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 December day.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the holiday issue of Weekender. The next edition will appear Jan. 11, 2006.

If you're a bird watcher - or think you might want to be - spotting teams are forming around the state for the 106th annual Christmas Bird Count, which starts today (Dec. 14) and runs through Jan. 5 in more than 50 areas around the state. 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.

The results are compiled into the longest-running database in ornithology, invaluable for tracking bird population trends. To get involved, check out the website for Audubon or call one of the contacts listed in the regional summaries below.

For some families, digging razor clams is a holiday tradition and this year's tides are working in their favor. The next opening is tentatively scheduled at all five ocean beaches Dec. 30, 31 and New Year's Day, with a fourth day of digging planned Jan. 2 at Twin Harbors and Mocrocks beaches only. If upcoming tests show the clams are safe to eat, digging will be allowed on those beaches between noon and midnight those days. For more information, see the South Sound/Olympic Peninsula report below.

Meanwhile, winter-run hatchery steelhead are moving up Northwest rivers in increasing numbers, providing another reason to brave the winter weather. The Bogachiel, Quillayute and lower Hoh rivers are already giving up good numbers of fish, and other steelhead fisheries are expected to come alive once the rain starts falling again.

Looking for the perfect gift for the outdoor enthusiast who has everything? How about a new license plate bearing the image of a bald eagle, killer whale, elk, mule deer or black bear? The special plates, produced by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, cost $40 in addition to regular vehicle-licensing fees, with proceeds going to wildlife management programs for those and other species.

"The new license plates are already drawing a lot of interest," said Mike O'Malley, WDFW watchable wildlife coordinator. "They make a great gift and provide a way for people to show their support for Washington's wildlife."

The new wildlife plate backgrounds will be available Jan. 3, 2006. WDFW's website offers a color gift envelope that can be downloaded and printed to give a recipient funds for purchasing a "wild" license plate. The website also contains details on how to purchase the plates, along with the necessary verification form.

Fishing and hunting licenses for the season ahead are another popular gift idea. Licenses may be purchased by phone (360 902-2464), over the Internet (http://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov) and from hundreds of license dealers across the state. New licenses for the 2006-07 season are valid from April 1, 2006 through March 31, 2007.

For more information about current recreational opportunities throughout the state, see the regional summaries below:

North Puget Sound

• An early surge of steelhead kicked off the holiday season in North Puget Sound rivers. However, after a couple weeks of better-than-expected fishing, harvest numbers fell. "I was hearing a lot of good reports on the Snoqualmie and upper Snohomish rivers in late November and early December, but that has tapered off a bit," said Chad Jackson, WDFW fish biologist. "Water levels have dropped to summer-like flows, and we haven't gotten that push of new fish." Fishing might be slow now, but the steelhead run is expected to increase in the coming weeks, said Jackson. "It usually picks up around Christmastime," he said.

  Blackmouth fishing might be the best bet for anglers while they wait for those river levels to rise and bring in steelhead. Decent catch reports are coming out of Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton), and nice size fish are being hooked in marine areas 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay) and 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner), said Steve Thiesfeld, a WDFW biologist. "Anglers taking their time to learn the area are having pretty good results when it comes to blackmouth," Thiesfeld said. Several 15-plus-pound blackmouth have been hooked in 8-1 and 8-2. Thiesfeld reminds anglers that the key to catching blackmouth is finding the bait. "Hit the historical spots and check them out, but if there are no bait or fish in the area, it's best to move on," he said. "You have to be flexible."

  Blackmouth catch counts at the Everett boat ramp gave some indication of angler success. On Dec. 9, 13 anglers checked in five chinook, and 23 anglers accounted for seven chinook on Dec. 11. Elsewhere, 28 anglers brought in a total of four chinook at the Camano Island ramp on Dec. 11, while eight anglers accounted for three chinook on Dec. 10 at the island's Maple Grove ramp. Marine areas 7 (San Juan Islands) and 9 (Admiralty Inlet) remain closed for blackmouth. Anglers should check the 2005/2006 Fishing in Washington pamphlet for more information.

  While out saltwater fishing, why not drop a crab pot? The crab fishery is currently open Wednesdays through Saturdays in marine areas 7, 9 and 10, but will open for seven days a week beginning Dec. 21. The season closes at 6 p.m. on Jan. 2, 2006.

• Hunting: Several muzzleloader and archery black-tail deer hunts close Dec. 15. Hunters should check WDFW's Big Game Hunting pamphlet for more information. However, archery hunters in the North Sound (407) and Islands (410) game management units (GMUs) have until the end of the year to hunt black-tail deer. Archery hunters can take any deer in both GMUs. The elk season for muzzleloader and archery hunters also wraps up Dec. 15. However, for hunters in pursuit of forest grouse, there are still opportunities as the season continues through the end of the year.

  Hunters, whether successful or not, are reminded that they must report their hunting activities by Jan. 31, 2006. (See WDFW's Big Game Hunting pamphlet.) 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.

• Wildlife viewing: After a few weeks of numerous reports of orcas between Edmonds and Kingston, sightings have slowed down. However, whale watchers were treated to a group of 15 to 20 orcas near Whidbey Island recently. "Lots of tail and fin slapping, spy hopping and some breaching," one observer reported to the Orca Network.

  Meanwhile, snowy owl sightings increased throughout the Puget Sound region, and other birds of note were spotted as well. One birder reporting to Tweeters birding website saw two sandhill cranes at Juanita Bay Park in Kirkland. The cranes were grazing on the lawn, occasionally taking flight and "calling loudly," the birder reported. Sandhill cranes are big birds with long legs and wingspans that can reach more than six feet. They live in wetlands, and feed in grain fields and pastures. Adult sandhill cranes are gray with red crowns, while juveniles are gray and brown. Despite their abundance worldwide, sandhill cranes are listed as an endangered species in the state of Washington.

  Several Audubon Society chapters throughout the region are coordinating Christmas Bird Counts. Here's where, when and how both veteran and novice birdwatchers can participate in the North Sound area:

  • Anacortes-Sidney/Washington State Ferry, Dec. 17. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the Anacortes ferry dock. The count covers pelagic species from the ferry. Contact R.B. Porter at 360-332-6799 or at rbdemo2@att.net for more information.

  • Bellingham, Dec. 18. Contact Joe Meche at 360-739-5383 or at joemeche@aol.com. If counting at feeder, contact Joan Bird at jbird202@hotmail.com.

  • East Lake Washington, Dec. 17. Meet at 8 a.m. at Marymoor Park just south of Redmond at the north end of Lake Sammamish. Count covers the Sammamish valley and plateau, Snoqualmie valley, Beaver Lake, Pine Lake and Issaquah areas. Contact Len Steiner at 425-827-2478 or at MariLenSteiner@aol.com to participate. Visit http://www.elwas.org for more details.

  • Edmonds, Dec. 31. Contact Sally and Jan van Niel at 425-778-7568, sjvanniel@comcoast.net, to participate.

  • Everett, Dec.17. Contact Mary Teesdale at 360-734-2561 or meteesdale@hotmail.com for birding area information and the potluck-compilation party location.

  • Kent-Auburn, Jan. 1. Contact Mark Freeland at maamfree@verizon.net to participate. Count covers saltwater shoreline, suburban parks, freshwater lakes and streamsides, farmland, open meadows, valley areas, and areas where suburbia meets the forest.

  • San Juan Islands Archipelago, Dec. 18. Contact Barb Jensen, at 360-378-3068, to participate on San Juan Island; Bob Myhr, at 360-468-2258, on Lopez Island; or Ginger Ridgway, at 360-376-7057, on Orcas Island.

  • Seattle, Dec. 31. To participate and download a registration form, go to http://www.seattleaudubon.org/. Complete and FAX the form to 206-528-7779 or mail to: Christmas Bird Count, Seattle Audubon, 8050 35th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA 98115. For more information, contact the Seattle Audubon office at 206-523-8243 ext. 80.

  • Skagit Bay, Jan. 1. Contact Art Campbell at acampbell@herrerainc.com or 206-441-9080 for more information.

  • South King County (Rainier Audubon chapter), Jan. 1. Contact Nancy Streiffert at 253-852-8394 or at Nancy_Streiffert@hotmail.com for more information.

  • Padilla Bay, Dec. 17. Contact Steve Aslanian at 360-435-9493 or aslanian@whidbey.net for more information.

  • Vashon Island, Jan. 1. Count from the shore, from the ferry or from your own kayak. For more information, contact Sue Trevathan at 206-463-1484 or at sue.trevathan@centurytel.net.

  • Whidbey Island, Dec. 17. Call Steve Ellis at 253-678-2264 to participate. Covers an area from the north side of Ault Field to south of Admirals Cove, including Oak Harbor and Coupeville.

South Sound/Olympic Peninsula

• Fishing: Winter-run hatchery steelhead are steadily returning to north coast rivers and elsewhere in the region. In WDFW creel checks conducted Dec. 1-Dec. 11, the catch rate was .58 steelhead per angler (238 anglers/138 fish) in the Bogachiel and Quillayute rivers and 4.7 (194 anglers/91 steelhead) in the lower Hoh River. (Creel checks can be viewed on the WDFW website. The Queets has also been giving up fish, said Mike Gross, WDFW fish biologist.

  Gross noted that the north Olympic rivers have been fishable since the steelhead season opened on Dec. 1, but a lack of rainfall has kept the water clear, low and less than ideal. A good downpour should start moving more steelhead up the streams, Gross said. He suggests fishing the ripples and the seams between quiet water and current, as well as the usual places - overhanging roots, behind rocks and along logs.

  That's also good advice for anglers fishing the Satsop, Wynoochee and Humptulips rivers, which are also producing winter-run steelhead as well as some late-run coho salmon. So are the Green and Puyallup rivers, which year in and year out are the top bets for metro-area steelhead fishing, said Hal Michael, WDFW biologist. "If somebody wanted to fish steelhead locally, that would be the best direction to go," he said.

  Gross noted that all but seven of the 229 steelhead counted in creel checks on the north coast rivers were hatchery fish, two of which can be retained per day. Anglers can retain one wild steelhead per license year on Bogachiel, Calawah, Clearwater, Dickey, Goodman, Green, Hoh, Hoko, Pysht, Quillayute, Quinault and Sol Duc rivers. Elsewhere, they must be released. Wild steelhead can be distinguished from hatchery fish by their intact adipose and ventral fins.

  Steelheaders waiting for the rain to start falling might want to chase blackmouth salmon on Puget Sound, where clear days are welcome. "I think blackmouth are your best bet right now, with the rivers as low as they are," said Pete Topping, another WDFW fish biologist. "The fish are real fat and healthy this year, but there's practically no (fishing) effort. I'm sure if we had a fleet of anglers out there we'd be seeing some pretty darn good catches."

  Topping recommends fishing Point Defiance north into Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton). Other good bets include Gibson Point at the south end of Fox Island, Allen Bank between Blake Island and the north end of Vashon Island, and Manchester, Topping said. But don't delay, because the season is winding down some areas. Marine areas 11 (Tacoma/Vashon Island) and 12 (Hood Canal) will both close to salmon fishing on Dec. 31. Marine areas 10 and 13 will remain open, but the catch limit will drop on Jan. 1 from two fish to one in Area 13 (South Puget Sound), the same as in Area 10.

  Chum salmon fishing has all but wrapped up in most places, but is just beginning in the Nisqually River. The late run doesn't hit full stride until mid- to late December and generally remains strong until at least mid-January, said Larry Phillips, a WDFW biologist who monitors the river. The season ends Jan. 31. The limit is six salmon, no more than two of which can be adults. No fishing is allowed above the tank crossing bridge. "Given the relatively high preseason forecast, I would expect fishing to get good soon," said Phillips, noting that it generally peaks between Christmas and New Year's." Nets are in the river from noon Sunday to noon Wednesday, so anglers might want to avoid those days.

  Nisqually chum enter the river much brighter than most chum, and are prized by many anglers for smoking, Phillips said. A green corky and yarn on an incoming tide is a good approach to hook one. "It's not a rocket-science fishery," Phillips said. "When they're in, they're in and when they're not, they're not." Phillips reminds anglers not to remove unmarked steelhead from the water.

  The third razor clam dig of the fall season is tentatively scheduled Dec. 30, 31 and Jan. 1 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks and Kalaloch beaches. A fourth evening of digging is set for Monday, Jan. 2, at Twin Harbors and Mocrocks only. Digging is allowed from noon until midnight. Final approval is contingent upon marine toxin tests determining the clams are safe to eat. The test results will be announced about one week before the proposed opening.

  "So far it's been a great season, with an average of 13 clams harvested per digger trip," said WDFW Coastal Shellfish Manager Dan Ayres, who is looking forward to the New Year's Day weekend opener. The last time digging was allowed over the holiday was in 2001. "That year, 35,000 diggers enjoyed a uniquely Northwest way of welcoming the New Year," Ayers said.

  Sport fishing for Dungeness and red rock crab is nearing the home stretch in many inland waters. Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal) is open seven days per week through Jan. 2. Marine areas 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca), 9 (Admiralty Inlet), 10 (Seattle/Bremerton) and 11 (Tacoma/Vashon), which currently are on a Wednesday-through-Saturday schedule, will also go to seven days a week Dec. 21 before closing for the season Jan. 2. Marine areas 4 (Neah Bay), 5 (Sekiu) and 13 (south Puget Sound) will remain open seven days per week through Feb. 28 unless the catch reaches state harvest share before then.

• Hunting: With the curtain coming down on big-game and upland-bird hunting, the spotlight has turned to waterfowl, where success has been mixed. As has been true all season, there have been plenty of geese but few ducks in the region, said Max Zahn, a WDFW wildlife biologist who oversees check stations in Montesano and the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge.

  Elk and pheasant seasons close Dec. 15, although a few game management units remain open through Dec. 31 for archers seeking last-minute black-tail deer. Geese can be taken until Jan. 14 in Management Area 2B (Grays Harbor and Pacific counties) and until Jan. 29 in Area 3 (Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason, Thurston and Pierce counties). The duck season also runs until Jan. 29.

  Resident Western Canada geese are the most prevalent waterfowl checked at the Montesano station, Zahn said, while Willapa Bay turns out more migratory Canada geese such as cacklers and Taverner's. Limits are common. Hunters in Area 2B must have passed a test showing they can identify dusky geese and are limited to hunting on a Wednesday-through-Saturday schedule.

  While the geese are moving into the fields to feed, ducks are remaining on the shores of Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor, Zahn said. "The ducks could come inland at any time," he said. "When the weather gets rough on the coast or when they finally eat most of the food in the estuaries, they move inland." Those ducks would be mostly wigeons, pintails and mallards.

  Regional Wildlife Program Manager Jack Smith suggests hunting ruffed grouse in large river valley. He recommends taking a good hunting dog and walking the islands and bars of such streams as the Humptulips, Wynoochee, upper Quinault, Hoh, Sol Duc or Quillayute. The grouse season runs through Dec. 31.

• Wildlife viewing: There have been a gaggle of snowy owl reports from all across the region in recent days. At least a dozen of the grand white birds have been spotted at Damon Point and Oyhut Wildlife Refuge Area near Ocean Shores, and five to seven have been hanging out since late November at the Nisqually River delta. Other snowy owls have been spotted on Marrowstone Island, at Ediz Hood in Port Angeles, and at the mouth of the Columbia River.

  Most winters, only a handful of snowy owls are seen in Washington state, but every several years there's an influx as they move south in search of food. They breed in the far north - where they feed primarily on lemmings - but sometimes move south when lemmings are in short supply. That may be the case this year, with so many owls spotted in Washington this year. In this state, snowy owls are usually sighted in open country that resembles their tundra homes, such as dunes, marshes, fields, plains and airports. Standing out like white beacons in their Northwest surroundings, they're hard to miss.

  No doubt, a number of snowy owls will be sighted during the 106th annual Christmas Bird Count, which begins today (Dec. 14) and runs throughout Jan. 5 throughout the Americas. Birdwatchers, veteran and novice alike, are welcome to contribute their sightings over a 24-hour period to the world's longest-running bird database. Below is a list of bird-count organizers, and counting dates, throughout the region:

  • Tacoma area, Dec. 17, Thais Bock, (253)-839-2044 or tbock29@concentric.net; count area includes Gig Harbor, Lakewood, Parkland, Puyallup, Tacoma and University Place.

  • Leadbetter Point, Dec. 17, Alan Richards, mrm@willapabay.org.

  • Port Townsend, Dec. 17, 7 a.m. start, Dick Johnson, (360) 385-5418

  • Olympia, Dec. 18, George Walter, (360) 459-8220 or gwalter@nwifc.org.

  • Sequim-Dungeness, Dec. 19, Bob Boekelheide, (360) 681-4076.

  • Satsop, Dec. 26, Tom Schooley, schooleymccartan@comcast.net.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: Through mid-December, winter steelhead fishing was generally slow, although anglers were starting to see some action in some areas. At Blue Creek on the Cowlitz River, 30 boat anglers caught 14 winter-run steelhead in five days of fishing, Dec. 5-9. "That's not bad, but it's still a little early," said Joe Hymer, WDFW fish biologist. "Usually the first big bump is right around the holidays." Or the bite could begin sooner if the area gets some rain, said Hymer, noting that most rivers in the area - except the Cowlitz and the Lewis - have been running low and clear. "Fishing should perk up once we get a decent rain," he said.

  Hymer noted that Grays River is scheduled to open for hatchery steelhead fishing Dec. 15 from the Highway 4 Bridge to the South Fork and from mouth of the West Fork to the intake/footbridge of the Grays River Salmon Hatchery. The North Fork of the Lewis River will open Dec. 16 from Colvin Creek to the overhead power lines below Merwin Dam.

  So how is the winter steelhead season shaping up at this point? "The jury's still out," said Hymer, noting that early returns in November were a "mixed bag." More fish returned to the North Fork of the Lewis and Elochoman rivers than a year ago, but numbers are down in the Cowlitz, Kalama and Washougal, he said. "Again, we'll have a better idea once we get a decent rain."

  Sturgeon anglers, meanwhile, have been fighting strong easterly winds with little to show for it below Bonneville Dam, but will have some new options come Jan. 1. Starting New Year's Day, sturgeon retention will be allowed from Bonneville Dam to McNary Dam with a one-fish daily limit. Minimum size limits vary on that stretch of the river, so anglers are advised to check the Fishing in Washington rule pamphlet before they head out. A new sturgeon-management policy approved Dec. 5 by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission maintains most of the same guidelines in effect during the current season, including catch allocations and size limits. It does, however, call for the creation of a new sturgeon spawning sanctuary from McNary Dam downstream to the Highway 82 Bridge and a possible expansion of the existing spawning sanctuary below Bonneville Dam during the 2006-07 season. Again, anglers are advised to check out specific rules for the season ahead once the 2006-07 pamphlet becomes available.

  Lake Scanewa on the Cowlitz River is still attracting some salmon anglers, but most of the coho they're catching are in dark condition, Hymer said. A better bet may be area lakes and ponds, some of which WDFW is still planting with good-sized rainbow trout. On a recent day at Klineline Pond in Vancouver, 17 bank anglers scored a fish apiece after the department planted 1,500 catchable-size rainbows. The department plans to plant about 1,000 fish in Klineline every other week throughout the winter, said John Weinheimer, another WDFW fish biologist. Other lakes recently planted with rainbows include Battleground (3,000), Lacamas (5,000), Sacajawea (1,500), Rowland (3,000), Fort Borst (2,400) and Icehouse (1,500). "But we want to caution anglers not to venture out on lakes that are iced up," Weinheimer said. "No lake in the region is safe for ice fishing."

• Hunting: With big-game seasons coming to a close, most hunters are now focusing on waterfowl, which are now arriving from the north in large numbers. "We're getting a large influx of diving and puddle ducks into the lower Columbia region," said Patrick Miller, WDFW regional wildlife biologist. "A series of cold fronts have been moving into Alaska and British Columbia, moving the birds our way." That's good news for waterfowl hunters throughout the region, including those authorized to hunt geese in Area 2A (including Clark, Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties, except the portion of Clark County south of the Washougal River). Goose hunting in Area 2A is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday only, except in the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge (see the WDFW Migratory Waterfowl pamphlet for details). Goose hunting in Area 2A is closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.

  The late archery and muzzleloader season for elk and blacktail deer will end Dec. 15 in most areas that didn't close sooner. One exception in southwest Washington is Game Management Unit 505 (Mossyrock), which will remain open to archery deer hunting through Dec. 31. Hunters, whether successful or not, are reminded that they must report their hunting activities by Jan. 31, 2006. (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.

• Wildlife viewing: Hundreds of thousands of birds - from waterfowl to raptors - are on display throughout the region now that cold weather has set in up north. One contributor to the Tweeters birding website recently reported seeing more than 750 tundra swans at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Clark County in a single outing. Another spotted eight trumpeter swans and a single white-fronted goose flying fast to catch up with a formation of Canada geese over the River "S" Unit of the refuge. An assortment of sandhill cranes, red-shouldered hawks, bald eagles and great blue herons competed for the birders' attention on the auto loop, while five river otters chased one another across frozen ponds.

  During this time of avian abundance, Aubudon Society chapters in the region are joining with others throughout North America to conduct the 106th annual Christmas Bird Count. Birdwatchers, veteran and novice alike, are welcome to contribute their sightings over a 24-hour period to the world's longest-running bird database. Below is a list of bird-count organizers, and counting dates, throughout the region:

  • Camas Prairie/Trout Lake, Dec. 17; to participate leave a message for Stuart Johnston at 509-493-3363.

  • Columbia Hills/Klickitat Valley, Dec. 31; to participate leave a message for Stuart Johnston at 509-493-3363.

  • Lyle, Dec. 18; see http://community.gorge.net/birding/counts.htm or contact Bob Hansen at 425-605-0956 or at bobhansen@gorge.net.

  • Vancouver-Portland, Dec. 31; count area includes Sauvie Island on the Oregon side of the Columbia River, Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, Vancouver Lake area, and portions of Burnt Bridge and Salmon creeks; for more information contact Wilson Cady at 360-835-5947 or at gorgebirds@juno.com.

  • Wahkiakum, Dec. 29; meet 7 a.m. at Skamokawa Center; count area covers the lower Columbia River including Julia Butler Hansen and Lewis and Clark national wildlife refuges, Nature Conservancy's Blind Slough Swamp Preserve, and other excellent bird habitat in Brownsmead and Knappa (Oregon), and Puget Island, Cathlamet and Skamokawa (Washington); contact Andrew Emlen at skpaddle@pacifier.com or 360-795-8300 for more information.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: Continuous below-freezing day and night temperatures have frozen many lakes solid enough for ice fishing, although there's never any guarantee about ice safety from lake to lake. Ice fishers should use caution, care, and patience, and pack warm clothes and safety equipment before heading out. The region's two winter-only lakes near Spokane - Hog Canyon in southwest Spokane County and Fourth of July on the Lincoln-Adams county line - are producing limits of rainbow trout. Even though those fish are big and plump - most at Fourth of July are over 14 inches - fishing holes do not need to be more than eight inches in diameter, says WDFW district fish biologist Chris Donley of Spokane. "It's just not necessary to cut anything bigger," he said, "That way you're not creating a hazard for someone else." Fishers also need to remember that only two of the five-fish daily limit can be over 14 inches at both lakes. "That means you're likely to have to quit after two at Fourth of July," Donley noted.

  The majority of the rainbow caught at winter-only Williams Lake in Stevens County is also in the bigger range - 13.5 to 18 inches - but there's no size restriction on the five-fish limit. WDFW district fish biologist Curt Vail of Colville says those are "carryovers" from last year's fry plants and they've grown well in Williams. The other winter-only lake in the northeast district - Hatch - is a completely different story. "It's producing some puny little perch," Vail said, "but few to no trout since we didn't stock it last year and won't until we decide what to do with it."

  Ice fishing is also under way on a few year-round lakes in the region. Sprague Lake's relatively shallow waters are frozen and producing crappie and walleye, along with a few nice trout. Eloika Lake in north Spokane County has good yellow perch and largemouth bass fishing through the ice. Crappie have a minimum size of nine inches and a daily limit of 10 fish at Eloika, and the bass are under the statewide "slot limit" - only those less than 12 inches or greater than 17 inches can be kept, and of the five daily catch limit, only one can be over 17 inches. Anglers fishing through the ice at Silver Lake in southwest Spokane County should be especially cautious, particularly near the boat launch, where areas of open water remain.

  Waitts Lake in Stevens County is open through February and may be slower to provide safe ice. Earlier in the month one fishing party reported catching over 40 large (at least 20-inch) brown trout, casting into open water from Waitts' shoreline. Rock Lake in Whitman County is open year-round, both in terms of the fishing season and the water, since it lies in the direct line of prevailing winds. Good size rainbow and brown trout continue to be caught by anglers who know how to safely navigate a boat in winter weather on Rock Lake. Lake Roosevelt continues to provide open water fishing for big net-pen reared rainbows and a few kokanee.

  Snake River steelheading is slow, according to WDFW fish biologist Joe Bumgarner. "Ice is forming along the edges of Walla Walla, Tucannon and Touchet rivers," he said. "Water temperatures are just above freezing. Effort is way down because it's really cold out there. Probably about half of the catch now in the Little Goose/Lyons Ferry area is from recently released adult steelhead not needed for broodstock at the hatchery." Bumgarner noted that some of the latest creel check numbers look good in terms of catch rate, but the number of anglers is very low. So statistically speaking, the chances of others achieving similar catch rates is not good. For example, the latest creel showed just eight anglers in four days on the Tucannon averaging about two hours of effort per steelhead caught. On the other hand, 98 anglers checked in the same four days on the mainstem Snake between Ice Harbor and Lower Monumental dams and averaged more than 27 hours of effort per steelhead caught. For the full report, see the Snake River creel surveys on the WDFW website.

• Hunting: Upland game bird hunting continues into the new year, and although no more game farm pheasant releases will be made, some areas with good winter cover still hold fair numbers of wild birds, including quail and partridge. The extra days of goose hunting between Christmas and New Year's could be productive in Walla Walla County along the Snake River and its confluence with the Columbia near the Tri-Cities. Goose Management Area 4 (including Walla Walla, Spokane, and Lincoln counties) normally operates on a Saturday-Sunday-Wednesday-only season, but allows goose hunting on Monday, Dec. 26, Tuesday, Dec. 27, Thursday, Dec. 29, and Friday, Dec. 30. Late archery whitetail deer hunters in select northeast game management units wrap up their season Dec. 15. Hunters who pursued deer, elk, bear, or turkey earlier (or are still engaged in special late-season permit hunts) are reminded to file the mandatory hunting activity report by Jan. 31, whether they were successful or not. Those who want to be entered in the Incentive Permit Drawing for next year's seasons need to report kills within 10 days, or unsuccessful trips by Jan. 10. See the Hunter Reports section of the WDFW website for all the details.

• Wildlife viewing: Low daytime temperatures have kept snow cover fresh throughout the region and that makes for good cross-country skiing and snowshoeing - two excellent ways to quietly travel across the landscape to view wildlife. New Nordic ski trails at 49 Degrees North near Chewelah in Stevens County, like the long-standing trails at Mt. Spokane State Park just north of Spokane, take skiers through the heart of deer and moose country. Even if wildlife is not visible, tracks tell of their passing through. WDFW habitat biologist Sandy Dotts of Colville recently reported seeing tracks of snowshoe hare, ermine, squirrel, bobcat, deer, and moose while cross-country skiing in the Boulder Pass area. She recommends taking along a field guide to animal tracks.

  Bird watching is even more interesting now because of the chance to see species that are only around in the winter, says WDFW district wildlife biologist Howard Ferguson of Spokane. One of the most spectacular is the snowy owl, a large white bird that spends most of its life on the northern tundra. Some winter in Washington and at least one was recently reported by local birders in the Reardan area of Lincoln County. Spotting a white bird in vast expanses of snow can be tough, but Ferguson says there are lots of other birds to see while you're looking. He recently reported gray partridges, horned larks, tree sparrows, snow buntings and short-eared owls in the Coulee-Hite area south of Highway 2 near the Spokane-Lincoln county line. Ferguson also spotted a northern shrike, rough-legged hawk, and more short-eared owls closer to Reardan.

  Several Audubon Society chapters throughout the region are coordinating Christmas Bird Counts, in keeping with the 106-year tradition of tallying species and numbers across North America for the world's longest-running bird database. Here's where, when and how both veteran and novice birdwatchers can participate:

  • Colville, Dec. 17, meet 7 a.m. at Debz Diner, 151 W 1st Avenue in Colville; e-mail count compiler Barbara Harding at barbara_harding@fws.gov or call Jerry at 509-684-8384 for more information.

  • Pend Oreille County, Dec. 17, meet at 6:30 a.m. at Audrey's Restaurant just west of Newport on Hwy. 2; contact count compiler John P. Stuart at ninebark@povn.com for more information and to pre-register.

  • Spokane County, Dec. 18, starting about 7:15 a.m.; count area includes the confluence of the Little Spokane and Spokane Rivers, Wild Rose Prairie, Peone Prairie, Dishman Hills, the South Hill, and Riverside State Park, but home feeder watchers are welcome, too; contact count compiler Alan McCoy at 509-448-3123 or at alanhmccoy@earthlink.net to sign up.

  • Walla Walla, Dec. 18, 7:30 a.m. start; contact count compiler Mike Denny at 529-0080 or at m.denny@charter.net for more information.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: WDFW district fish biologist Bob Jateff of Omak says steelhead fishing has slowed considerably due to colder water temperatures and ice in both the Methow and Okanogan rivers. "But steelhead are still being caught in the mainstem Columbia River between Chief Joseph and Rocky Reach Dams," he said. Jateff also notes that an additional area just opened Dec. 13 to steelhead fishing in the upper Columbia from the Highway 17 bridge at Bridgeport to 400 feet below Chief Joseph Dam. Anglers are permitted to harvest only hatchery-origin steelhead with a clipped adipose fin and a healed scar in the location of the missing fin. Adipose fin-clipped steelhead with a disk tag may not be harvested. The daily catch limit is two fish with a minimum size of 20 inches. All steelhead with an intact adipose fin must be immediately released unharmed. Statewide gear rules and night closures are in effect.

  Jateff reminds whitefish anglers that in areas where there is an ongoing steelhead fishery, normal whitefish gear rules do not apply. In the open steelhead sections of the Similkameen and Methow Rivers, during the Dec. 1 to March 31 whitefish seasons, selective gear rules will apply, with no bait allowed.

  "Continuing cold temperatures in the Okanogan should provide good opportunities for rainbow trout ice fishing into the new year," Jateff said. "Little Twin and Davis lakes in the Methow area, and Sidley and Bonaparte lakes in the Tonasket-Oroville area, are good bets for nice catches." Jateff advised ice-fishers to keep fishing holes under 10 inches in diameter to avoid creating hazards on the ice.

• Hunting: It's prime time for goose hunting in the Columbia Basin, with northerners down and birds concentrated on big, open waterways. WDFW waterfowl biologist Ron Friesz of Ephrata says hunters are reporting that geese are abundant in the Moses Lake area, and ducks and geese have been feeding in grain fields in the Hiawatha Valley north of Potholes Reservoir. The entire week between Christmas and New Year's is open for goose hunting in Goose Management Area 4 (including Adams, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan counties). This area normally operates on a Saturday-Sunday-Wednesday-only season, but allows goose hunting on Monday, Dec. 26, Tuesday, Dec. 27, Thursday, Dec. 29, and Friday, Dec. 30. No new duck and goose flight survey information for the north end of the Columbia Basin was available at this writing, but waterfowl hunters should watch the North Central Region page of the WDFW website over the next month for newly posted data. Upland game bird hunting continues into the new year, and although no more game farm pheasant releases will be made, some areas with good winter cover hold fair numbers of wild birds.

  Hunters who pursued deer, elk, bear, or turkey earlier (or are still engaged in special late-season permit hunts) are reminded to file the mandatory hunting activity report by Jan. 31, whether they were successful or not. Those who want to be entered in the Incentive Permit Drawing for next year's seasons need to report kills within 10 days, or unsuccessful trips by Jan. 10. See the Hunter Reports section of the WDFW website for all the details.

• Wildlife viewing: WDFW district wildlife biologist Scott Fitkin of Winthrop says this may be a good year to observe wintering raptors from arctic/boreal habitats from the north. "Incidental observations suggest that snowy owls seem to be more abundant than usual," he said. "In the Okanogan district, open areas like the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area, Horse Springs Coulee and the open grasslands around Chesaw and Havillah, are good places to look. Gyrfalcons might also be seen in these areas. If more snowy owls show up, it may be that we'll see more northern hawk owls and great gray owls also. Those owls are more associated with forested habitats, especially along forest edges." Fitkin also noted that mule deer viewing continues to be good on much of the Methow Wildlife Area, particularly those portions north and east of Winthrop.

  Several Audubon Society chapters throughout the region are coordinating Christmas Bird Counts, in keeping with the 106-year tradition of tallying species and numbers across North America for the world's longest-running bird database. Here's where, when and how both veteran and novice birdwatchers can participate:

  • Chelan, Dec. 29; meet at Apple Cup Cafe in Chelan at 7 a.m. for breakfast before going out to count; contact count compiler Steve Easley at seasley@wenval.com to register.

  • Grand Coulee, Dec. 19; contact count compiler Michael Schroeder at grouse@vib.tv for more information.

  • Leavenworth, Dec. 17; contact count compiler Karen Haire at 509-548-4566 or at karenhaire@earthlink.net by Dec. 15 to sign up.

  • Moses Lake, Dec. 17; contact count compiler Doug Schonewald at dschone8@donobi.net for meeting place, time, and other information.

  • Omak-Okanogan, Jan. 2; backyard feeder counts welcome if within 15-mile radius of Okanogan Bridge; call Dan Boettger at 509-422-4239 or Gordon Kent at 509-422-6116 for more information.

  • Wenatchee, Jan. 1; contact count compiler Daniel Stephens at 509-663-5323 or at dstephens@wvc.edu as soon as possible to register.

  A great way to see wildlife in winter - or signs of their presence - is by snowshoe. This quiet, slow method of traveling over deep snow can be just the ticket for spotting the unusual, or at least relieving cabin fever. Free naturalist-guided snowshoe tours through Okanogan County's Methow Valley are conducted on Saturdays, three-day weekends and holidays, giving participants a chance to learn more 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 Methow Valley Sports Trail Association (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 509-996-4036 or see "The Nature of Winter" tours website on the Internet.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: The region's winter-only fishing season is at the North Elton Pond alongside Interstate 82 near Selah in Yakima County. The pond should provide good catches through the holidays after receiving 2,000 half-pound hatchery rainbow trout this month. Anglers are reminded that North Elton Pond has a two-trout daily catch limit. For those who want to take home more fish, several of the I-82 ponds in the same area are open to fishing year-round with the standard five-fish daily catch limit. With hatchery stocking last month, one of the best producers is Pond #4. Also still producing rainbows are Rotary and Myron lakes in Yakima.

  Whitefish season is open on 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. As a highly under-used resource, WDFW fish biologists say whitefish may be one of the best kept fishing secrets in Washington. Anglers can do fairly well on whitefish once they find the winter schools, and they make for very tasty tablefare, especially smoked. The long season, Dec. 1 - March 31, is a good excuse to get out of the house and escape the winter doldrums or hectic holidays.

• Hunting: The extra days of goose hunting between Christmas and New Year's could be productive in Benton and Franklin counties near the confluence of the Snake and Columbia rivers near the Tri-Cities. Goose Management Area 4 (including Benton, Franklin and Kittitas counties) normally operates on a Saturday-Sunday-Wednesday-only season, but allows goose hunting on Monday, Dec. 26, Tuesday, Dec. 27, Thursday, Dec. 29, and Friday, Dec. 30. No new duck and goose flight survey information for the south end of the Columbia Basin was available at this writing, but waterfowl hunters should watch the South Central Region page of the WDFW website over the next month for newly posted data. Hunters who pursued deer, elk, bear, or turkey earlier (or are still engaged in special late-season permit hunts) are reminded to file the mandatory hunting activity report by Jan. 31, whether they were successful or not. Those who want to be entered in the Incentive Permit Drawing for next year's seasons need to report kills within 10 days, or unsuccessful trips by Jan. 10. See the Hunter Reports section of the WDFW website for all the details.

• Wildlife Viewing: Winter feeding and close-up viewing of elk is under way at WDFW's Oak Creek Wildlife Area west of Yakima. The 60-year tradition, which began as a way to keep elk from damaging crops, draws more than 100,000 visitors every winter. About 1,100 elk are now gathered near the wildlife area's feeding site, just off Hwy.12 southwest of Naches, where a visitor parking lot and interpretive center are located. The elk are fed at 1:30 p.m. daily, although low temperatures and more than a foot of snow on the ground keep many elk in the area throughout the day. The interpretive center, operated by Senior Environmental Corps and AmeriCorps volunteers, is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week. Hay wagon tours through the elk herd will be available for donations after New Year's Day on both a first come-first serve and reservation basis. Call the wildlife area at 509-653-2390 for more information. Another 600 elk are fed near the junction of Highway 12 and 410 to the east. Viewers there should stay in vehicles in the minimal off-highway parking space, since walking near the fenceline will disturb the elk. Up to 120 bighorn sheep are also fed and viewable on the Cleman Mountain unit of the wildlife area just northeast of the Highway 410 and 12 junction, about half-a-mile up the Old Naches Road.

  WDFW's L.T. Murray Wildlife Area just west of Ellensburg in Kittitas County is also feeding elk now in three locations, including the Joe Watt Canyon unit where public viewing is welcome. WDFW area manager Cindi Confer reports over 500 elk at the Joe Watt feeding station and expects up to 1,000 by late winter. Visitors can take the Thorp exit off Interstate 90 south on the Old Thorp Highway, to Thorp Cemetery Road, to Joe Watt Canyon Road up to the winter closure gate on the wildlife area. Elk viewers are advised to remain in or near vehicles at the gate to watch the feeding elk. Both the Robinson Canyon and Joe Watt Canyon gates into the wildlife area close each year to all motorized and non-motorized public use in late November and early December to protect wintering elk. They re-open to the public May 15.

  Sightings of snowy owls have been reported on WDFW's Quilomene and Whiskey Dick wildlife areas in Kittitas County by both late season hunters and birdwatchers. These big white birds - up to two feet in length - spend most of their lives on the northern tundra, nesting and hunting lemmings on the ground. Some usually winter here, and during poor lemming years up north, even more are seen in Washington.

  Several Audubon Society chapters throughout the region are coordinating Christmas Bird Counts, in keeping with the 106-year tradition of tallying species and numbers across North America for the world's longest-running bird database. Here's where, when and how both veteran and novice birdwatchers can participate:

  • Ellensburg, Dec. 17; contact Phil Mattocks of Kittitas Audubon Society at 509-962-2191 for more information.

  • Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge, Dec. 18; contact Andy Stepnewski at 509-877-6639 or at steppie@nwinfo.net to participate.

  • Tri-Cities, Dec. 31, starting at 7:30 a.m. in three locations: Richland - Howard Amon Park, Kennewick - Audubon Nature Trail in Columbia Park, and Pasco - Chiawana Park boat ramp; call Phil Bartley of the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon chapter at 509-783-5265 for more information.

  • Yakima Valley, Dec. 17; contact Denny Granstrand at 509-453-2500 or at dgranstrand@charter.net for more information.