December 15-29, 1999

Contact: Craig Bartlett (360) 902-2259

OLYMPIA – Need a break from holiday shopping and all those turkey dinners? Washington offers plenty of opportunities to stretch your legs and enjoy the great outdoors, even on a cold winter day.

If you're a bird watcher – or think you might want to be – spotting teams are forming up throughout the state for the 100th annual Christmas Bird Count, which runs from Dec. 16 to Jan. 3. Birders in Washington, along with those from Alaska to Argentina, will be counting every bird they see in one 24-hour period within those dates and reporting their results to the Audubon Society. If you want to get involved, call your local Audubon chapter or check out the state chapter's website.

Or perhaps you're thinking about a trip to the coast. Three major ocean beaches will be open for razor-clam digging during a five-day period this month, offering a chance for a great family outing. (Openings for specific beaches from Dec. 19 through Dec. 23 are noted below in the Olympia Peninsula section.) Thousands have turned out for winter openings recent years, so it's a good idea to make reservations.

Whether clamming, bird watching, beach combing or enjoying any of the other outdoor opportunities available at this time of the year, it's always important to dress for the weather and use good judgment. But with the right clothes and the right state of mind, the holiday season can be a great time to enjoy the great outdoors.

Northern Puget Sound:

• Fishing: Winter steelhead fishing appears to be off to a slower-than-average start, although the outlook should be clearer by Christmas, says Chuck Phillips, fish program manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's (WDFW's) Region 4 office in Mill Creek. Historically, the Snohomish River system, which also includes the Snoqualmie and Skykomish rivers, has offered some of the best catches, with the Skagit, Stillaguamish and Green rivers also popular. At present, both wild and hatchery steelhead may be kept, but Phillips advises fishers to keep checking throughout the season for emergency changes requiring the release of wild (unmarked) steelhead. (For current information call the WDFW hotline at 360-902-2500). In marine waters, recreational crab fishers still are finding some success, with the non-commercial crabbing zone around Anacortes and Chuckanut Bay one of the better spots to try, says Norm Lemberg in WDFW's La Conner office. Mud Bay on Lopez Island also is promising but offers only boat access. Crabbing is expected to close by the first of the year in Marine Area 8-2 (from Port Susan to the southern tip of Whidbey Island) and possibly in Marine Area 8-1 (waters east of Whidbey Island) because crabs are molting and going into soft shell condition earlier than usual. Check for emergency closures by calling the WDFW Shellfish Rule Change Hotline at (360) 796-3215.

• Hunting: Late-season archery hunters can continue to seek out deer through Dec. 31 in several game management units, including GMU 407 (North Sound), 410 (Island) and 454 (Issaquah), but these areas are mostly private lands. "Getting access is the real challenge -- people have to get landowner permission before they set out to hunt," said Lora Leschner, Region 4 wildlife manager. For waterfowl hunters, the next two weeks are the last opportunity of the season for snow geese, with hunting closing Jan. 2. Recent aerial surveys showed some 40,000 snow geese between Port Susan Bay and the Canadian border, said WDFW District Biologist Mike Davison, who is based in LaConner. The arrival of colder weather should drive birds off the water and inland, improving waterfowl hunting generally. Brant hunters, meanwhile, will have to wait a bit longer to find out if they will have a hunt this year – a minimum count of 6,000 birds is needed to open the January season, and as of mid-December only 3,200 birds were tallied. Another aerial survey will be taken in the next few weeks and if the birds arrive, hunting will be on for nine days between Jan. 8 and 23 for those with the required pre-authorization.

• Wildlife Watching: Bald eagles are beginning to return with the salmon runs to the region's rivers, with peak numbers expected by mid-January. Already, good viewing opportunities exist on the North Fork of the Nooksack River, says Steve Negri, WDFW wildlife biologist. He recommends the Welcome Bridge area on State Route 542 east of Highway 9 as a prime spot now. In coming weeks the eagles are expected to return in force to the Upper Skagit River, where preparations already are under way to enjoy their annual arrival. On weekends beginning this Saturday (Dec. 18), docent "eagle watchers" are in place at four locations along State Route 20 from Rockport to Marblemount, offering visitors viewing tips and glimpses of the majestic birds through spotting scopes. The docents will not be working on Christmas weekend, but otherwise watch for them in marked locations at Howard Miller Steelhead Park, Milepost 99, Milepost 100 and the Marblemount Fish Hatchery. For more eagle information, or details on the upcoming Upper Skagit Bald Eagle Festival (Feb. 5 and 6), call (360) 853-7009 on weekdays or visit their Website.

Olympic Peninsula:

• Fishing: As in the North Sound region, winter steelhead fishing is off to a slow start, but should start picking up in the next few weeks, said area fish biologist Tim Flint. Meanwhile, the department plans to open three ocean beaches to razor-clam digging during a five-day period this month. Twin Harbor Beach, including the North Cove, Grayland and Westport areas, will open from Dec. 19 through Dec. 23. Copalis Beach, which includes Oceans Shores, Ocean City and Copalis, will open Dec. 21 and Dec. 22. Long Beach will open Dec. 20 and Dec. 21. Digging in all areas will be confined to the hours between noon and midnight with a 15-clam limit.

  Openings for Razor Clam Digging in December
  P.M. Digging Only
  

  Beach Areas	Dec. 19	Dec. 20	Dec. 21	Dec. 22	Dec. 23
  Long Beach	CLOSED	OPEN	OPEN	CLOSED	CLOSED
  Twin Harbors/North Cove/Grayland/Westport	OPEN	OPEN	OPEN	OPEN	OPEN
  Copalis/Ocean Shores/Oyhut/Ocean City	CLOSED	CLOSED	OPEN	OPEN	CLOSED
  Moclips/Iron Springs/Pacific Beach/Roosevelt	CLOSED	CLOSED	CLOSED	CLOSED	CLOSED
  Kalaloch	CLOSED	CLOSED	CLOSED	CLOSED	CLOSED
  Kalaloch beaches are closed due to elevated domoic acid levels and probably will not open before spring. Mocrocks (Copalis River north to Moclips) will re-open in the spring.

• Hunting: Duck hunting in the South Sound area and along the Pacific coast is beginning to pick up just as the late archery season for deer is winding down, said area wildlife biologist Jack Smith. Several archery areas already have closed down, so hunters should check the rule book for those remaining open until Dec. 31 if they still want to bag a buck by the end of the year. Smith said the northern flights of ducks have remained sparse, but that some hunters have found good shooting around Willapa Bay and in the Chehalis Valley. But for Smith, one of the best ways to spend a winter's day is hunting grouse in one of the many watersheds around the Olympic Peninsula. "Just about any river system with banks that aren't pitched too steep has grouse," said Smith, noting that the season runs through Dec. 31. "It helps to have a dog with you."

• Wildlife Watching: The Olympic Peninsula and southern Puget Sound offer some of the most spectacular wildlife viewing opportunities in the state: gray whales along the northern coast, Roosevelt elk in the Olympic lowlands, waterfowl stretching from Totten Inlet to the Long Beach Peninsula. The problem for many people is that the weather is just too rough to enjoy any of it. Then there are people like John Muir, the legendary writer and conservationist, who was known to climb 300-foot tall trees in the middle of a winter storm just to experience the fury of nature. For modern-day adventurers addicted to coastal winter storms, WDFW has a few suggestions. Stay off the beach during storms or risk doing battle with a 50-foot long log. On the bluffs and uplands, watch out for falling trees. On the roads, watch out for downed power lines. And be sure to have sufficient food and water whenever you travel.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: WDFW is providing anglers a Christmas treat: 14,000 rainbow and 100 adult steelhead averaging 10 pounds are scheduled to be planted in area waters this week. The steelhead, along with 7,000 rainbows up to about 11 inches in length, are going into Clark County's Klineline Pond. Lacamas Lake, also in Clark County, will receive 5,000 rainbows. Icehouse and Little Ash lakes in Skamania County are scheduled to receive 1,000 rainbows each, according to Gray Vaughn, manager of WDFW's Vancouver Hatchery. WDFW biologist Joe Hymer reports sturgeon fishing in the Columbia River between Vancouver and Woodland has been good with one boat in two averaging a legal fish. Steelhead anglers have been waiting for river flows to go down, although recent checks found one angler in four fishing the Cowlitz River has had a keeper. The Blue Creek area of the Cowlitz has been particularly productive.

  Steelhead anglers wanting to do some research before fishing have several good sources of information: WDFW's 1997-98 Steelhead Harvest Summery is available at the Vancouver regional office and shows where the fishing was good last year [the report will be available on the WDFW website shortly]. Steelhead information also is available on WDFW's hotline at 360-902-2500. Cowlitz River and Riffe Lake anglers can check flows on the Cowlitz by calling 1-888-502-8690. Lewis River anglers should check flows by calling 1-800-547-1501.

• Hunting: Fred Dobler, WDFW's regional wildlife biologist, reports goose hunters in Clark County have been doing well. Approximately 1,300 had been harvested this season. Prospective goose hunters are reminded they must review goose identification training materials and pass a test in order to get WDFW permission to hunt. The test is designed to protect dusky Canadian geese. Check the 1999-2000 Migratory Waterfowl and Upland Game Seasons regulation pamphlet for details. The goose hunt is scheduled to remain open through Jan. 16.

• Wildlife Watching: For wildlife watchers, Dobler reports the Mount St. Helens elk herd is visible from the Spirit Lake Highway. A survey last week counted 177 animals, including 95 in one group. Dobler recommends bringing binoculars or spotting scopes to find the animals from the highway. The Vancouver lowlands continue to showcase sandhill cranes, geese and a variety of ducks for the birder. To get there, take the Fouth Plain Boulevard exit from Interstate 5 and head west to Lower River Road.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: Fourth-of-July Lake on the Lincoln-Adams county line is producing beautiful catches of big rainbow trout. When this lake opened Dec. 1, hundreds of anglers were catching limits (five fish) in less than two hours, most 14 to 20 inches. (Some anglers had to be reminded of the no-more-than-two-over 14-inch rule!) The catching has continued, all in open water since there has been no sustained deep freeze yet. Hog Canyon Lake in southwest Spokane County also is open for winter fishing and has produced limits of 10 to 14-inch rainbows. The dam repair work at the Hog Canyon access area is complete so boats can be launched there. Williams Lake near Colville in Stevens County also is yielding 10 to 14-inch rainbows.

• Hunting: Upland game bird hunters who can gain access to brushy or wooded riparian areas near farmland can find California quail or Hungarian partridge. More snow or rain would help scenting conditions for bird dogs, so plan to seek your partridge in a pear tree if it's a white Christmas.

• Wildlife Watching: About two dozen bighorn sheep now are coming in to the winter feeding station at Sullivan Lake in Pend Oreille County. This site, located about 80 miles northeast of Spokane, has become a traditional destination for family wildlife watching field trips at holiday time. It's a joint venture of WDFW and the U.S. Forest Service, which just built some new fencing at the station to guide visitors to the best close and safe viewpoint. Maps to the sheep feeding station are available at WDFW's Spokane regional office. Remember to dress for hiking in snow and ice one-quarter mile from the parking area, and leave pets at home. On the drive to and from, keep your eyes peeled for bald eagles along the Pend Oreille River. Closer to home for most is an opportunity to see birds that nest on the arctic tundra and only occasionally show up here in the winter: common redpolls. These little finches with bright red caps and black chins are appearing in unusually large numbers throughout eastern Washington now, often in brushy riparian areas but also at backyard feeders. They have been spotted with flocks of pine siskins or American goldfinches, so watch those feeders closely.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: Four lakes in Okanogan County opened Dec. 1 for the winter trout season. Green Lake and Lower or Little Green Lake, about five miles northwest of Omak, is producing 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 5½ miles north of Brewster, offers rainbows from 11 to 16 inches, plus 14-inch brown trout. Meanwhile, rainbow fishing continues to be good at Potholes Reservoir, which is open year-round. Whitefish season opened Dec.1 on the Wenatchee, Methow, Chewuch, and Entiat rivers with selective gear, no bait. Sinlahekin Creek and the Similkameen River (upstream of Enloe Dam) also opened Dec.1 for whitefish, and bait is allowed.

• Hunting: Waterfowl and upland game bird hunting remains slow. Duck and goose hunters had a slight bump in activity last week when an influx of northern birds, pushed south by a day or two of stormy weather, joined resident waterfowl on the region's many waterways. A return of mild conditions, both here and in Canada, slowed the movement.

• Wildlife Watching: Bird watching, particularly for waterfowl, is excellent now throughout the Sun Lakes chain, from Soap Lake to Banks Lake. There are hundreds of tundra swans, Canada geese, diving ducks, dabbling ducks, and even a few bald eagles working on making meals of them. The waterfowl are mostly resident birds, since most northern ducks and geese have yet to move into the Columbia Basin; mild weather in Canada has kept most of those birds there for now, but mass migrations into northcentral Washington undoubtedly will occur when more wintery conditions arrive. While the weather is mild, and roads are free and clear of snow and ice, consider a drive through the Methow Valley of Okanogan County to view wintering mule deer herds on the slopes above.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: Lunkers still are looming in the waters of several year-round or winter-only fishing lakes in Yakima and Kittitas counties. Last week's plants of excess hatchery rainbow trout broodstock (four to eight pounders!) have not all been caught yet, so try these waters: Interstate 82 Pond #4, I-82 Pond #6, Rotary Lake, Myron Lake, North Elton Pond, North Fio Rito Lake, and Mattoon Lake.

• Hunting: Duck hunting recently picked up with waterfowl moving into the region after last week's stormy weather to the north. If those conditions return, hunters should enjoy more normal levels of success for this time of year.

• Wildlife Watching: Mild conditions don't warrant full-fledged winter feeding for Yakima County's Oak Creek Wildlife Area elk yet, but some of these majestic animals can be seen near the junction of Highway 12 and 410 west of Naches. There WDFW is providing some early feed to spread elk across the wildlife area. Once snow and cold weather sets in, the main Oak Creek feeding site will again be providing for hundreds of elk daily. Likewise, the nearby Clemens Mountain feeding site will feed a small herd of bighorn sheep; meanwhile some of the sheep can be seen soaking up the rays and foraging on the late season green-up on Clemens' sunny slopes. For maps to these sites and more information about the upcoming feeding programs, contact WDFW's Yakima office (509-457-2740). Raptor watching, from bald eagles to red-tailed hawks, continues to be good from Ellensburg Canyon to Yakima Canyon. Waterfowl counting flights last week showed an increase in ducks and geese in the region (perhaps due to temporarily wintery weather to the north) and many can be enjoyed at lakes, ponds and other wet sites.