recent sightings include: 350 marbled godwits near the Tokeland boat basin; large numbers of greater yellowlegs and lesser yellowlegs at the Johns River Wildlife Area; tufted puffins, black oystercatchers, red-throated loons, black turnstones and more than 100 rhinoceros auklets at Cape Flattery; and one or more green herons, American bitterns, willow flycatchers and western tanagers at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge in southern Puget Sound. (A long-tailed weasel was also spotted that day at Nisqually.) Not that all the best bird-watching is at sea level: One happy hiker recently reported watching five ptarmigans browse for food at the edge of a snow field on the Golden Gate Trail at Mt. Rainer.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: It's prime time for the Buoy 10 fall chinook fishery at the mouth of the Columbia River and catches should hit their peak by the end of the month, reports Joe Hymer, regional fish biologist. After a slow start, catch rates had surged to one chinook for every four rods during the second week of August, Hymer said. Fall chinook catches are also increasing farther up the mainstem river. A few hatchery coho are also taking the bait at Buoy 10 although they're not expected to make an exceptionally large showing this year, Hymer adds. Hatchery summer-run steelhead fishing is going strong on the lower Columbia, with the best catches found from the mouth of the Cowlitz River downstream. Fishing in the Cowlitz itself was temporarily slowed by high water flows during the second week of August but should pick up again as the flows have dropped. Bonneville Pool tributaries - the Wind and White Salmon rivers and Drano Lake - were also producing steelhead for boat anglers at the rate of one fish per rod, or better, including fish released. Between Bonneville and The Dalles dams at least 100,000 steelhead are in the river or its tributaries, judging from the difference in fish counts at the two facilities, Hymer notes. With mainstem river water temperatures at 71 degrees or more at Bonneville Dam recently, the cooler tributaries should offer the best fishing prospects until fall rains arrive. Anglers seeking a bit of variety could try their luck with sea-run cutthroat in the Cowlitz and lower Columbia rivers. To take advantage of this "under-utilized" opportunity, Hymer suggests fishing with nightcrawlers from a sandbar in spots such as Countyline Park near Longview or fishing the Cowlitz with flies, lures or bait. Anglers are reminded that moving gear is required and night closure and non-buoyant lure restrictions are in effect on the lower Washougal River to avoid snagging activity there.

• Hunting: When the forest grouse hunting season opens Sept. 1, hunters can expect grouse populations similar to last year's level, predicts Fred Dobler, regional wildlife manager. Hunters can thank the past spring's relatively dry weather for the favorable outlook. "When the spring isn't too wet, generally it's not so hard on the young-upland birds don't do well when they get rained on," Dobler explained. Deer prospects, although below long-term averages, are also expected to be similar to last year's hunt for the Sept. 1 opening of early archery deer hunting, Dobler said. Deer populations have been gradually heading downward in recent years, a trend Dobler attributes partly to habitat changes. In key habitat areas such as the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, changing timber-management practices have left more trees standing; as trees grow, they shade out grassy foraging ground for deer and elk.

• Wildlife viewing: A Tweeters website correspondent reports seeing lots of great egrets at the Ridgefield National Wildlife refuge, as well as a solitary sandpiper in the slough past the photo blind through the trees, and sandpipers and greater yellowlegs. Rest Lake is very low but ducks and long-billed dowitchers were seen at the water's edge.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: WDFW central district fish biologist Chris Donley said eastern Washington's bass waters provided the training ground for 26-year-old Spokane fisherman Luke Clausen, who recently won $500,000 in the Wal-Mart FLW Tour Championship at Logan Martin Lake near Birmingham, Ala. A tour rookie who had the 26th seed, Clausen led the four-day tournament from start to finish with a total of 55 pounds of bass. Clausen lives in Spokane but spends nine months of the year on the road fishing, and was introduced to bass fishing by his father. "I remember seeing that kid 10 years ago out on Banks Lake and other bass waters," Donley said. "He's as crazy about fishing as I am." The region's warmwater species fishing holes are producing bass, bluegill, crappie, perch and catfish, Donley said, but pretty much only early in the morning and late in the evening when air and water temperatures moderate from recent extreme highs. "This is definitely warmwater fishing time," he said. "Trout and other salmonids that need cooler water are holed up now." The steelhead retention season opens Sept. 1 on the Snake and Grand Ronde rivers in the south end of the region, but the big fish are expected to lay low until water temperatures drop.

• Hunting: Hunters scouting for mourning doves in anticipation of the start of that season on Sept. 1 should be prepared to explore new territory. The summer's heat and lack of rain has left many traditional dove haunts near water high and dry. WDFW's Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area manager Juli Anderson reports that both lakes on the area are completely dry - a condition unseen for 10 years. That won't bode well for waterfowl or upland game bird hunting later this fall, either. If a hunt scouting trip turns into a camp-out, be extra careful with fire and be aware of local burn restrictions. WDFW wildlife biologist Dave Volsen asks scouting hunters to watch for and report signs of diseased white-tailed deer due to the drought. Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) appears among whitetails in the driest part of the year when conditions are right for biting gnats, the carriers of the virus. Deer are usually bit and develop EHD when they concentrate at dwindling water holes that are infested with gnats. EHD-stricken deer may appear lethargic, disoriented, lame or unresponsive. As the disease progresses the deer may have bloody discharge and swollen, blue tongues. They become emaciated because they stop eating and sometimes will even stop drinking. EHD is not contagious from deer to deer, nor is it transferable to people, and cooler, wet weather usually stops the spread as deer spread out. Call WDFW's Spokane office at (509) 892-1001 to report any occurrences. More information on EHD is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/factshts/ehd.htm on the Internet.

• Wildlife viewing: The heat of late summer makes wildlife viewing more challenging since many species are only active after dark when air temperatures drop. "It's a good time to invest in night vision binoculars or head for water," said WDFW wildlife biologist Howard Ferguson. Lakes and streams are good spots to watch for birds and bats, but even in those areas the best times are very early or very late in the day. Many migratory songbirds, such as swallows and blackbirds, are grouping and gorging on insect hatches in preparation for southbound migrations. Canada geese are fattening up on ripe wheatfields, while moose have been spotted trying to cool off in backyard kiddie wading pools around Spokane. Black bears are wandering closer to people in search of food. Several great gray owls have been observed by U.S. Forest Service staff in the Blue Mountains this summer. They also report mountain quail and wolverine in the Blues. WDFW wildlife biologist Dave Volsen asks wildlife viewers to watch for and report signs of diseased white-tailed deer due to the drought. Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) appears among whitetails in the driest part of the year when conditions are right for biting gnats, the carriers of the virus. Deer are usually bit and develop EHD when they concentrate at dwindling water holes that are infested with gnats. EHD-stricken deer may appear lethargic, disoriented, lame or unresponsive. As the disease progresses the deer may have bloody discharge and swollen, blue tongues. They become emaciated because they stop eating and sometimes will even stop drinking. EHD is not contagious from deer to deer, nor is it transferable to people, and cooler, wet weather usually stops the spread as deer spread out. Call WDFW's Spokane office at (509) 892-1001 to report any occurrences. More information on EHD is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/factshts/ehd.htm on the Internet.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: Parts of the upper Okanogan River and the lower Similkameen River open to summer chinook and sockeye salmon fishing Aug. 19 through Sept. 19. The open area on the Okanogan is from the Highway 20 bridge in Okanogan to the railroad trestle downstream of the Lake Osoyoos Control Dam in Oroville; on the Similkameen, it's from the confluence with the Okanogan River upstream to the county road bridge in Oroville. WDFW regional fish program manager John Easterbrooks said chinook and sockeye returns are strong, exceeding hatchery and wild spawning requirements and leaving a harvestable surplus. The daily limit is six salmon, no more than two adults, and all wild coho must be released. Non-buoyant lure restriction and night closure remain in effect. Lake Wenatchee sockeye salmon are still biting, although the catch rate has slowed as more begin migrating upstream to spawn in the Little Wenatchee, White and Napeequa rivers. The season, which opened July 24, will definitely run through Aug. 22, says Easterbrooks, and a decision will be made on Aug. 23 about possibly extending it through the end of the month. As of Aug. 15, the catch was estimated at 4,800 sockeye, Easterbrooks said. "We will allow harvest of a maximum of 6,000 sockeye or continue the fishery through Aug. 31, whichever comes first," he said. "The fishery will not continue into September." The fish are starting to turn red as they prepare for mid-September spawning. WDFW Eastbank Fish Hatchery Manager Rick Stillwater says those red fish are still worth going after. "They are becoming more dusky on the outside," he said, "but flesh quality is still good." Stillwater said the best fishing is early in the morning at first light, with most action stopping around 10 or 11 a.m. "Don't keep the fish on stringers too long in the lake water, which is between 65 and 70 degrees, and the fish will spoil if kept too long in the surface water," he said. "It's best to bleed them out and put them in a cooler with ice." Omak district fish biologist Bob Jateff said there are some good opportunities for catch-and-release trout fishing during August and September on the Methow River and its tributaries. "This is a selective fishery, so it's important that anglers check the regulations carefully to be sure where the open areas for fishing are," he said.

• Hunting: Although cougar and black bear hunting seasons have been under way since Aug. 1, it's been a tad warm for game harvest. These "dog days" of summer might best be spent in some early morning and late evening scouting for upcoming seasons, like mourning dove and forest grouse, which open Sept. 1. One spot NOT to scout is near any of the wildfires currently burning in northcentral Washington. Due to the nearby and moving Fischer fire, the Swakane Unit of WDFW's Chelan Wildlife Area is temporarily closed to all entry except by fire-fighting personnel or as authorized by WDFW. The Swakane Unit, including about 8,500 acres of WDFW land, is located about two miles north of Wenatchee and extends north about five miles. It also includes a section of land at the head of Nahahum and Ollala canyons, about five miles north of Cashmere. Nearby Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service lands have also been closed.

• Wildlife viewing One spot NOT to plan a wildlife-watching hike or camp-out is near any of the wildfires currently burning in northcentral Washington. Due to the nearby and moving Fischer fire, the Swakane Unit of WDFW's Chelan Wildlife Area is temporarily closed to all entry except by fire-fighting personnel or as authorized by WDFW. The Swakane Unit, including about 8,500 acres of WDFW land, is about two miles north of Wenatchee and extends north about five miles. It also includes over a section of land at the head of Nahahum and Ollala Canyons about five miles north of Cashmere. Nearby Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service lands have also been closed. "It's probably a good time to stay near water, which is where most wildlife that's even visible now will be anyway," said WDFW's Wenatchee office manager Bob Perleberg.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: August is a good time for the hiking angler to hit high lakes for trout, said WDFW fish biologist Jim Cummins. "Bugs generally are not as plentiful now as earlier and virtually all trails are snow free and lakes are ice free," he said. Cutthroat, rainbow, and eastern brook troutBass and catfish are being caught on the Columbia and lower Yakima rivers during early morning and late evening hours. The fall chinook salmon fishery in the Hanford Reach area of the Columbia opened Aug. 16 but won't likely produce many fish until September is well under way. Anglers can look forward to the Yakima River's fall salmon season that starts Sept. 1, but generally there is little action there until the middle of the month.

• Hunting: Although cougar and black bear hunting seasons have been under way all month, it's been a tad warm for game harvest. These "dog days" of summer might best be spent in some early morning and late evening scouting for upcoming seasons, like mourning dove and forest grouse, which open Sept. 1. Birds will be near any available water, like all other animals during these dry, hot days. If the scouting trip turns into a camp-out, just be extra careful with fire and be aware of local burn restrictions.

• Wildlife viewing: Dry conditions at this time of year bring wild animals in search of food and water into areas closer to people where they might not otherwise venture. Deer find irrigated vegetation tastier than dry fare, and cougars are sometimes on their trail. Likewise, black bears are on the prowl for easy pickings if wild berry patches are spent. Be alert to the possible presence of these potentially dangerous wild animals. Enjoy them from a distance by giving them a wide berth. Avoid attracting them to your fishing hole or campsite by keeping things tidy; dispose fish entrails in deep water and store food in wildlife-proof containers away from tents. You can learn more about minimizing the chances of a bad encounter with cougars or bears from WDFW's "Living With Wildlife" series at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/cougar/cougar.htm or http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/blkbear/blkbear.htm.