With a variety of new recreational opportunities on the horizon, outdoor enthusiasts have plenty to celebrate this season.

Razor clams, for example. Four beaches - Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks, and Kalaloch - will open for razor clam digging Dec. 2 and 3 between noon and midnight each day. Twin Harbors will also be open for a third day of digging from noon to midnight Dec. 4. Copalis Beach will remain closed to digging due to an insufficient number of clams.

Meanwhile, winter-run hatchery steelhead have been moving into dozens of rivers in western Washington, setting the stage for one of the Pacific Northwest's most popular fisheries. "Right now, the focus is still on late-run coho, but steelhead are right behind them," said David Low, a fish biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

Recent cold weather has also brought an influx of waterfowl and other birds into the state - to the delight of hunters and birdwatchers, alike. Now is a good time to view ducks, geese and swans arriving in areas from the Skagit Valley to the Columbia Basin.

Need to leave time for holiday shopping? A popular gift for outdoor enthusiasts is a vehicle license plate background, bearing the image of a bald eagle, killer whale, elk, mule deer or black bear. The special background cost $40, not counting regular vehicle-licensing fees, with proceeds going to wildlife management programs.

"These license plates have been extremely popular," said Mike O'Malley, WDFW watchable wildlife coordinator. "They make a great gift for anyone who cares about Washington's wildlife."

Complete instructions for how to give a wildlife-themed license plate as a gift are posted on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/license_plates/how_gift.htm.

For more information about fishing, hunting and wildlife-viewing opportunities in the weeks ahead, see the regional reports below:

North Puget Sound

• Fishing: Saltwater anglers who braved recent heavy rains and frigid temperatures did fairly well fishing for chinook salmon. "A number of anglers that did get out on Puget Sound found some fish," said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fisheries biologist. "That could be a good sign as we move into December."

  Catch counts were already showing some improvements by the last week of November. At the Everett Ramp, 27 anglers were checked with four chinook Nov. 24, and 48 anglers brought home 20 chinook the following day. At the Camano Island ramp, six anglers checked two chinook Nov. 24, while 28 anglers hauled in four chinook the next day.

  Thiesfeld reminds anglers that salmon fishing in marine areas 7 (San Juan Islands) and 9 (Admiralty Inlet) closes Nov. 30, and a one-salmon daily limit begins Dec. 1 in Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton).

  The selective fishery continues in marine areas 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay) and 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner), where anglers can keep up to two hatchery chinook per day, so long as the fish measure at least 22 inches in length. Wild chinook salmon, which have an intact adipose fin, cannot be brought aboard the boat.

  In the rivers, anglers should still find some chum salmon, said Thiesfeld. "But this is really the time of year when most people are gearing up to fish for steelhead."

  Elsewhere, about 3,000 hatchery rainbow trout - averaging approximately three pounds each - were released into Beaver Lake near Issaquah in mid-November, said Chad Jackson, WDFW fish biologist. Beaver Lake, one of several westside lowland lakes open to fishing year-round, is best fished by small boat, although anglers can also be successful fishing from shore, said Jackson. The daily bag limit is five fish, and bait anglers must keep the first five trout they catch.

  Back on the saltwater, crabbing is still an option in seven marine areas of Puget Sound. Marine areas 4 (Neah Bay), 5 (Sekiu), 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca), 9, 10, 12 (Hood Canal) and 13 (south Puget Sound) are open seven days a week through Jan. 2 unless catch quotas for those areas are reached before then. Marine areas 7S (San Juan Islands), 7E (Anacortes to Bellingham), 7N (Bellingham to Pt. Roberts), 8-1, 8-2 and 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island) will remain closed to sport crabbing for the season.

  Anglers should check WDFW's 2006/2007 Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) for more information on those and other fisheries in the region.

• Hunting: Waterfowl hunting slowed considerably in the region during the recent cold snap, said Mike Davison, WDFW wildlife biologist. "Icy cold weather has made it a rough go," he said, adding it should pick up again once the temperatures rise and the rains return. Duck and goose hunts run through Jan. 28, although snow, Ross and blue geese hunts in Goose Management Area 1 (Skagit, Snohomish and Island counties) last through Jan. 7.

  Archer and muzzleloader hunts are under way for black-tail deer in select Game Management Units (GMU). Archers have through Dec. 8 to harvest a deer in GMU 437, through Dec. 15 in GMUs 466 and 460, and through Dec. 31 in 407, 410 and 454. The region's musket hunts for deer wrap up Dec. 15. Muzzleloader and archery hunts for elk also continue in the region through Dec. 15.

  Meanwhile, the general seasons for pheasant, California quail and bobwhite last through Nov. 30. Before going afield, hunters are encouraged to check the 2006 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm) and the 2006-2007 Waterfowl and Upland Game Regulation pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/water.htm) for regulations in specific areas.

• Wildlife viewing: While visiting the Ballard Locks, a birder reporting to Tweeters website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/) spotted a brown pelican sitting among geese lounging on a nearby lawn. According to the birder, staff members at the locks believe this was the first recorded sighting of a brown pelican in that area. Brown pelicans are coastal birds and are rarely found away from the ocean, where they are often looking for a meal. Their diet consists mostly of fish, such as anchovies and smelt, and brown pelicans will often plunge headfirst into water to snatch their prey. After securing their catch, the birds throw their heads back to swallow the fish.

  At the Montlake Fill - just east of the University of Washington on Union Bay - there was another rare sighting, at least for this time of year. Near the Fill's main pond were six greater white-fronted geese. The geese are often seen in small, mixed species flocks and are common in western Washington from late August through mid-October and again from mid-April to mid-May, according to the Seattle Audubon Society (a href="http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/index.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/index.aspx). The birder also saw a Cooper's hawk chasing a short-eared owl.

  Elsewhere in the region, about 30 killer whales were seen headed south near Whidbey Island between Double Bluff and Foulweather Bluff. Further north, a minke whale was spotted near Deadman Bay along San Juan Island, according to a report on the Orca Network (http://www.orcanetwork.org/sightings/map.html).

South Sound/Olympic Peninsula

• Fishing: Weather permitting, anglers will have some good opportunities to catch winter steelhead, coho and chum salmon in the days ahead. Then again, clam diggers can look forward to another productive razor clam opening in early December, regardless which way the weather turns.

  "Despite rough weather, most diggers got their 15-clam limits during the last opening," said Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager. "We expect that will hold true during the upcoming dig, too." Four beaches - Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks, and Kalaloch - will open for razor clam digging Dec. 2 and Dec. 3 between the hours of noon and midnight each day. Twin Harbors will also be open for a third day of digging from noon to midnight Dec. 4. Copalis Beach will remain closed to digging due to the low number of clams in the total allowable catch.

  The best time to start digging is an hour or two before low tide, said Ayres, who recommends taking a lantern for evening digs. Evening low tides for the upcoming dig are as follows:

  • Saturday, Dec. 2 (4:16 p.m. -0.4) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks, Kalaloch

  • Sunday, Dec. 3 (5:07 p.m. -1.0) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks, Kalaloch

  • Monday, Dec. 4 (5:56 p.m. -1.3) Twin Harbors only

  Ayres noted that fishery managers have tentatively scheduled another dig over the New Year's holiday. If marine-toxin tests are favorable, an evening dig will be held Dec. 31 at all five ocean beaches - including Copalis - followed by another Jan. 1 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks and Kalaloch. One beach, Twin Harbors, would also remain open for an evening dig Jan. 2.

  Meanwhile, rivers throughout the region have been dropping into shape for fishing since the recent freeze-up, said Bill Freymond, WDFW regional fish manager. "If it stays cold, the Satsop, Wynoochee and a lot of other rivers should be in prime condition," he said. "Right now, the focus is still on late-run coho, but steelhead are right behind them." David Low, a WDFW fish biologist, is already hearing reports of anglers catching steelhead in area rivers, noting that a friend caught "three hatchery steelhead and a 'Christmas king'," during the last weekend in November.

  Hatchery steelhead are also showing up in tribal catches, said Low, adding that he'll have a better sense of the sport catch once WDFW resumes creel surveys during the first week in December. Survey results for the Quillayute River system and the Hoh River will be posted on the WDFW Fishing/Shellfishing website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishcorn.htm) under the heading "Fishing Reports." Low strongly recommends that anglers review steelhead-fishing rules discussed in WDFW's Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) before attempting to hook up.

  Chum anyone? Many popular chum salmon waters such as Kennedy Creek and McLane Creek will be closing to salmon fishing at the end of the day Nov. 30. But that's just when the late-run chum fishery on the Nisqually River gets rolling, said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fish biologist. "Anglers should get some nice, chrome-bright chum salmon right through the month of December," he said. "That what makes that fishery so popular."

• Hunting: Wet, stormy weather has been a boon to hunters stalking deer and elk in the late season, said Jack Smith, regional WDFW wildlife manager. With the leaves finally down and the animals beginning to congregate, hunter success has improved greatly since the warm, dry days of the early seasons, he said. "It's really been like night and day since the weather changed," Smith said, citing the check-station results at the Vail Tree Farm as an example. During the weekend of Nov. 18-19, deer hunters using modern firearms checked 114 bucks - just 24 shy of the 138 bucks checked during all three weekends of the early season.

  Although the modern-firearms season is now over for the year, muzzleloaders and archers will remain in the field through mid- to late December, according to area rules outlined in WDFW's Big Game Hunting pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm). "I'm sure they're doing pretty well out there," Smith said.

  Waterfowl hunters, on the other hand, have been coping with "too much of a good thing" in recent days, Smith said. "There's a lot of sheet water out there right now, which can make access difficult," he said. "Also, the ducks are pretty spread out." One solution, he said, is to hunt areas less prone to heavy flooding. Another is to focus on areas with the remains of grain crops nearby. "That gives birds an incentive to congregate there," Smith said.

  Smith notes that hunters should still be able to find good numbers of ducks and geese in saltwater areas for a few more weeks. "I know that Johns River has some nice flocks of ducks and geese, and I've seen a lot of ducks near the airport in Ocean Shores," said Smith, who reminds hunters that they no longer need a special permit to hunt geese in Grays Harbor County.

  For waterfowl hunters looking for a new spot, Smith recommends checking out the GoHunt interactive mapping page on WDFW's website http://wdfw.wa.gov/mapping/gohunt/index.html. "The site include half a dozen new sites where you don't need permission to hunt," Smith said. "And you can print the maps out and use them as driving instructions."

  Hunting seasons for ducks and geese run seven days per week through Jan. 28 in all parts of the region except Pacific County (Goose Management Area 2B). In that area, goose hunting is restricted to Saturdays and Wednesdays only, and is open only to hunters with special permits who have passed a goose-identification test.

• Wildlife viewing: A number of humpback whale sightings have occurred recently in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, just south of Victoria, British Columbia. A total of eight humpbacks have been seen in the area, along with 200 Steller sea lions, a peregrine falcon and a couple of brown pelicans.

  On Hood Canal, a birder also spotted a brown pelican on Thanksgiving Day. The large pelican, distinguished by its immense bill, was seen north of Lilliwaup at Eagle Creek. The pelican "looked so silly among the small ducks," wrote the birder on Tweeters birding website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/). Brown pelicans are coastal birds and are rarely found away from the ocean, where they spend their day looking for a meal. Their diet consists mostly of fish, such as anchovies and smelt, and brown pelicans will often plunge headfirst into water to snatch a fish. After securing their catch, the birds throw their heads back to swallow their prey.

  East of the canal, a couple of birders recently sighted a yellow-billed loon at Sinclair Inlet. At one point, the bird was seen near the vessels at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard swimming and diving, wrote the birder on the Tweeters birding website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/). Yellow-billed loons, which are larger and heavier than the common loon, are rare winter residents to Washington's inland marine waters. Because the loon "seemed comfortable in its surroundings," the bird might stay in the area awhile, the birder speculated, adding "it was definitely an unexpected bird for us to see and no doubt a great highlight."

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: Icy roads, rather than fishing conditions, could be the biggest concern for anglers hoping to spend some time on area rivers in the days ahead. With many parts of southwest Washington still in the grip of late-November storms, anglers might want to consider putting fishing plans on hold until driving conditions are less dicey, said Wolf Dammers, a WDFW fish biologist.

  "There are still a lot of late-running coho around, but the winter steelhead fishery is just getting started," Dammers said. "Anglers aren't going to miss much if they wait for driving conditions to improve."

  For those fishing during the week ending Nov. 26, the Cowlitz River remained a hotspot for coho. In creel surveys conducted on the Cowlitz that week, 77 anglers kept 22 adult coho and released 22 others. Fifteen anglers contacted on the Klickitat River also did well that week, landing 19 coho and releasing 13 others.

  An increasing number of coho caught in those, and other, Columbia River tributaries are dark, a sure sign that those fisheries are winding down, Dammers said. As of Nov. 22, the daily limit for marked, hatchery coho was increased to three fish (minimum size, 12 inches) on the Washougal, Kalama and Lewis rivers. The daily limit was also increased to three coho, marked or unmarked, on the Klickitat River.

  Meanwhile, bright hatchery steelhead are just starting to show up in the catch - and at area hatcheries. As of Nov. 22, a total of 30 winter run steelhead had returned to the Grays River Hatchery. Also that week, two winter steelhead were recorded in a creel check on the Cowlitz River and 47 others were recovered at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery. Blue Creek and Mill Creek, both tributaries to the Cowlitz River, will both open to hatchery steelhead fishing Dec. 1. Blue Creek also opens for hatchery sea-run cutthroat fishing that day.

  The 47 winter-run steelhead recovered at the hatchery were released back at the Interstate 5 boat launch along with 39 summer-run steelhead. Tacoma Power employees also released 1,979 coho adults at the Day Use Park on Lake Scanewa, 525 coho adults on the Cispus River and 520 coho adults at the Franklin Bridge near Packwood.

  At Klineline Pond, bank anglers fishing in the swimming area are catching 12- to 18-inch brown trout on biscuit dough. On Nov. 21, Klineline was also planted with 1,000 catchable-size rainbows and Lacamas Lake was planted with 5,000 catchable-size rainbows.

  On the Columbia River, the sturgeon fishery has cooled off along with the weather. In a recent survey, 66 bank anglers fishing from the Wauna powerlines upstream to Bonneville Dam had caught just three legal-size fish. The water temperature at the dam has dropped to 51 degrees.

• Hunting: The modern-firearms season ended before the snow fell, but the archers and muzzleloaders who took to the field for elk and deer in late November have seen plenty of winter weather. "Hunters generally welcome snow, because it tends to concentrate the animals and makes tracking them easier," said Eric Holman, a WDFW wildlife biologist. "Still, it presents a real challenge out there when you're dealing with accumulations of 12 inches or more."

  General muzzleloader seasons for deer run through Dec. 15, while the late muzzleloader season for elk concludes Nov. 30, Dec. 8 or Dec. 15, based on rules for various game management units (GMUs). Late-season archers can hunt for both species throughout Dec. 15 in several GMUs and some deer hunts continue through the end of the year. Hunters should consult WDFW's Big Game Hunting pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm) for seasons and rules applicable to specific GMUs.

  Holman said late-season hunters should take special note of new rules in effect in two areas this year:

  • GMU 564 (Battle Ground) - The late hunt for elk runs through Dec. 15 for archers and muzzleloaders. Deer season ends Dec. 15 for muzzleloaders and continues through Dec. 31 for archers. The late deer season for modern-firearms tag holders was limited to four days in November. Increasing urban development, declining agricultural damage complaints and complex county firearm laws led WDFW to focus late-season hunting opportunity on shorter-range weapons in this GMU, Homan said.

  • GMU 578 (West Klickitat) - The permit-only deer season for hunters using modern firearms ended Nov. 19 this year. Late muzzleloader deer season opens Dec. 1 and continues through Dec. 15. Muzzleloader season dates in this GMU were modified in an attempt to reduce buck mortality, Holman said.

  Meanwhile, Arctic weather has brought an influx of ducks, geese and other birds into the Vancouver Lowlands, Holman said. "Mallards, widgeon and pintails are flocking to the Shillapo Wildlife Area and other areas right now," he said. Goose hunting closed Nov. 26 in Goose Management Area (Wahkiakum, Cowlitz and Clark county north of the Washougal River), but will reopen Dec. 6 Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays only. The exception is the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, which reopens to hunting Dec. 7 Saturdays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

• Wildlife viewing: A prairie falcon has birders in the region flocking to the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. The falcon was last seen at the River "S" unit Thanksgiving weekend. Prairie falcons are similar in size and markings to peregrine falcons, but are lighter brown. The falcons fly low over the ground to catch prey and are vocal during courtship, often heard before being seen.

  Another birder searching for the prairie falcon at the refuge didn't see (or hear) the bird, but did spot more than 100 sandhill cranes, a Savannah and swamp sparrow, and a young peregrine falcon. The birder also saw a duck that kept diving to avoid raptors.

  In Lewis County, flooded areas are drawing large numbers of waterfowl to the region. One birder reporting to Tweeters website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/) spotted a greater white-fronted goose, six tundra swans and an Aleutian cackling goose among a small flock of cackling geese foraging in a corn field just beyond the "lake" at Goodrich Road. That area and other flooded areas along Big Hanaford Road near the Centralia Steam Plant drew the greatest numbers of waterfowl and shorebirds, the birder noted.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: Four winter-only rainbow trout lakes open Dec. 1 for a four-month season. At least three of them should provide good action if anglers can reach them through current icy and snowy conditions.

  Chris Donley, WDFW central district fish biologist, said recent sampling indicates prospects at Fourth of July Lake on the Lincoln-Adams county line and Hog Canyon Lake in southwest Spokane County are better than expected. Donley said both lakes are under a five trout daily catch limit, with no more than two over 14 inches. About half the fish in Fourth of July are 14 inches or better, he said. "If your first two fish at Fourth of July are at least 14 inches, you're done for the day," he said. Hog Canyon has more of the 9- to11-inch fish, although enough 14- to 18-inchers to make fishing interesting. Donley recommends Hog Canyon for anglers who want to take home limits. "Fourth of July anglers might see some tiger trout in their catch for the first time this season," he said. "Those fish were put in there to try to help control the fathead minnow population."

  The other two winter-only trout lakes are Williams and Hatch in Stevens County. Williams Lake has 9- to 10-inch rainbows from this year's fry plants, and some 14-inch or better carryovers from last year. But illegally-introduced yellow perch are starting to compete with the trout, so this may be the last year of decent trout fishing at Williams. Hatch Lake fishing will again be poor since it has had a growing infestation of yellow perch and received only minimal hatchery trout.

  Also opening Dec. 1 is a four-month whitefish season on the Little Spokane River from the state highway 291 bridge near Nine Mile Falls to the west branch tributary north of Chattaroy. Up to 15 whitefish of any size can be taken daily, but fishing gear is restricted to one single point hook no bigger than size 14 (no more than 3/16-inch from point to shank). The gear rule is designed to minimize the chances of catching other gamefish, which are not legal to harvest at this time.

  Snake River steelhead trout fishing continues to be best in the tributaries, although effort recently increased in the mainstem section from Lower Monumental to Little Goose dams following the release of about 1,000 surplus adult steelhead from WDFW's Lyons Ferry Hatchery. The recent cold snap may have steelhead holing up in deep, slow-moving water, which can make for hot fishing. The latest creel checks on the Tucannon River indicate anglers have been averaging about nine hours of fishing for every steelhead caught. Anglers in the mid-Snake River section above the stateline bridge were averaging about 9.5 hours per fish caught. Those in the stretches of the mainstem from Lower Granite to Lower Monumental dams were averaging a little less than 10 hours per steelhead. For details on the latest creel see http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/creel/snake/index.htm.

• Hunting: Recent snow cover and buck-rutting behavior should improve success rates during late archery and muzzleloader deer hunting seasons that continue through Dec. 8 or Dec. 15 in select game management units. Hunters must pay attention to the regulation details for these hunts, as most have limitations on legal deer. For example, some units where both mule deer and white-tailed deer reside are open only for whitetail harvest.

  Late archery and muzzleloader elk hunting seasons also continue through Dec. 8 in select game management units, mostly in the northeast and central districts of the region.

  Upland game bird hunting has been spotty, with some indication that quail are being harvested at a relatively average rate. The last game farm rooster pheasants of the season will be released by Dec. 2 at all of the sites listed in Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Program booklet, available at the Spokane Valley regional office (2315 N. Discovery Place, 509-892-1001), or on the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/ewapheas.htm.

  Juli Anderson, manager of WDFW's Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area in Lincoln County, says all bird hunting has been "rather poor" so far. "Ducks and geese are flying but not in overly large numbers yet," she said. Recent cold weather and snow may change that, with waterfowl moving in from the north and upland birds holding tighter. Anderson reminds hunters that the wildlife area is accessed by gravel county roads that often don't get plowed for several days after heavy snowfall. Two county roads running through the area, Lone Pine and Grant roads, are not plowed at all.

• Wildlife viewing: With new snow throughout the region, it's a good time for wildlife tracking. "You don't always have to see wild animals to enjoy what's in your area," said Steve Zender, WDFW northeast district wildlife biologist. Zender recommends using a good wildlife tracking field guide to help determine differences between deer, elk, and moose; coyotes and cougars; rabbits and weasels; turkeys, pheasants, and quail and other species commonly moving around in wintry conditions.

  Woody Myers, WDFW wildlife research biologist, said mule deer bucks are in the peak of their breeding season - or rut - and can be more visible now. "Check out winter wheat fields," he said. "When you find them, give them space by using binoculars, scopes, and telephoto camera lenses to avoid stressing them."

  Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, south of Cheney off the Cheney-Plaza Road, is conducting its annual winter festival Dec. 2 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Guided elk viewing tours are the most popular activity, but space is limited. Pre-registration is recommended by calling 509-235-4723. There's also a raptor rehabilitation program presented from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., self-guided hiking and bird-watching, music at refuge headquarters throughout the day, and chili and snacks. Donations are requested to benefit the refuge's environmental education programs. Call 509-235-2760 for more information.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: Bob Jateff, WDFW district fish biologist, said catch rates for steelhead trout have recently slowed a bit on the mainstem Columbia River above Wells Dam. "Anglers are averaging one fish per 10 hours of fishing effort," he said. "The area around Pateros has been the most popular location."

  The four-month season for whitefish opens Dec. 1 on portions of the Chewuch, Entiat, Methow, Similkameen, and Wenatchee rivers and Sinlahekin Creek. The daily catch limit is 15 fish using the standard whitefish gear - one single point hook size 14 or smaller (no more than 3/16-inch from point to shank). The gear rule is designed to minimize the chances of catching other gamefish, which are not legal to harvest at this time. Jateff recommends that anglers on the Methow regularly check the WDFW website's emergency fishing season changes (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) for special closures during the whitefish season. At this time, the Methow, Okanogan, and Similkameen rivers are closed to fishing for steelhead.

  Dec. 1 also marks the shift to a catch-and-keep season with standard fishing gear on four Okanogan County lakes - Little Twin near Winthrop, Big and Little Green near Omak, and Rat near Brewster. Jateff said all four lakes should provide good fishing for rainbow trout, although recent deep-freeze conditions could delay or complicate access until a major thaw or safe ice depth develops. The daily catch limit is five fish and bait is allowed.

• Hunting: Mikal Moore, WDFW waterfowl specialist, said there's "good news" for waterfowl hunters. "We are seeing more mallards moving into the area and the winter weather has resulted in freeze-up on most seasonal wetlands, including the Winchester Quality Hunt area. There should be good hunting for those willing to brave the cold weather and find areas of open water." Moore recommends hunters focus on rivers where currents are keeping ice from forming, big lakes such as Banks, Potholes Reservoir, and Moses Lake, and smaller spring-fed lakes such as Ephrata Lake. "Geese seem to be making themselves scarce in the north end of the Columbia Basin," she said. "They're probably getting ready to over-winter on the agriculture fields and big water near the Tri-Cities." Moore noted the next aerial waterfowl survey is scheduled for mid-December, dependent on weather conditions. The first survey of the season was conducted Nov. 15-16. "During the mid-November flight we counted approximately 250,000 ducks and geese, including 20,500 Canada geese and 149,000 mallards," Moore said. Mallards were particularly concentrated on Lower Crab Creek, North Potholes, and Wanapum reserve, as well as private hunt clubs in the Othello/Eagle Lakes area. Canada geese were not observed in large numbers in the Stratford area, but seem to be focused on Moses Lake. Wanapum Pool is holding the major concentration of scaup. Look for all the details of this first count and the next count on the WDFW North Central Region webpage at http://wdfw.wa.gov/reg/eventopp/events2.htm#geese.

  Beau Patterson, WDFW district wildlife biologist, says the recent snow and cold has helped hunters find good numbers of mule deer in the Swakane Game Management Unit (GMU 250) for the late archery season hunt. Late season archery deer permit hunters in the Entiat GMU (247) should also be doing well, he said. Those and most other late deer hunting opportunities for permit holders or archers close Dec. 8. Check the Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm) for all details.

  Patterson also reported upland bird hunters finding good hunting conditions with recent snowfall. The last game farm rooster pheasants of the season will be released by Dec. 2 at all of the sites listed in Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Program booklet, available at the Ephrata regional office (1550 Alder St. N.W., 509-754-4624) or on the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/ewapheas.htm.

• Wildlife viewing: Scott Fitkin, WDFW Okanogan district wildlife biologist, said there's likely good mule deer viewing now on traditional winter range, including most WDFW property in both the Methow and Okanogan watersheds. "Our recent snow should make them even more visible," he said. Beau Patterson, WDFW Chelan district wildlife biologist, said that deer are vulnerable to winter stress so viewers should keep their distance. "Dog owners especially need to keep their pets from running free and chasing deer in snowy conditions," he said.

  Some winter migrants like rough-legged hawks are starting to show up in the Methow Valley, Fitkin reports. Other birds to keep an eye out for throughout the region include gyrfalcons and snowy owls.

  Waterfowl watching in the Columbia Basin is also picking up as more birds move in from the north with wintry weather. "We are seeing more mallards moving into the area," said Mikal Moore, WDFW waterfowl specialist. "The winter weather has resulted in freeze-up on most seasonal wetlands so birds are on rivers and bigger waterways like Banks, Potholes Reservoir, and Moses Lake." "Geese seem to be making themselves scarce in the north end of the Columbia Basin," she said. "They're probably getting ready to over-winter on the agriculture fields and big water near the Tri-Cities." Moore noted the next aerial waterfowl survey is scheduled for mid-December, dependent on weather conditions. The first survey of the season was conducted Nov. 15-16 when there were good concentrations of scaup, goldeneye, green-winged teal, mallards, and Canada geese, primarily in the Moses Lake and Crab Creek areas. "Mallards were particularly concentrated on Lower Crab Creek, North Potholes, and Wanapum reserve," she said. "We also saw some major concentrations of divers and wigeon in the Wanapum and Priest Rapids pools of the Columbia River." Birdwatchers can look for all the details of the first count and the next count on the WDFW North Central Region webpage at http://wdfw.wa.gov/reg/eventopp/events2.htm#geese.

  Bighorn sheep are becoming more visible along the Tonasket-to-Oroville stretch of Hwy. 97 in Okanogan County, said Jeff Heinlen, WDFW wildlife biologist. "The sheep come down from higher elevations at this time of year to browse orchards and perhaps get down to the Okanogan River across the highway," he said. "It's not only a good time to see them, but people also remain alert to avoid colliding with one on the road." Heinlen also said that Sinlahekin bighorns live nearly year-round right in and around the town of Loomis.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: North Elton Pond, the region's only designated winter season rainbow trout fishing lake, is open for fishing from Dec. 1 through March 31. The 15-acre lake near Selah, in Yakima County, has been stocked with 2,000 rainbows that average about three-quarters of a pound and 10 to 13 inches. But WDFW Fish Biologist Jim Cummins said the recent deep freeze has iced-up the water and there may be no safe opportunity to fish on the opener. If wintry conditions persist, there may eventually be fishing through the ice. The daily catch limit is two trout.

  Eric Anderson, WDFW district fish biologist, said two year-round lakes in Kittitas County were recently planted with surplus hatchery rainbow trout broodstock. North FioRito and Mattoon lakes near Ellensburg each received 125 fish that range from five to 10 pounds each.

  More similar-sized rainbow broodstock from WDFW's Goldendale Hatchery were slated for some Yakima County year-round waters on Nov. 29, barring any access problems from snow or ice. Rotary Lake and I-82 Pond #4 were each to receive 125 fish and Myron Lake was to get 84.

  Whitefish season opens on the Bumping, Naches and Tieton rivers Dec. 1. Cummins said the Columbia River between Vantage and Priest Rapids Dam and the Yakima River are also good bets for whitefish. The daily catch limit is 15 fish using the standard whitefish gear - one single point hook size 14 or smaller (no more than 3/16-inch from point to shank). The gear rule is designed to minimize the chances of catching other gamefish, which are not legal to harvest at this time. Check the fishing rules pamphlet for all details.

• Hunting: Waterfowl hunting should be fairly good in the South Columbia Basin, with recent snowstorms moving birds south. "Geese seem to be making themselves scarce in the north end of the Columbia Basin," said Mikal Moore, WDFW waterfowl specialist. "They're probably getting ready to over-winter on the agriculture fields and big water near the Tri-Cities." Moore noted the next aerial waterfowl survey is scheduled for mid-December, dependent on weather conditions. The first aerial waterfowl survey of the season (conducted Nov. 14) indicated overall numbers of ducks and geese were similar to last year. The McNary National Wildlife Refuge area, including the Snake River below Ice Harbor Dam, was holding a good number of birds, especially around Badger Island near the mouth of the Walla Walla River. Look for all the details of the first count and the next count on the WDFW South Central Region webpage at http://wdfw.wa.gov/reg/eventopp/events3.htm#geese.

  The last game farm rooster pheasants of the season will be released by Dec. 2 at all of the sites listed in Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Program booklet, available at the Yakima regional office (1701 S. 24th Ave., 509-575-2740) or on the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/ewapheas.htm.

  Recent snow and cold should help hunters find deer and elk during late archery and muzzleloader seasons in select game management units. Most close Dec. 8. Check the hunting rules pamphlet for all details.

• Wildlife viewing: Winter feeding of elk and bighorn sheep had not started by the end of November at WDFW's Oak Creek Wildlife Area, including the Clemans Mountain unit. But some of the animals are already gathering near the traditional feeding sites and can be viewed with binoculars and scopes in early morning or late afternoon. The start of feeding depends on winter conditions, but it usually gets under way sometime in December. Check the recorded message on the wildlife area headquarters phone (509-653-2390) for updates. When feeding is under way, volunteers will again conduct group elk-viewing tours. Make reservations for the tour by calling 509-698-5106. Vehicle access to the wildlife area's Bethel Ridge and Oak Creek roads will close when feeding starts and remain closed through April 30. Rock-climbing areas on the wildlife area are open through January.

  Waterfowl watching should pick up with early winter storms moving birds south. "Geese seem to be making themselves scarce in the north end of the Columbia Basin," said Mikal Moore, WDFW waterfowl specialist. "They're probably getting ready to over-winter on the agriculture fields and big water near the Tri-Cities." Moore said the next aerial waterfowl survey is scheduled for mid-December, dependent on weather conditions. The first aerial waterfowl survey of the season (conducted Nov. 14) indicated overall numbers of ducks and geese were similar to last year. The McNary National Wildlife Refuge area, including the Snake River below Ice Harbor Dam, was holding a good number of birds, especially around Badger Island near the mouth of the Walla Walla River. Look for all the details of the first count and the next count on the WDFW South Central Region webpage at http://wdfw.wa.gov/reg/eventopp/events3.htm#geese.