November 30 - December 13, 2000

Contact: Madonna Luers, (509) 456-4073

Although the official start of winter is still weeks off, new winter fishing and wildlife viewing opportunities are now available throughout Washington. And if you're more inclined to indoor activities during winter weather, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) also has some holiday gift shopping available.

Several rivers and streams across the state open to fishing on Dec. 1, most for mountain whitefish only. This native salmonid is abundant, and congregates in large pools during the winter where it will take most baits, flies, and other artificial lures. The daily catch limit for whitefish, which usually run up to a foot in length and 12 ounces in weight, is 15. They make for excellent eating, although they are relatively bony and are often smoked. See the regional reports for details on newly open whitefish and other waters.

Several Eastern Washington lakes open Dec. 1 through March 31 to hatchery-stocked rainbow trout fishing. Although early winter conditions have left most of these waters at least partially iced up, anglers should be cautious about walking out on the lakes to fish through the ice. Extended below-freezing temperatures should render them safer. See the eastern regional reports for details on these newly open fishing spots.

Wintery weather has moved new birds into the state – "northerners" moving south to more available food sources. That makes for renewed interest in birdwatching, and a chance to add unique species like lapland longspur, hoary redpoll, or snow bunting to your life list.

The migrants are also a reminder to keep those backyard bird feeders cleaned and filled with open water available – it helps birds a little, but mostly enhances your opportunities to watch them. Other wildlife viewing can be easier at this time of year, too. Large ungulates like moose, elk, and deer are often more visible as they forage throughout the day and night in lower-lying areas closer to human development; snow-covered terrain makes them easier to spot.

If you're shopping for a holiday gift for a wildlife enthusiast on your list, WDFW offices across the state have some unique items to consider:

The Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary program packet, which provides detailed information and plans for creating year-round habitat for birds and other wildlife in your own yard, is available for $5. For an additional $5, you can help someone enroll in the program to receive a weather-proof yard sign, certificate, and subscription to a twice-yearly newsletter, "Crossing Paths with Wildlife in Washington's Cities and Towns." Children's coloring booklets on the same subject – "Backyards for Birds," "Watching Washington's Birds," and "At Home Activities" – are also available for $1 to $2 each. For someone who's already into the basics of backyard wildlife, a copy of the 220-page book, "Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest," may be just the thing. Written by WDFW urban wildlife biologist Russell Link, the book has chapters on everything from building a backyard pond to creating hedgerows. It's available for $25 at WDFW's Mill Creek and Spokane offices, or through the mail for $28 from WDFW, Attn. Landscape Book, 1608 Mill Creek Blvd., Mill Creek, WA 98012.

Four 24" x 36", full-color, suitable-for-framing fish and wildlife posters produced by WDFW are available for $5 each through several non-profit organizations across the state. Painted in watercolors by Washington artist Amy C. Fisher, the posters depict "Seastack Shoreline," "Shrub-Steppe Ecosystem," "Urban Wildlife," and "Watershed Partnerships." WDFW regional offices have color flyers on the poster series that list the organizations who sell them.

The CD-ROM "Sport Fish of Washington" is a narrated, pictorial tour of all of Washington's major fresh and saltwater sport fish, available for $5.40 plus a $1.25 shipping fee from WDFW, Licenses Division, 600 Capital Way N., Olympia, WA 98501-1091.

Applications for personalized vehicle license plates are available at all WDFW offices, since the proceeds from license-plate sales directly benefit non-hunted species of wildlife. For $46, the plates make a fine gift and you might even offer recipients your ideas on what their plates should say.

The ultimate gift for the fisher or hunter on your list is a fishing or hunting license. WDFW and the hundreds of private license vendors across the state won't start selling 2001 licenses until next year, since the licensing season runs from April 1, 2001 through March 31, 2002. But many of those vendors do sell gift certificates that can be redeemed in time for next year's licensing.

Here's a region-by-region account of fishing, viewing, and hunting opportunities available throughout the state:

North Puget Sound:

• Hunting: With the arrival of arctic migrants and fall rainstorms, bird hunting is improving, reports WDFW Waterfowl Program Manager Don Kraege. As more storms move in, birds move inland. Snow geese have arrived in the area, with high numbers of juveniles amongst them. Snow geese hunting continues until Jan. 1 in Island, Skagit and Snohomish counties.

• Fishing: Despite low runs of wild steelhead that have caused the Skagit, Stillaguamish, Snohomish and Puyallup river systems to be added to the list of wild-steelhead-release fisheries, December still will bring fishing opportunities for hatchery steelhead. Those hatchery fish are starting to show in the region's rivers, and the action typically peaks around Christmas, depending on weather and water temperatures, says Chuck Phillips, WDFW's regional fish manager. Meanwhile, lake fishers can still find some cutthroat trout in Lake Washington, according to Steve Foley, WDFW fish biologist. "It's a big lake but there are some quality fish out there if you can find them," says Foley, who suggests trolling close to the surface of deep water with flashers or pop gear. Whitefish-only fishing opens Dec. 1 on a portion of the South Fork of the Skykomish River; whitefish fishing has been open since the first of November and continues through February on King County's Tye River and a portion of Pierce County's White River.

• Wildlife viewing: Some 18,000 snow geese are on hand at the Fir Island Farms snow goose viewing site. Visitors are reminded to use the parking lot; there is no parking on Fir Island Road. The site is ADA accessible. The Cedar River is teeming with some 10,000 sockeye salmon returning to the Cedar River Hatchery in Ravensdale. Get a glimpse of the run from nearby trails overlooking the river.

Olympic Peninsula/South Sound:

• Hunting: Duck hunters have been having a field day – literally – since Thanksgiving weekend, when heavy rains began driving waterfowl inland from the coast into Imperial and Chehalis valleys. Greg Shirato, WDFW wildlife biologist, said widgeons, pintails and mallards have been flocking to the standing water in both areas. "Duck hunters are getting some nice bag limits in both areas," Shirato said. He noted that the lack of a major storm has helped to delay the movement of ducks, but said the numbers for most species are strong this year. "Hunters have really just started to get into them in the last couple of days," he said. Meanwhile, archers and muzzleloaders have taken to the woods in search of deer and elk for the season that opened Nov. 22. As in the modern firearms season that proceeded it, the Minot Peak, Capital Forest, Satsop, Fall River and Coyle game management units – as well as the popular Vail Tree Farm – remain good bets for a buck or bull.

• Fishing: Winter steelhead fishing traditionally starts around the first of December, but the heavy rains over the Thanksgiving weekend gave some fish a head start up the rivers. WDFW is predicting a run of 9,500 hatchery steelhead in the Quillayute system, 2,900 to the Hoh and 2,500 to the Queets. Anglers are reminded that only about 20 percent of the hatchery steelhead in the Queets can be identified by fin clips. The Olympic National Park regulation identifies any steelhead with a dorsal fin height less than two inches – or with adipose or ventral fin clips – as a hatchery fish from Dec. 1 through Jan 31. The daily limit for hatchery steelhead is two fish during that time period, although the regulations change after Feb. 1. Be sure to get a copy of or read the Park regulations at the Salmon River reader board before fishing in the Queets. On the Hoh River, hatchery steelhead are identified as those with a dorsal fin of 2 1/4 inches in height or less when fully extended or those with a missing adipose or ventral fin. The dorsal height measurement is in effect from Nov. 18 through March 16. This regulation is in effect because unmarked hatchery steelhead are returning to the Hoh River as "three salts" from the 1998 smolt plant. Only 44.4 percent of the 1998 smolt plant was adipose-fin clipped, and this regulation provides more opportunity for sport anglers to harvest hatchery steelhead while reducing mixing of hatchery and wild fish on the spawning grounds. And don't close the book on salmon fishing yet: Willapa Bay is open for salmon through Jan. 31, and the Willapa River was choked with coho and chum after the Thanksgiving rains and anglers are getting their limits. Make sure to check the regulations before you go.

• Wildlife viewing: The first cold, wet weather of winter is driving the elk herds down from the slopes of the Olympic Mountains, which now wear a mantle of new-fallen snow. That is making these magnificent animals more accessible to viewing than ever. Big bulls and their cows can sometimes be seen in the parking lots of the Hoh, Quinault and Queets entrances to the Olympic National Park. They also can be seen crossing Highway 101 on a fairly regular basis near Sequim as they look for forage at the northern edge of their range. This can present problems for elk and motorists alike. While it's always a good idea to give these animals – which can weigh up to half a ton – a wide berth, that's especially important if they are standing in your lane of a state highway. Although no motorists have been seriously injured yet, more than a dozen elk have died since 1994 after being hit by vehicles in the area. To address this problem, WDFW worked with local tribes and volunteer organizations to attach radio collars to eight elk in the 81-member herd. Large warning signs along the highway are equipped with lights, which flash whenever the elk herd is near. So, if you're approaching Sequim on Highway 101 and you see those warning lights flashing, slow down. It's fascinating to see these animals up close, but you don't want to get too close.

Southwest Washington:

• Hunting: Normally, this is the peak time for duck hunting, however, this year duck hunters are still waiting for enough rain to improve water availability in the lowlands of Clark, Cowlitz and Lewis counties. Goose season opened the day before Thanksgiving in Western Washington Area 2 and continues from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday through Jan. 14, 2000. Tuesdays have been added to the hunt through Jan. 14, because WDFW has additional federal funds to run check stations. An Area 2 exception is at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, where the season is open Saturday, Monday and Wednesday only and closed Christmas and New Year's days. The heavily regulated and monitored hunt is designed to protect the dusky Canada goose population while providing damage relief for area farms. Opening day harvests were high, and the weekend days slower. Check page 8 of the WDFW guide, "Migratory Waterfowl and Upland Game Seasons," for zone descriptions. Hunters should call (360) 696-6211 and press *1030 for a daily status of the zones. Several Game Management Units are open for late deer and elk hunting for archers and muzzleloader hunters. These seasons will extend through December 15.

• Fishing: The focus in the region this time of year is winter steelhead and sturgeon. A prime spot for steelhead, suggested by WDFW biologist Joe Hymer, is the Cowlitz River where some 761,000 smolts were planted in 1999 and are now returning as two-salts which should average around 8 pounds. Average catch on the Cowlitz continues to be half a hatchery steelhead per angler (with some three-salt fish into the mid-teens) per boat angler. Most of the fishery is centered near the trout hatchery. Other good places to try are lower Grays, Elochoman, Kalama, North and East Fork of the Lewis and Washougal rivers. A good urban fishing spot is Salmon Creek near Salmon Creek Park in Vancouver, where the fish are released as smolts. Blue Creek, which enters the Cowlitz at the trout hatchery, opens for the first time to the public for hatchery cutthroat and steelhead fishing beginning Friday, Dec. 1. There's a daily limit of five trout with no more than two fish over 20 inches long from the mouth of the creek to posted signs upstream from the rearing pond outlet. Minimum size is 12 inches. A new development at Blue Creek is the addition of a wheelchair-accessible site for two or three wheelchair fishers at a time. Only wheelchair fishers may fish from this specially signed area immediately around the rearing pond outlet. Register and pick up an identification tag at the Cowlitz Trout hatchery lobby. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Though the water is lower than average in the creek, hatchery staff say there are fish to be had. Water volume is expected to increase in the next week to ten days, increasing fishing opportunity along with it. Wild cutthroat, wild steelhead and any steelhead with a missing ventral fin must be released. The season lasts through December. In addition, lower Mill Creek, which enters the Cowlitz at the salmon hatchery, will be open to fishing for hatchery steelhead in December. Wild steelhead and steelhead with missing ventral fins must be released. Both Blue and Mill creeks have night closure and non-buoyant lure restrictions. Sturgeon fishing has been good at times from Kalama to Bonneville Dam where boat anglers in some areas have averaged half a fish per boat based on incomplete trips. Tip your frozen smelt with a fresh sand shrimp for best results.

• Wildlife viewing: Take a driving tour of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge near Ridgefield, or walk the two-mile self-guided interpretive Carty Unit trail; either way, you'll see nature's winter face. This lower Columbia floodplain attracts thousands of wintering waterfowl on the Pacific Flyway. The shallow ponds, sloughs and riparian woodlands harbor Canada geese, western Canada goose and dusky all year round. December typically brings tundra swans and bald eagles into the mix, so watch for their arrival.

Eastern Washington:

• Hunting: Muzzleloader deer hunters have some new opportunity now through Dec. 8 for antlerless and three-point buck whitetails in the Steptoe unit of northern Whitman County (GMU 139), where some landowners with deer-damage problems welcome hunters. Muzzleloaders can call the Spokane office (509-892-1001) for landowner names and phone numbers. Advanced Hunter Education graduate hunters can hunt antlerless whitetails in GMUs 127-142 from Dec. 9 through Dec. 15; contacts with some landowners in these areas who are looking for hunters can be made through the Spokane office, too. Late archery deer hunting is open through Dec. 15 in several northeast units (1001, 105, 117, 121, 124.) This is the sort of year waterfowl hunters either pray for or curse – early freeze-up can be a blessing or a problem, depending on your style of hunting. Most of Lincoln, Spokane and Whitman county ponds and small lakes are frozen so local ducks have left and many "northerners" are flying by. Hunting ducks is restricted to moving waters (creeks, streams, rivers) and large lakes until or if a thaw occurs. Field shooting for ducks in stubble and waste grain fields near large bodies of water or streams which do not freeze can be good. Geese, which have less of a problem with snow depth than ducks, are less likely to leave the area and have well-established feeding patterns. Jump shooting both types of waterfowl on small creeks can be very successful at this time if you have permission to hunt on a stream that provides food or is near some grain fields. Generally, the farther south you go, the better your chances of finding both ducks and geese. The Snake River reservoirs, Long Lake on the Spokane, and Lake Roosevelt are holding waterfowl.

• Fishing: Four winter-only rainbow trout lakes open to fishing Dec. 1: Fourth-of-July Lake on the Lincoln-Adams county line south of Sprague, where only two of the five-trout daily catch limit can be over 14 inches (some fish are running up to 21 inches!); Hog Canyon Lake northeast of Sprague in Spokane County; Hatch Lake north of Colville in Stevens County, which was just restocked this year after a rotenone treatment and should provide 10-inchers; and Williams Lake, also north of Colville in Stevens County, where the rainbows are running 10 to 16 inches. Ferry County's Sherman Creek, from the mouth at Lake Roosevelt to 400 feet upstream of the hatchery water diversion dam, opens for its special Dec. 1-Aug. 31 season for all game fish. The Little Spokane River, from the Highway 291 bridge to the west branch, opens Dec. 1 to whitefish only. Snake and Grande Ronde river steelheading continues to produce hatchery keepers at a rate of under 10 hours per fish.

• Wildlife viewing: A hawk owl has been spotted on a regular basis near Highway 395 between Addy and Arden in Stevens County. This diurnal or day-flying hawk, a little smaller than a crow and heavily barred, is rarely seen this far south, normally being a resident of Alaska and the Yukon. It is unlike many other owls that sit very upright, perching instead at the tip of a tree, jerking its head and tail like a shrike or sparrow hawk as it looks for rodents and other prey. Watch for snow buntings among the horned larks along the open country roadsides, and northern shrikes on fence and power lines.

North Central Washington:

• Hunting: Waterfowl hunting is a mixed bag with smaller iced-up areas devoid of ducks and geese and some of the larger waters still holding birds. Field shooting for ducks in stubble and waste grain fields near large bodies of water or streams which do not freeze can be good. Geese, which have less of a problem with snow depth than ducks, are less likely to leave the area and have well-established feeding patterns. Generally, the farther south you go, the better your chances of finding both ducks and geese. Late archery deer hunting is available through Dec. 8 in several Okanogan County units and in the Beezley unit of Grant County.

• Fishing: Four Okanogan County lakes open Dec. 1 for winter-only trout fishing: Green Lake and Lower or Little Green Lake, about five miles northwest of Omak, should produce catches of nine to 14-inch rainbows; Little Twin Lake, about two miles south of Winthrop, has mostly 11-inch rainbows with some up to 16 inches; Rat Lake, about 5-1/2 miles north of Brewster, offers rainbows from 11 to 16 inches, plus 14-inch brown trout. The Chewuch, Entiat, Methow, Similkameen, and Wenatchee rivers and Sinlahekin Creek open Dec. 1 for whitefish only, many with the requirement of using only one single hook 3/16-inch or smaller measured point to shank (size #14).

• Wildlife viewing: Keep an eye out for redpolls migrating in from the north and mixing with those house finches at your backyard bird feeders; both species sport that beautiful rosy color, but check your field guide and you'll see there are lots of distinguishing characteristics. Watch for snow buntings among the horned larks along the open country roadsides, and northern shrikes on fence and power lines.

South Central Washington:

• Hunting: Many of the smaller ponds are now frozen over and waterfowl opportunities are primarily located on the Yakima and Columbia rivers and some small flowing creeks. Few northern birds have yet to arrive in the Yakima area. Chukar and quail are around but you now have to work a bit harder to find them as they are much more wary than early in the season. The few wild pheasants available are cagey old roosters that are more likely to run than fly. And when they do fly, they're usually out of gun range. Plan on working hard with good dogs and blockers for your birds. Late archery and muzzleloader deer hunting is open through Dec. 8 in a few units; check the regulations pamphlet for details.

• Fishing: The Naches, Yakima (above Rosa), Bumping, Tieton, CleElum, and Klickitat rivers open to fishing Dec. 1 for whitefish. All of these waters are closed to the taking of steelhead and salmon. The Yakima above Rosa is catch and release for trout. North Elton Pond in Yakima County near Selah, alongside Interstate-82, will be stocked right before the Dec. 1 winter-only season opener with half-pound rainbows; there is a two-trout daily catch limit and no internal combustion engine boats are allowed. If cold weather holds there may be ice fishing opportunities before too long.

• Wildlife viewing: Wintering bald eagles are showing up along rivers and streams throughout the region, especially where salmon carcasses are available. Winter feeding of elk and bighorn sheep has not yet started at WDFW's Oak Creek Wildlife Area, just off Highway 12 west of Naches, since the area's first snow just fell Nov. 29 and there is still plenty of natural forage available. But many elk and a few bighorn sheep are already gathering in the winter feeding yard in anticipation of the free meals. Area manager John McGowan welcomes viewers anytime and says that elk watching is available throughout Oak Creek from its many primitive roads; he advises being prepared for winter driving conditions and packing binoculars for best views.