A string of cold, dry days has opened up a variety of fishing opportunities around the state for hardy anglers willing to pursue them. Birders, meanwhile, have been bundling up to observe large numbers of bald eagles wintering from the Skagit Valley to Lake Roosevelt.

In eastern Washington, the recent deep freeze has set the stage for ice fishing at several popular lakes, from yellow perch at Patterson Lake in Okanogan County to rainbow trout at Hog Canyon Lake in Spokane County. A minimum of four inches of solid, clear ice is the safety standard established by the U.S. Coast Guard.

On the westside, similar conditions have helped to bring rain-swollen rivers under control, improving steelhead fishing in several areas, notably the Olympic Peninsula.

“River conditions have improved dramatically in recent days, and catch rates are picking up accordingly,” said Mike Gross, a fish biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). “We’re seeing more wild fish in the rivers now.”

Wild steelhead, which can be identified by an intact adipose fin, must be released in all but 12 rivers in Washington. Rules for retaining wild steelhead are explained in the Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm).

Rather troll Puget Sound for salmon? Marine Area 9 opened for blackmouth fishing Jan. 16 and a number of waters – ranging from the San Juan Islands to Hood Canal – will reopen for salmon angling in early-to-mid February. For details, see the Puget Sound regional reports below.

Here are some other dates to note in the coming days:

• Jan. 25 – Information about any additional winter razor clam digs will be posted on WDFW’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/razorclm/season.htm.

• Jan. 27 - Hunting seasons for ducks and geese end in all areas of the state where seasons have not already closed.

• Jan. 31 - Hunters, whether successful or not, must submit their mandatory hunting harvest reports for deer, elk, bear and turkey by this date to avoid a $10 penalty when purchasing 2007 hunting licenses.

For more information about current and upcoming outdoor-recreation opportunities in Washington, see the regional summaries below:

North Puget Sound

• Fishing: Fair – but cold – weather has helped anglers on Puget Sound, where fishing for blackmouth has picked up recently. Meanwhile, fishing continues to be slow for anglers casting for steelhead in several of the region’s rivers and streams.

  “Both hatchery and wild steelhead returns are down this year to a number of rivers in the region, particularly those in the Skagit River basin,” said Bob Leland, WDFW's steelhead program manager. “Because of that, steelhead fishing just hasn’t been that great this winter.”

  Those low steelhead returns prompted WDFW to close a portion of the Cascade River to recreational fishing to ensure enough steelhead make it back to the Marblemount Hatchery to meet spawning goals. The Cascade is closed until further notice from the mouth upstream to Rockport-Cascade Road.

  “This closure will help the Marblemount Hatchery meet its broodstock needs, but additional fishing closures in the basin also are likely this spring to protect wild steelhead,” Leland said. Catch-and-release fisheries in the Skagit and Sauk rivers are among those fisheries that could close, he said. WDFW will continue to monitor returns of wild steelhead, which are listed for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act, to determine when emergency closures could take effect.

  A stretch of the North Fork Nooksack River that closed in December to steelhead fishing has re-opened. The river is once again open from a yellow post at the corner of the Kendall Creek Hatchery farthest upstream, approximately 1,000 feet upstream of the mouth of Kendall Creek, downstream to the Mosquito Lake Road Bridge.

  Out on the Sound, fishing has been good for salmon. Recent creel checks show anglers have been hooking blackmouth – resident chinook – throughout the region. On Jan. 19, four anglers were checked with four chinook at the Oak Harbor Marina, while 51 were checked with eight chinook at the Everett Ramp. The following day, 10 anglers were checked with four chinook at the Manchester Ramp, while seven anglers accounted for five chinook at the Maple Grove Ramp. “That’s pretty good fishing for this time of year,” said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fish biologist.

  Selective fisheries for hatchery blackmouth in marine areas 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay), 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner) and 9 (Admiralty inlet) continue into April. However, anglers only have a few more days to catch blackmouth in Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton), which closes at the end of January. Anglers fishing in each of those areas can keep two hatchery blackmouth as part of their two-salmon daily limit. They must, however, release wild chinook, which have an intact adipose fin, and are required to use single-point barbless hooks.

  Thiesfeld reminds anglers that beginning Feb. 1, a selective fishery for hatchery blackmouth will open in Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands) under the same regulations as 8-1, 8-2 and 9. Other rules and regulations for all freshwater and saltwater fisheries can be found at WDFW’s fishing regulation website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm.

• Hunting: Waterfowlers have only a few days left to hunt brant in Skagit County. Hunts are open Jan. 24, 26 and 27 with a daily bag limit of two geese. The season was given the green light after nearly 9,200 brant were counted during an aerial survey of Fidalgo, Padilla and Samish bays in early January. At least 6,000 brant must be counted in Skagit County before hunting is allowed.

  “Brant numbers climbed again this year, and the wintering population is back around the long-term average,” said Don Kraege, waterfowl section manager for WDFW. “There could be a number of factors for the increase, but it’s likely due to good production on the breeding grounds.” Last year, about 6,100 birds returned to Skagit County, about 3,100 fewer birds than the long-term average. About 9,500 brant were counted during aerial surveys in 2006 and about 10,000 the previous year.

  Hunters participating in the brant season must have prior written authorization and a harvest information card from WDFW. Hunters need to record their harvest information immediately after taking a brant, and return the completed harvest report to WDFW by Feb. 15.

  Meanwhile, duck hunting at the Skagit Wildlife Area has been slow. “Most ducks have stayed in the local bays and private farm fields,” said Lora Leschner, WDFW regional Wildlife Program manager.

  Waterfowlers in the region have through Jan. 27 to hunt ducks and geese. Before going afield, hunters should check the Waterfowl and Upland Game pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/water.htm) for details.

  Big-game hunters around the state are receiving reminders – by postcard and email – that midnight Jan. 31 is the deadline for reporting their success in hunting deer, elk, bear and turkey. By law, hunters are required to report on every license tag purchased in 2007, regardless of whether they took an animal on those tags. To submit their reports, hunters may either complete a form online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/ or they can call the toll-free telephone number 1-877-945-3492. Those who have a special hunting permit for a season extending beyond Jan. 31 have 10 days from the season closure to submit their annual report.

  Big game hunters should also be aware that WDFW is accepting applications for spring black bear hunting permits through March 13. To be eligible for a permit, hunters must purchase a special permit application and a 2008 hunting license that includes bear as a species option. A drawing will be held in mid-March for 295 permits in western Washington and 235 permits on the east side of the state. Successful applicants will be notified by March 31.

  Hunting licenses, bear transport tags and bear permit applications may be purchased online (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/), by phone (866-246-9453) or at any license vendor in the state. Applications, which require a correct hunt choice number, may be submitted online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/ or by calling (877) 945-3492.

• Wildlife viewing: Now is the time to head out to the region to watch bald eagles wintering along the Skagit River. Each winter, hundreds of bald eagles spend part of December and January along the Skagit River, where the carcasses of spawned salmon provide a feast for the birds. After a few weeks of dining, the eagles head north – usually around mid- to late January – to their summer homes in Alaska and British Columbia. The best place to begin eagle-viewing activities is at the Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretative Center. The center is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday through Monday through Feb. 18. For more information on the interpretive center and the Upper Skagit Bald Eagle Festival, which takes place Jan. 26-27, visit http://www.skagiteagle.org.

South Sound/Olympic Peninsula

• Fishing: Clear skies boosted the number of anglers – and, in some cases, steelhead caught – on area rivers during the third weekend in January. After weeks of heavy rain and high water, boats and trailers again clogged boat launches from the Satsop River to the upper Hoh.

  As in previous weeks, the Sol Duc River yielded some of the highest catches. Creel surveys conducted Jan. 18-20 credited 52 anglers with 31 wild steelhead (24 released) and six hatchery fish. At the same time, 34 anglers checked on the Bogachiel had caught only four steelies, all but one of them wild.

  No river showed more improvement than the upper Hoh, where 48 anglers caught 19 wild steelhead (all released) and four hatchery fish. But catch rates were still slow below the Oxbow Campground, where 80 anglers caught five wild steelhead (three released) and two hatchery fish that same weekend.

  “Even so, it’s good to see that the Hoh is finally making a showing,” said Dave Low, WDFW fish biologist. “Up until the weekend, we really hadn’t seen any action on that river this season.”

  Farther south, the Wynoochee, Satsop and the Skookumchuck rivers are also getting more attention from anglers, although results have been mixed. On the Wynoochee, Low said he’d observed nine boats with seven steelhead near the diversion dam during the third week of January but the action appeared to drop off by the weekend. Although fishing conditions are also good on the Satsop River, success rates have been up and down, he said.

  The Chehalis River, meanwhile, has continued to run high and muddy since the December floods, said Scott Barbour, another WDFW fish biologist. “Right now, the river still looks like a chocolate mocha,” he said. “I’ve seen some people plunking, and that’s probably the best way to fish it right now.”

  Anglers should be aware that several area rivers – including the Humptulips, Copalis, Nisqually, lower Wynoochee and lower Chehalis (below Porter Bridge) – will close to salmon fishing Jan. 31. Marine areas 10 (Seattle/Bremerton) and 13 (South Puget Sound) will also close to salmon fishing Jan. 31, but several others are scheduled to reopen Feb. 16. Areas reopening to salmon fishing that day include 5 (Sekiu), 6 (Port Angeles), 11 (Tacoma) and 12 (Hood Canal). Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) reopened to salmon fishing Jan. 16.

  With wild fish now becoming increasing prevalent, Low also reminded anglers that retention of wild steelhead is currently limited to one fish per year in the Bogachiel, Calawah, Clearwater, Dickey, Green, Goodman, Hoh, Hoko, Pysht, Quillayute, Quinault or Sol Duc rivers. Elsewhere, they must be released. Retention rules for wild steelhead are outlined on page 33 of the Fishing in Washington rule pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm).

  Eager for news about the next razor clam dig? Check the WDFW razor clam website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/razorclm/season.htm) Jan. 25 for information about future openings.

• Hunting: Seasons for ducks and geese will end Sunday, Jan. 27 in Management Area 3. Goose hunting is allowed seven days a week in that area.

  Meanwhile, hunters around the state are receiving reminders – by postcard and email – that midnight Jan. 31 is the deadline for reporting their success in hunting deer, elk, bear and turkey. By law, hunters are required to report on every license tag purchased in 2007, regardless of whether they took an animal on those tags. To submit reports, hunters may either complete a form online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/ or they can call the toll-free telephone number 1-877-945-3492. Those who have a special hunting permit for a season extending beyond Jan. 31 have 10 days from the season closure to submit their annual report.

  Big game hunters should also be aware that WDFW is accepting applications for spring black bear hunting permits through March 13. To be eligible for a permit, hunters must purchase a special permit application and a 2008 hunting license that includes bear as a species option. Hunting licenses, bear transport tags and bear permit applications may be purchased online (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/), by phone (866-246-9453) or at any license vendor in the state. Applications, which require a correct hunt choice number, may be submitted online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/ or by calling (877) 945-3492.

• Wildlife viewing: Approximately 1,700 miles from their typical winter habitat in the Aleutian Islands, a pair of emperor geese was sighted recently in South Bend near Willapa Bay. These small, blue-gray geese were seen among a flock of dusky Canada, greater white-fronted and cackling geese in fields bordering the north side of Hwy. 101 just past Carruthers Road. Along with the geese, birders also reported seeing white-tailed kites, a Harlan's red-tailed hawk, lesser and greater yellowlegs, and peregrine falcons.

  The 11th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) will be held over Presidents’ Day weekend, Feb. 15-18. Interested birders of any age or experience level can count birds from wherever they are, for at least 15 minutes during any or all of the four days, and enter their highest tallies at http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/.

  These counts offer a real-time snapshot of the numbers and kinds of birds people are finding in their own yards and neighborhoods across the continent.

  The GBBC is sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, National Audubon Society and Wild Birds Unlimited. On the website results can be compared with others, as checklists pour in from throughout the U.S. and Canada. In 2007, Great Backyard Bird Count participants broke records for the number of birds reported (11,082,387 birds of 613 species) and the number of checklists (81,203).

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: Anglers are still picking up some nice hatchery winter steelhead in rivers throughout the lower Columbia River Basin, although late-run fish are just beginning to arrive and water temperatures have been a tad chilly for sturgeon and smelt.

  That being the case, anglers might want to focus on catching some rainbow trout until conditions improve for those other species, said Joe Hymer, a WDFW fish biologist. In recent days, the department has stocked seven area lakes with rainbows ranging from catchable-size fish to 10-pound broodstock.

  Lakes planted with catchable-size rainbow weighing up to half a pound apiece include:

  • Horseshoe Lake in Woodland got 1,504 fish Jan. 10.
  • Battleground Lake got 4,105 fish Jan. 16.
  • Klineline Pond got 1,000 fish Jan. 14.
  • Icehouse Lake near the Bridge of the Gods got 802 fish Jan. 11.
  • Kidney Lake near North Bonneville got 1,000 fish Jan. 14.
  • Rowland Lake near Lyle got 3,038 fish Jan. 11.

  Lakes planted with broodstock rainbows averaging 6.25 and 10 pounds each include:

  • Carlisle Lake near Onalaska got 41 of the 6.25 pounders and 34 ten pounders Jan. 14.
  • Horseshoe Lake in Woodland got 42 each of the 6.25 and 10 pounders Jan. 10.
  • Icehouse Lake got 40 of the 6.25 pounders.

  Future release dates are dependent upon road conditions, but hatchery tanker trucks and crews are expected to be busy in the weeks ahead, Hymer said. For a weekly update, see the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/weekly/.

  In addition to trout plants, the department is also stocking Kress Lake near Kalama with up to 50 to 100 surplus hatchery steelhead per week through early February, said Chris Wagemann, another WDFW biologist. During the week of Jan. 14-20 an additional 38 steelhead were released bringing the total to about 250 fish. Anglers have been catching these fish mostly with spinners.

  About a dozen late-run hatchery steelhead had returned to the Kalama Hatchery by mid-January, with the bulk of the run expected to arrive in the Kalama and Cowlitz rivers in February, Hymer said. Meanwhile, anglers are still picking up some early-run steelies on rivers throughout the area, notably in the Cowlitz River around Blue Creek. Wild steelhead, bearing an intact adipose fin, must be released in all area waters.

  Anglers fishing the Cowlitz, Kalama, and Lewis rivers should be aware that the prohibition on retaining chinook salmon in those waters has been lifted. The rules now in effect are those shown in the Fishing in Washington regulation pamphlet. “There aren’t a lot of spring chinook around just yet, but reeling in a keeper hatchery fish could definitely brighten up someone’s day,” Hymer said. Per permanent rules, all wild chinook with an intact adipose fin must be released.

  Preseason forecasts for the 2008 Columbia River spring chinook return – along with other salmon and steelhead runs – are available on the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/forecasts/salmon/salmon_columbia08.htm.

  For smelt and sturgeon, the fishing forecast probably won’t improve until water temperatures warm up a bit, Hymer said. Despite some commercial landings on the Columbia the previous week, there was no sign of smelt in the Cowlitz River during the weekly opening Jan. 19. Sturgeon fishing has also been slow in all areas, Hymer said.

  “Smelt prefer water temperatures above 40 degrees, and sturgeon are also more likely to bite when the water warms up,” he said. “Until that happens, we’re probably not going to see much action in either fishery.”

  Eager for news about the next razor clam dig? Check the WDFW razor clam website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/razorclm/season.htm) Jan. 25 for information about future openings.

• Hunting: The statewide hunting season for geese and ducks ends Jan. 27 in most areas of the state, including management areas 2A (Wahkiakum, Cowlitz and Clark counties), 3 (Lewis and Skamania counties) and 5 (Klickitat county). The waterfowl-hunting season in the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge ended Jan. 19.

  Meanwhile, hunters around the state are receiving reminders – by postcard and email – that midnight Jan. 31 is the deadline for reporting their success in hunting deer, elk, bear and turkey. By law, hunters are required to report on every license tag purchased in 2007, regardless of whether they took an animal on those tags. To submit reports, hunters may either complete a form online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/ or they can call the toll-free telephone number 1-877-945-3492. Those who have a special hunting permit for a season extending beyond Jan. 31 have 10 days from the season closure to submit their annual report.

  Big game hunters should also be aware that WDFW is accepting applications for spring black bear hunting permits through March 13. To be eligible for a permit, hunters must purchase a special permit application and a 2008 hunting license that includes bear as a species option. Hunting licenses, bear transport tags and bear permit applications may be purchased online (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/), by phone (866-246-9453) or at any license vendor in the state. Applications, which require a correct hunt choice number, may be submitted online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/ or by calling (877) 945-3492.

• Wildlife viewing: An Arctic loon first viewed in mid-December continues to draw scores of Washington birders across the Columbia River to the sloughs around Brownsmead, Oregon. One such observer reported driving 12 hours Jan. 20 to see the rare bird, officially classified as an “accidental visitor” from Eurasia. “When we reached the area, it took us all of about 20 minutes to locate the authentic bird after trying to turn red-throateds into the desired species,” he wrote in a posting on the Tweeters website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/).

  While similar in appearance to the Pacific loon, a common winter visitor to the Pacific Northwest, the Arctic loon is larger in size and has a thicker neck and larger bill. The most prominent field mark on the Arctic is a large, arching, white panel on the rear flanks. (This feather tract is dark on the Pacific loon.) The current visitor has been observed off Pentilla Road and also near the Barendse Road bridge in Brownsmead.

  While in Oregon, visitors might want to consider a stop at the Pacific Northwest Sportsmen's Show at the Portland Expo Center, which runs Feb. 6-10 at the Portland Expo Center this year. The largest outdoor show of its kind in the Northwest, the event features dozens of seminars by wildlife experts, camp cooking demonstrations and a wide array of outdoor merchandise. For more information, call (503) 246-8291 or visit the PNWSS website at http://www.otshows.com/PNWSS/pnwss.htm.

  Of course, there’s also plenty to do on the north side of the Columbia River, including a visit to the ever-popular Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. Now is a good time to head out to the refuge, which provides quality winter habitat for waterfowl, raptors and a variety of other birds. The nearly 5,200-acre refuge is just 10 miles downstream from the Portland/Vancouver metropolitan area. For more information visit the refuge's website at http://www.fws.gov/ridgefieldrefuges/RNWRHome.htm.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: Fishing for rainbow trout through the ice at winter-only lakes – Hog Canyon in southwest Spokane County and Fourth of July on Lincoln-Adams county line – is good. Yellow perch at year-round Eloika Lake in north Spokane County are also coming through the ice in good numbers.

  Despite recent below-freezing weather, WDFW district fish biologist Chris Donley advises anglers to be cautious on the ice. Deep snow can cover – and insulate – what could be thinner-than-expected ice on some lakes.

  WDFW does not make regular checks of ice conditions nor make any guarantees about safety. While ice safety can never be assured, no one should venture onto the ice unless it is at least four inches thick, clear and solid, according to U.S. Coast Guard guidelines. As much as nine inches may be needed to safely support snowmobiles or other vehicles. Such ice depths can form after at least a week of below freezing temperatures, day and night. Look for more “Ice Fishing Safety” information at http://wdfw.wa.gov/reg/region1.htm.

  Open water fishing for rainbow and brown trout remains good at year-round Rock Lake in Whitman County for those willing to brave cold and windy conditions, either from a carefully-maneuvered boat or from shore.

  WDFW fish biologist Jason McLellan reports fishing for big net-pen-reared rainbow trout on Lake Roosevelt is picking up on the lower end of the reservoir near Spring Canyon just east of Grand Coulee Dam. Roosevelt anglers are also occasionally catching a kokanee or two, he said.

  Snake River steelheading is cold and slow. See the latest steelhead catch rates throughout the Snake system at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/creel/snake/index.htm.

• Hunting: Below-freezing conditions are concentrating waterfowl on big, open waterways in the region. That’s where hunters need to focus their efforts during the last days of the season, which ends Jan. 27. Goose hunting is now open every day everywhere in the region.

  Jan. 31 is the deadline for deer, elk, bear and turkey hunters to submit hunting reports, regardless of whether they took an animal on those tags or not. To submit reports, hunters may either call the toll-free telephone number 1-877-945-3492, or complete a form online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/.

  Spring black bear hunting permit applications are available now through March 13 for a season that runs April 15 through May 31 in eastern Washington. A total of 225 permits in 13 game management units in the northeast and southeast parts of the region are available. For more information see page 56 of the Big Game Hunting Rules pamphlet.

• Wildlife viewing: Heavy snow cover and frigid conditions have provided wildlife viewing opportunities, sometimes in places where the animals are not welcome. White-tailed deer and wild turkeys are raiding everything from bird feeders to haystacks, particularly in northeast Washington. WDFW biologists Sandy Dotts and Dana Base recommend leaving feeders empty for a while and protecting haystacks and other livestock feed with paneling to deter them.

  Both native white-tailed deer and introduced wild turkeys are abundant and will not be harmed by curbing such feed supplies, they said. Nor will wintering songbirds fail if backyard feeders are left empty for a while, since few if any birds are totally dependent on those food sources alone.

  “We’ve long had lots of whitetails, but turkeys have really exploded in numbers in Stevens County,” Base said. “The Colville Christmas Bird Count has to be one of the only such counts on the continent where the number of turkeys tallied rivals the number of starlings.” That recent Colville area bird count showed 596 wild turkeys and 665 European starlings. The same count seven years ago tallied 220 turkeys and 385 starlings.

  Bald eagles continue to be seen using all major waterways in the region – from Lake Roosevelt to the Snake River – to feed on winter-weary waterfowl or spawned-out fish.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: Colder temperatures on the upper Columbia River above Wells Dam have slowed the steelhead fishing considerably in the last few weeks, reported Bob Jateff, WDFW district fish biologist from Omak.

  “However, there are still a few fish being caught on the mainstem in and around Pateros by boat anglers,” Jateff said. “The Okanogan, Methow, and Similkameen tributaries are still largely un-fishable due to extremely cold temperatures and ice flows.”

  Rufus Woods continues to produce triploid rainbow trout in the two- to four-pound range. Jateff reported both boat and shore anglers are having success with bait, as well as flies and lures. When using bait, the first two fish caught are part of the daily limit whether kept or released. The daily limit at Rufus Woods is two trout.

  Patterson Lake in Winthrop is starting to provide some success for yellow perch anglers through the ice. Jateff says the perch are mostly in the seven- to eight-inch range, with some fish approaching ten inches. Small perch lures tipped with a worm and/or maggot seem to be the most effective method.

  Ice fishing opportunities for rainbow trout in Okanogan County include Rat Lake near Brewster, Big and Little Green lakes near Omak, and Sidley or Molson Lake near Oroville.

  Jateff reminds anglers to check ice thickness carefully before moving too far out into the lake. WDFW does not regularly check ice conditions nor make any guarantees about safety. While ice safety can never be assured, people should not venture onto the ice unless it is at least four inches thick, clear and solid, according to U.S. Coast Guard guidelines. As much as nine inches may be needed to safely support snowmobiles or other vehicles. Such ice depths can form after at least a week of below freezing temperatures, day and night. Look for more “Ice Fishing Safety” information at http://wdfw.wa.gov/reg/region2.htm.

• Hunting: Mikal Moore, WDFW waterfowl specialist, said that despite the cold weather, there is still good duck hunting in the Columbia Basin through the end of the season on Jan. 27.

  “Mallards are hitting the corn fields really hard right now and feeding all day long,” she said. “This means you don't have to get an early start, but scouting is critical in finding the right fields.” There are a number of corn stubble fields in the Basin enrolled in the ‘Corn Stubble Retention Program,’ paid for by duck stamp funds. These fields are walk-in hunting only. Call the Northcentral regional office in Ephrata at (509) 754-4624 for more information.

  Canada geese are also abundant and goose hunting is now open every day throughout the region until the season’s end, Jan. 27.

  Jan. 31 is the deadline for deer, elk, bear and turkey hunters to submit hunting reports, regardless of whether they took an animal on those tags or not. To submit reports, hunters may either call the toll-free telephone number at (877) 945-3492 or complete a form online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/.

• Wildlife viewing: Mule deer are wintering in the Methow Valley in Okanogan County and Scott Fitkin, WDFW district wildlife biologist from Winthrop, said they’re not only highly visible, but highly vulnerable to motor vehicle collisions on Hwy. 20. “Slow down, be alert and enjoy watching them without getting too close for comfort,” he said.

  Free naturalist-guided, wildlife-watching, ski or snowshoe tours are held each winter weekend in the Methow Valley, sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service’s Methow Valley Ranger District and the Methow Valley Sport Trails Association (MVSTA). Participants learn about wildlife, tracks, winter ecology, beaver ponds and more. Some tours provide free snowshoe use, while others require trekkers to rent or bring their own gear. All require a MVSTA ski or snowshoe trail pass, available at many Methow area businesses. The tours follow easy routes on groomed snowshoe trails near Sun Mountain Lodge and along the Methow River in Mazama. For more information call (509) 996-3287 or see "The Nature of Winter" tours website at http://www.mvsta.com/winter/snowshoe2.html#wintertours.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: Ice on local small fishing waters is probably thicker with recent colder temperatures, but there are no guarantees for ice fishing safety, said WDFW fish biologist Jim Cummins of Yakima. A minimum of four inches of solid, clear ice is the safety standard established by the U.S. Coast Guard.

  No creel checks have been conducted at the region’s winter-only rainbow trout fishery – North Elton Pond off I-82 near Selah – but it was well-stocked with half-pound fish earlier. Other year-round fishing waters, including I-82 Pond 4, Rotary Lake, and Myron Lake in the Yakima area and Mattoon and FioRito lakes in the Ellensburg area, received six-to-10-pound rainbow trout broodstock last month.

  The Yakima River winter whitefish season continues, although anglers should be cautious about shoreline shelf-ice. Cummins also reminds anglers there are special whitefish rules on the catch-and-release reach of the Yakima now. Whitefish gear – one single-point hook, maximum hook size 3/16-inch point to shank (hook size 14) with bait – is allowed only for whitefish.

  Sturgeon fishing remains open on the Columbia River’s John Day Pool (from John Day Dam to McNary Dam). WDFW fish biologist Paul Hoffarth of Pasco reminds anglers that this is a quota fishery, open for retention until a certain number of sturgeon are caught. The fish are scattered throughout the pool in the winter with good fishing in the Boardman and Irrigon areas and in the usual locations below McNary Dam. Hoffarth notes sturgeon fishing remains open year around above McNary Dam up to the wooden powerline towers at the old Hanford town site. It will open above the power line towers to Priest Rapids Dam Feb. 1.

  Walleye fishing in the Columbia River can be very good both above and below McNary Dam during the winter months. “The state record walleye, 19.3 pounds, was taken in early February last year above McNary Dam,” Hoffarth said.

  The Columbia River from John Day Dam up to the wooden powerline towers at the old Hanford town site is open for hatchery (adipose-fin-clipped) steelhead until March 31.

• Hunting: Waterfowl are concentrated on big, open waterways in the region and that’s where hunters need to concentrate their efforts for the last days of the season that ends Jan. 27. Goose hunting is open every day until Jan. 27 throughout in the region.

  Jan. 31 is the deadline for deer, elk, bear and turkey hunters to submit hunting reports, regardless of whether they took an animal on those tags or not. To submit reports, hunters may either call the toll-free telephone number 1-877-945-3492, or complete a form online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/.

• Wildlife viewing: Now is the time to watch big game winter range areas, says WDFW regional habitat program manager Perry Harvester. “Mule deer and California bighorn sheep are present on many of the exposed, south-facing slopes in the Yakima River Canyon,” he said. “I observed about 65 bighorns and about 50 mule deer in the Yakima River Canyon during a recent morning drive. Mule deer are also in abundance on south-facing slopes in the Thorp Canyon near Swauk Creek.”

  Harvester also counted 13 bald eagles along the Yakima River between the Yakima River Canyon and Cle Elum, and a diversity of waterfowl. “Most ponds and backwaters are now iced over,” he said. “I saw mallards, mergansers, scaup, bufflehead, and Canada geese in several places on the river.”

  Winter feeding of elk and bighorn sheep at WDFW’s Oak Creek Wildlife Area west of Yakima continues. The elk are fed at 1:30 pm daily at the area headquarters site six miles west of Naches on Highway 12. Bighorn sheep are fed mid-morning at the Cleman Mountain unit of the wildlife area, just northeast of the Hwy. 410 and 12 junction, about half-a-mile up the Old Naches Road. Those interested in group tours should call our Washington Environmental Corps volunteer staff Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 509-698-5106. Reservations must be made 48 hours before group tour dates.

  Oak Creek Wildlife area visitors are reminded that vehicle gates at Oak Creek and Bethel Ridge roads are now closed through April 30. Vehicle gates on the Sanford Pasture/Mud Lake road system also are closed Jan. 1 through April 30 to limit recreational activity on critical big game winter range.

  Other winter road closures are in effect on WDFW’s Wenas and L.T. Murray wildlife areas in Kittitas County. Area manager Cindi Confer notes the Mellotte Road gate into the Wenas, and the Robinson Canyon and Joe Watt Canyon gates into the L.T. Murray, are closed to protect wintering big game. Supplemental winter feeding of limited numbers of elk at those sites is also under way.

  A new closure to motorized vehicle access on the Whiskey Dick and a portion of the Quilomene wildlife areas in Kittitas County goes into effect Feb. 1 through April 30 to protect wintering elk. The area is north of the Vantage Highway, south of Quilomene Ridge Road, east of the Wild Horse Wind Farm, and west of the Columbia River.