The official start of winter is still a few weeks away, but the change of season is already apparent on rivers, lakes and fields throughout the state.

Winter steelhead, arriving like clockwork, are now beginning to move into streams near the coast, while a number of salmon fisheries in western Washington are closing for the year. On the eastside, several popular winter-fishing lakes - including Fourth of July Lake and Hog Canyon Lake - will open to catch-and-keep angling Dec. 1.

And while some archers and muzzleloaders are still stalking deer and elk, many hunters have now shifted their attention to the winter flights of ducks and geese arriving from the north.

"A lot of anglers look forward to the winter months just so they can fish for steelhead," said Bob Leland, statewide steelhead manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). "Well, the wait is just about over."

Leland said the department is already hearing reports of good hatchery steelhead fishing on several Olympic Peninsula rivers, including the Bogachiel, Quillayute and Queets. Other rivers, from the Cowlitz in southwest Washington to the Snohomish in northern Puget Sound, should be close behind.

"We're expected some especially good returns of hatchery fish this year to those two rivers, plus the Chehalis River and the Kalama River, said Leland, noting that statewide harvest summaries for previous years can be found on the WDFW website.

If history is any guide, runs of hatchery steelhead will build through December, followed by increasing numbers of wild fish through the end of the season, Leland said. Anglers may retain one wild steelhead per year, provided it is caught on one of 12 specified rivers - 11 of them on the Olympic Peninsula.

For more information on steelhead fishing and other opportunities for outdoor recreation throughout the state, see the regional reports below:

North Puget Sound

• Fishing: A few stalwart anglers continue to hook some chinook, chum and coho, but most are waiting for steelhead. The steelhead season in North Sound usually gets going around the end of November and really starts to pick up in mid-December. So far, the best steelhead fishing is on the coast, said Steve Foley, WDFW fisheries biologist. "I haven't heard much in the North Sound area yet," Foley said. "But it's just getting started."

  In the rivers, some chum and coho are still being caught, but it's been slow throughout the region. "Everybody seems to be waiting for steelhead," said Chad Jackson, WDFW fish biologist. "Anglers are out there fishing and they are catching fish, but it's not dynamite," he said.

  As for blackmouth, catch counts did pick up a bit. At the Everett boat ramp, 28 anglers checked in 12 chinook on Nov. 20. A week later, 31 anglers accounted for five chinook at the Everett ramp. Elsewhere, 18 anglers brought in a total of five chinook at the Edmonds sling on Nov. 19, while 15 anglers accounted for four chinook on Nov. 20.

  In December, salmon anglers will have to avoid Marine Area 9. The Admiralty Inlet marine area closes Nov. 30 for salmon fishing. The daily bag limit for salmon in Marine Area 10 (Bremerton/Seattle) drops from two to one fish on Dec. 1. Anglers should check the 2005/2006 Fishing in Washington pamphlet for more information on fishing rule changes.

• Hunting: Muzzleloader and archery hunters still have opportunities for black-tail deer. Muzzleloaders in the North Sound Game Management Unit (GMU) and Islands GMU can take any deer and, in the Snoqualmie GMU, any buck. Archery hunters in the Sauk GMU have a two-point minimum or antlerless, while in the Snoqualmie GMU they are limited to bucks only. In the Stampede, North Sound and Islands units archery hunters can take any deer. The various hunting areas for deer close at different times in December. Hunters should check WDFW's Big Game Hunting pamphlet for more information on the closures.

  There also are elk opportunities for muzzleloader and archery hunters. In the Issaquah GMU, muzzleloaders and archery hunters can take any elk. Archery hunters in the North Sound GMU have a three-point minimum or anterless. The muzzleloader and archery seasons for elk close Dec. 15 in both GMUs.

  Thousands of snow geese remain in the North Sound area. The snow geese are feeding on winter wheat at the Snow Geese Reserve on Fir Island, said Lora Leschner, WDFW regional wildlife program manager. "The geese are drawing many bird watchers and a few hopeful hunters," she said.

  Recent weather has kept some hunters from targeting waterfowl in the Skagit Wildlife Area, said Leschner. "Waterfowl have taken quite a toll on the barley on the Island Unit and are beginning to feed in heavier numbers at the Headquarters Unit," she said. "Dense fog and a lack of wind and rain have kept hunting pressure fairly light."

  Meanwhile, pheasant hunts wrapped up today (Nov. 30), and so did pheasant releases in North Sound. About 4,600 pheasants were released over an 11-week period in the Snoqualmie Wildlife Area, and about 4,300 were released in the Skagit Wildlife Area. In the Lake Terrell Wildlife Area, about 4,700 pheasants were released, and on Whidbey Island about 2,000 birds were released. For hunters in pursuit of forest grouse, there are still opportunities as the season continues through the end of the year.

• Wildlife viewing: The waters between Edmonds and Kingston continued to be a hot spot for viewing orcas in Puget Sound. About eight to 10 orcas were spotted in the area over several days. "There looked to be at least two males with the group," one observer reported to the Orca Network website. Another observer at Clinton, on the southern end of Whidbey Island, spotted about eight orcas, including one adult male and one calf. "They were swimming rapidly with some playing and feeding behaviors observed," he reported.

  A birder reporting to Tweeters birding website saw two great egrets at Big Ditch, which is north of Stanwood. The two egrets were perched on a piece of driftwood. Great egrets are long-legged and long-necked birds with white plumage, according to the Seattle Audubon Society. They can be found in freshwater wetlands, feeding with great egrets or other herons, according to the Audubon society.

  Another birder reported that the Northern State Recreation Area near Sedro-Woolley was a good area to see all kinds of birds. Among the birder's numerous sightings at the recreation area was a northern pygmy owl, which is a small owl with a long tail and yellow feet. Northern pygmy owls are often seen during the day, and are widespread, according to the Audubon society. They are more often seen east of the Cascades during the winter.

South Sound/Olympic Peninsula

• Fishing: Winter steelhead are moving into rivers throughout the area in increasing numbers as a number of salmon fisheries are shifting to "winter rules." Although WDFW won't start creel checks on north-coast rivers until Dec. 1, "the steelhead are definitely starting to show," said Scott Barbour, a fish biologist for the department. "We're already hearing reports of good steelhead fishing on the Bogachiel, Quillayute and Queets rivers," Barbour said. "I know that anglers are also catching some hatchery steelhead on the Wynoochee and Humptulips, along with some coho salmon."

  If past years are any indication, runs of hatchery steelhead to area rivers will build through December, followed by increasing numbers of wild fish through the end of the season, said Bill Freymond, WDFW regional fish manager. "With the kinds of (stream) flows we've had, I'd be surprised if there weren't a good number of hatchery fish in the rivers right now," Freymond said. He noted that WDFW's preseason forecast calls for an "average" return of hatchery steelhead to most north coast rivers, including 11,000 fish to the Quillayute system, about 2,700 to the Hoh and about 3,600 to the Queets. The daily limit for hatchery steelhead is two fish.

  Anglers may retain one wild steelhead per year, provided it is caught on one of 12 specified rivers - 11 of them on the Olympic Peninsula. Those rivers are the Bogachiel, Calawah, Clearwater, Dickey, Goodman, Green, Hoh, Hoko, Pysht, Quillayute, Quinault and Sol Duc. Anglers must release any wild steelhead caught on all other rivers and streams throughout the state. Freymond strongly recommends that anglers check the 2005-06 Fishing in Washington pamphlet for rules on individual rivers before heading out.

  That's good advice for salmon anglers, too, because fishing rules for a number of waters change Dec. 1. All salmon fishing ends that day in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and in Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet), and the daily bag limit in Marine Area 10 (Bremerton/Seattle) drops from two salmon to one. Rivers closing to salmon fishing Dec. 1 include the Bogachiel, Dickey, Hoh, Quillayute, Sol Duc and Wishkah. In addition, coho retention rules will change that day on rivers including the Chehalis, Humptulips and Wynoochee - more good reasons to double-check the regulations before leaving home.

  Dec. 1 also marks the opening of the pot fishery for crab on the coast, including Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay. The daily limit is six Dungeness crab (males only, six inches minimum size) and six red rock crab (any sex, five inches minimum size). The next razor clam opening is tentatively set to run Dec. 30 through Jan. 1 on evening tides at five beaches, plus Jan. 2 at Twin Harbors and Mocrocks. WDFW will announce the final word on those digs about a week ahead of time, once the results of marine toxin tests are known.

• Hunting: As the big-game season winds down this month, more hunters will turn their attention to birds. Archers and muzzleloaders are getting the last crack at elk and deer with their seasons wrapping up Dec. 8, 15 or 31, depending on the area. Many game-management units that were open for the early season are now off-limits, so hunters should check the 2005 Big Game Hunting pamphlet for details, said Jack Smith, WDFW regional wildlife program manager.

  Bird numbers have peaked, Smith said, but there is still plenty of waterfowl hunting available. Stormy weather is in the forecast, which should get the birds flying and exposed to hunters, particularly around Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay. The Chehalis River valley and some of the inland streams should also have birds that have moved off of the bays to feed in flooded fields, Smith said. The majority of local birds are mallards, which are joined by widgeons moving in from the bays, Smith said. There are also quite a few teal around. Goose hunting has better than usual all season, particularly for the smaller species, Smith said. However, he cautioned hunters in the Chehalis valley to watch out for swans, which are off-limits to hunting.

• Wildlife viewing: Amid the occasional orca sightings, whale watchers in the Strait of Juan de Fuca were treated to a couple other species. A humpback whale was spotted "milling" west of Race Rocks near Victoria, an observer reported to the Orca Network website. Another observer spotted a humpback in the same area near a pod of orcas, slowly heading south. Near Seiku, two gray whales were feeding in the strait, "deep off the mouth of the Seiku River, beyond the kelp bed," an observer reported. The gray whales seemed to stay in the Seiku area, feeding between Shipwreck Point and the mouth of the Seiku River. "Over the last several days, anywhere from two to six gray whales have been sighted during daylight. One of the sprays is quite small, and one is very large and powerful," according to the observer. Also, off Point No Point, a minke whale was sighted feeding. "There was also a juvenile male elephant seal bobbing in the same area," wrote the observer.

  A birder reporting to Tweeters birding website saw six to eight white-tailed ptarmigan below the Paradise Inn at Mount Rainier National Park. The ptarmigan were pure white and "feeding on buds and heather shrubs," wrote the birder. White-tailed ptarmigan are the smallest grouse in North America, and the only grouse in Washington with white tail feathers, according to the Seattle Audubon Society. In the winter, they are pure white. In the summer, they have brown and gray streaks, but the tail remains white. White-tailed ptarmigan are often difficult to find because they inhabit remote areas, such as rocky, alpine sites around 7,000 feet. Another birder sighted a snowy owl at Ediz Hook in Port Angeles. The owl is an irregular winter visitor to Washington, according to the Audubon society. They are large owls with white faces and yellow eyes. The owls are migratory and their abundance varies from year to year.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: Growing numbers of steelheaders have been spotted along the Cowlitz in recent days, but the best fishing is upriver at Lake Scanewa where late coho are still providing plenty of action. Creel checks conducted Nov. 27 tallied 25 boat anglers averaging one fish apiece, although the five bank anglers surveyed that day got skunked. "Right now, Lake Scanewa is probably the best bet for coho in southwest Washington," said Wolf Dammers, WDFW fish biologist. Fishing should remain good, because WDFW plans to keep the lake stocked with coho throughout the winter, Dammers said. Anglers can check the Tacoma Power website for a report of recent hatchery returns and fish transported to the lake.

  The lower Cowlitz and other area rivers could provide some stiff competition to the Lake Scanewa cohofest once winter steelhead arrive en masse in the next few weeks, Dammers said. On the Kalama River, 25 hatchery steelhead were recycled from the Kalama Falls Hatchery to the lower river Nov. 28 - more than doubling the number of winter steelhead recycled so far. "There and elsewhere, the numbers of fish arriving at the hatcheries are picking up day by day," Dammers said. He noted that WDFW released nearly 78,000 steelhead smolts in the Kalama River system, 189,000 smolts in the Lewis River system and 460,000 in the Cowlitz River system last year, sewing the seeds for this year=s fishery. Hatchery steelhead smolts are released in other southwest Washington streams as well. "By mid December, the fishery for hatchery steelhead should be in full swing," he said.

  Starting Dec. 1, Blue and Mill creeks - both tributaries to the Cowlitz River in Lewis County - will open for hatchery steelhead. Blue Creek also opens for hatchery sea-run cutthroat that day. For more information on rivers and streams open to steelhead fishing, see WDFW's Fishing in Washington pamphlet.

  Still want to catch a sturgeon? Dress warmly. Strong easterly winds have recently made for difficult fishing conditions, taking a heavy toll on success rates below Bonneville Dam.

• Hunting: Archers and muzzleloaders are getting some of the wet, blustery weather that eluded hunters using modern firearms during the late buck season that ended Nov. 20. "Conditions were clear and calm throughout the four-day late buck season, which wasn't ideal for hunting," said Eric Holman, WDFW wildlife biologist. "The animals are more wary, and tend to become nocturnal." But with strong winds and more snow in the forecast, archers and muzzleloaders shouldn't have that problem. "Snow tends to make deer and elk congregate and, of course, makes them easier to track. But it also makes it harder for hunters to get around, so it can be a mixed blessing."

  For that reason, Holman urges hunters to take additional precautions during the late seasons that extend into mid- and late December in some game management areas (GMUs). (See the WDFW Big Game Hunting pamphlet for specific GMUs.) "Particularly at this time of year, it's important that hunters know the area they plan to hunt - the road system, the gates, the boundaries. You don't want to be out there just slogging around in the salal."

  As big game seasons wind down, Holman encourages hunters to complete their harvest reports and send them to the department. Successful hunters are required to report a kill within 10 days and all hunters must report their hunting activities by Jan. 31. (See page 11 of the Big Game Hunting pamphlet for details.) Under a new rule approved by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, hunters who miss the deadline must pay a $10 penalty before they can purchase a 2006 license.

  Goose hunting in Area 2A closed Nov. 27, but should be good when it reopens Dec. 7, said Fred Dobler, WDFW regional wildlife manager. "Hunter turnout was fairly low during the first part of the season, but success rates were on the rise," said Dobler, noting that this year's hunt will run 30 days compared to 18 days last year. Hunters must pass a goose-identification exam to hunt in Area 2A, which includes Wahkiakum and Cowlitz counties along with part of Clark County. Once the season resumes Dec. 7, hunting will be open on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, except in the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, where hunt days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Hunting will be closed throughout Area 2A on Christmas and New Year's Day. Tests will be administered through Dec. 12, so hunters still have time to qualify for this year's season.

• Wildlife viewing: Stumped by a birdcall? One quick reference is the Clark County Parks and Recreation website, which features recordings made of more than a dozen species at county parks. Hear the "graack-graack" of a great blue heron, recorded at Frenchman's Bar or the urgent cheeping of an osprey at Lacamas Lake. Other calls include those of the common merganser, killdeer, belted kindfisher, double-crested cormorant, barn swallow and downy woodpecker, as well as several species common to your own backyard. Sure, there are other online sources for this sort of thing. But the Clark County website narrows the field to those birds most common to southwest Washington.

  One species not heard on the website is the sandhill crane, a seasonal visitor at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. Eleven cranes were recently sighted there in the River "S" Unit by a contributor to the Tweeters birdwatching website. Their call ("garoo-a-a-a") can be heard for more than a mile.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: The winter-only rainbow trout lake fishing opener on Dec. 1 is a "good news/bad news" event, says Chris Donley, WDFW district fish biologist. The good news is recent sampling showed 90 percent of the fish in Fourth of July Lake on the Lincoln-Adams county line, and 35 percent at Hog Canyon Lake in southwest Spokane County, are well over 14 inches. "They're nice, fat fish that grew well over the summer and there are lots of them," Donley said.

  The bad news is that below-freezing temperatures at night have those waters iced over enough to make boat launching difficult and ice-fishing not yet safe. "The low water level alone at Fourth of July in particular makes boat launching a challenge," Donley said. "And now with the addition of ice, it will be a trying experience to reach any open water." Both lakes have a daily bag limit of five fish, with no more than two over 14 inches. That means Hog Canyon is the best bet for those who want to bring home five fish. Fly or lure fishers who want to catch-and-release bigger trout might prefer Fourth of July, where the bait fisher will be going home early with just two fish. Also opening on Dec. 1 are two rainbow trout lakes in Stevens County - Williams Lake, about 14 miles north of Colville, and Hatch Lake, about five miles southeast of Colville. According to pre-season sampling by WDFW district fish biologist Curt Vail, Williams Lake anglers can expect lots of 9- to 10-inch rainbows from this year's fry plants, and a fair number of 14-inch or better carryovers from last year. Hatch Lake fishing will probably be poor since it has a growing infestation of small, illegally-introduced yellow perch and has not been stocked with hatchery trout.

  Lenny Hahn, WDFW enforcement officer, said fishermen are having fairly good success at Whitman County's year-round Rock Lake, where both rainbow and brown trout grow big from annual fry and yearling hatchery plants. WDFW biologist Todd Baarstad reports that fishing for net-pen-reared rainbow trout of up to 20 inches is outstanding at Lake Roosevelt, downriver from the town of Lincoln in northcentral Lincoln County.

  Snake River steelheading has slowed considerably, according to WDFW fish biologist Joe Bumgarner, who coordinates the weekly creel survey. The average catch rate among all anglers last surveyed at all sites was over 22 hours of fishing per steelhead caught. The best fishing is on the tributaries, which are running low and clear now, including the Walla Walla River, where among 14 steelheaders checked, the average was just under seven hours of fishing per catch. Stretches of the mainstem Snake River, between the dams, average from about 18 hours of effort per steelhead to almost 31 hours. The lower Grand Ronde River, from Bogan's Oasis to state line and on down to Wildcat Creek, is checked by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife staff who recently reported just over four hours of fishing effort per steelhead caught.

• Hunting: It's late season deer and elk hunting for archers and muzzleloaders in select game management units throughout the region and recent cold weather and snow should increase opportunities and success rates. WDFW enforcement officer Lenny Hahn reports muzzleloaders are successfully hunting the Cheney unit (130), which is the only unit open to both mule and whitetail deer. "I encourage hunters to contact landowners if they are willing to harvest antlerless mule deer that have been causing crop damage problems," Hahn said.

  WDFW hatchery specialist Jim Muse, who was recently hunting whitetail deer with his muzzleloader in the Selkirk unit (113), advises other hunters to be careful about identifying deer. "There seem to be many mule deer in that area, and it's only open for whitetail harvest," he said. All archers and muzzleloaders should check the hunting regulations pamphlet (2005-2006 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules Pamphlet) carefully to be sure they understand unit boundaries, antler point restrictions, and other late season rules.

  The general hunting season for cougars ends Nov. 30 in Game Management Units in Ferry, Stevens and Pend Oreille counties. A pilot hound-hunting season for cougar in those areas begins Dec. 1. For details see Cougar Hunting Season With The Aid Of Dogs.

  Upland game bird and waterfowl hunting should improve with more wintery weather, which helps hold birds in cover, increases scent trails for dogs, and moves migratory birds around. Pheasant releases on select sites continue; for details see Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Program.

• Wildlife viewing: WDFW district wildlife biologist Howard Ferguson of Spokane says there are lots of waterfowl, raptors and other birds on or near Spokane County's larger bodies of water that have yet to freeze. Local birders recently reported green-winged teal and Canada geese at Philleo Lake; northern shrikes, northern harriers, red-tailed hawks, prairie falcons, barn owls along Rock Lake Road; western grebe, common goldeneye, bufflehead, ring-necked duck, ruddy duck at Williams Lake; trumpeter swan, tundra swans, common merganser, great blue heron, marsh wren at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge; American wigeon, gadwall, pied-billed grebe, common loon, American coot at Clear Lake; hooded merganser, canvasback at West Medical Lake; western grebes, horned grebes, double-crested cormorants, ring-billed gulls, northern shovelers, mallards at Medical Lake; and many of the same species at Liberty and Newman lakes.

  Elk viewing is the biggest draw of Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge's free winter festival on Saturday, Dec. 3. Although the 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. guided elk-viewing tours are already booked full, the refuge's senior wildlife biologist Mike Rule says that visitors can hike, snowshoe or cross-country-ski on their own south of the headquarters building and likely see elk. Rule also says the auto tour route is plowed to allow easy windshield viewing of the refuge's waterfowl and other birds and wildlife. The festival, which runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., also includes a presentation of live hawks and owls and live Celtic, blues, folk and bluegrass music.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: WDFW district fish biologist Bob Jateff, of Omak, says the Methow Valley's winter fishing lakes - Davis, Campbell, Cougar and Little Twin - will provide opportunities for rainbow trout after they are frozen enough to safely walk on and drill ice fishing holes. Little Twin shifts from catch-and-release to a catch-and-keep season on Dec. 1; the others shifted earlier in September. Green and Lower Green lakes, near Omak, and Rat Lake, near Brewster, also shift to the winter catch-and-keep season Dec. 1. Lower Green Lake should be a good bet when ice is solid. But Green and Rat lakes were treated earlier this year to rid them of non-trout infestations. Although those lakes received some hatchery fingerling trout, Jateff says they won't provide much of a fishery until next year. Sidley Lake, near Oroville, is very popular with ice fishermen, who sometimes catch 18-inch rainbows. Roses Lake, just north of Manson in Chelan County, just received 101 hatchery rainbow trout, weighing almost one-and-a-half pounds each, and over 20,000 one-third-pound rainbows.

  Jateff says the Rufous Woods reservoir off the Columbia River continues to produce triploid rainbows to five pounds for boat as well as bank anglers. Another Columbia reservoir, Banks Lake, also has been providing good rainbow fishing, according to WDFW fish biologist Matt Polacek. "Fishing at Banks has been good for shore fishers from the jetty at Coulee City Park on the south end of the lake," he said. "Anglers are using marshmallows and worms and getting morning and noon bites. Anglers trolling from boats at the north end near the canal are using apex spoons in eight to18 feet of water. Boat anglers are averaging about four to five rod hours for a bag limit. The fish are averaging 20 inches with some in the 21-23 inch range."

  Polacek also notes that yellow perch fishing is still good along weed beds in the north bays of Banks Lake. "The perch are averaging about 10 to 12 inches there," he said. "You can also catch perch from the docks at Coulee City Park, but the fish are smaller. Smallmouth bass fishing has been good, but is starting to decrease with water temperatures."

  Jateff reports that fishing for steelhead has slowed down considerably on those stretches of the Columbia, Methow and Similkameen rivers that are open. "Those who do venture out during these colder months will find uncrowded fishing spots," he said.

  Portions of the Chewuch, Entiat, Methow, Similkameen, and Wenatchee rivers, and Sinlahekin Creek, open to fishing for whitefish Dec. 1. WDFW fish biologist Art Viola of Cashmere says that whitefish are an under-utilized resource that make for tasty tablefare, especially smoked. "The whitefish season is a good excuse to get out of the house and escape the winter doldrums," Viola said. "Anglers can do fairly well on whitefish once they find the winter schools of fish. Some use caddisfly or stonefly larvae or nymphs as bait, collected right in the water using a screen." Viola reminds whitefish anglers that only size 14 or smaller hooks can be used to avoid hooking steelhead or other off-limits fish. However, while the steelhead season remains open on the Methow and Similkameen rivers, whitefish gear rules will not apply.

• Hunting: Upland game bird and waterfowl hunting should improve with more wintery weather, which helps hold birds in cover, increases scent trails for dogs, and moves migratory birds around. Pheasant releases on select sites continue; for details see Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Program. More ducks and geese are moving into the Columbia Basin's big waters, like Potholes Reservoir, Moses Lake and parts of the Columbia River; see the latest aerial waterfowl count information at Geese and Duck Flights.

  The general hunting season for cougars ends Nov. 30 in game management units in Okanogan and Chelan counties so that the pilot hound-hunting season in that area can begin on the first of December. For details see Cougar Hunting Season With The Aid Of Dogs.

  Late archery deer hunting is underway through Dec. 8 in some game management units throughout the region. Archers should check the hunting regulations pamphlet (2005-2006 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules Pamphlet) carefully to be sure they understand unit boundaries, antler point restrictions and other late season rules.

• Wildlife viewing: Snow buntings, common redpolls, gyrfalcons and other visitors from the north have arrived in the Columbia Basin since recent winter storms. More ducks and geese are also down from Canada, settling on Moses Lake, Pothole Reservoir and Wanapum Dam pool on the Columbia River; see the latest aerial waterfowl count information at Geese and Duck Flights.

  Backyard winter feeding birders are seeing not only the usual seed and suet-eaters - chickadees, nuthatches, house finches, goldfinches, white-crowned sparrows, juncos, towhees - but also a few bird-eaters like Cooper's hawks, sharp-shinned hawks and pygmy owls.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: Dec. 1 marks the opening of whitefish season portions of the Bumping, Klickitat, Naches, Tieton and Yakima rivers. Only one single hook 3/16-inch or smaller measured point to shank (size 14) may be used to avoid hooking off-limits fish such as steelhead or salmon. There's no minimum size limit on whitefish and up to 15 can be taken daily. Also opening on the first is rainbow trout fishing at North Elton Pond near Selah alongside Interstate 82. This 15-acre lake is well stocked prior to this winter-only season with half-pound rainbows. The season remains open through March 31.

  Some of Yakima County's year-round rainbow trout fisheries received surplus rainbow trout broodstock from WDFW's Goldendale Fish Hatchery during Thanksgiving weekend. I-82 Pond #4 and Rotary Lake each received 22 ten-pounders and 108 just under five pounds each. Myron Lake received 15 ten-pounders and 73 just under five pounds each.

• Hunting: Late archery deer and elk hunting is under way through Dec. 8 in some game management units throughout the region. Archers should check the hunting regulations pamphlet (2005-2006 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules Pamphlet) carefully to be sure they understand unit boundaries, antler point restrictions and other late season rules.

  Upland game bird and waterfowl hunting should improve with more wintery weather, which helps hold birds in cover, increases scent trails for dogs and moves migratory birds around. Pheasant releases on select sites continue; for details see Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Program.

• Wildlife Viewing: WDFW habitat program manager Perry Harvester reports bald eagles are back along the Yakima and Naches rivers and are visible between Selah and Union Gap within the city limits of Yakima. The Yakima Greenway Trail parallels the streams at this location, he notes, so there is plenty of room to park and walk, or ride a bike. Elk, deer, and bighorn sheep are visible at the usual feeding areas on WDFW's Oak Creek Wildlife Area, although feeding has not yet started. "More animals are expected to move lower with predicted snow, so viewing from roadsides will be even easier," Harvester said. "Just be careful about pulling off the road to look and avoiding collisions with wildlife on the road." Harvester also noted that ice is forming on small lakes and ponds, which will move waterfowl off and toward bigger waters.