October 19 - November 1, 2000

Contact: Madonna Luers, (509) 456-4073

Late October offers a variety of fish and wildlife recreational opporunities across Washington, but the star attractions are clam digging, elk hunting, and setting up backyard bird feeders.

October 25 marks the opening of the fall razor clam season, although diggers should to check the Marine Toxin Hotline (1-800-562-5632) before heading for those ocean beaches. All clam digging is contingent on approval from the state Department of Health. The one-day dig at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks and Kalaloch starts at noon and runs through midnight. The same beaches are open for clamming during the same hours on Friday (Oct. 27) and Saturday (Oct. 28).

Clam diggers must have a 2000 shellfish license, may take no more than 15 razor clams and must keep the first 15 taken, regardless of size or condition. Each digger's limit must be kept in a separate container. Digging is prohibited in three quarter-mile-wide razor clam reserves, which are marked by 10-foot orange metal poles with signs. The reserves are located just south of the Ocean City approach on Copalis; at the county line approach on Twin Harbors Beach; and 2.8 miles north of the Oysterville approach to Long Beach. Additional razor clam information can be found on the department's website.

October 25 is also the deadline for signing up to help the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) count birds at backyard winter bird feeding stations.

If you don't already have your bird feeders cleaned, set out and filled with a banquet for birds passing through or spending the winter in Washington, now is the time to do so. Although wild birds will continue to forage in available natural habitat through winter, backyard feeders may help some; it's definitely a great way to enjoy and learn about wildlife. Use a variety of feeders, feed types, and placement locations to best serve the greatest diversity of birds. Be sure to provide water, too, since birds need to bathe to keep feathers clean to stay warm. If you need specific information, check out the tips or order WDFW's Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary packet, at www.wdfw\.wa\.gov/wlm/byw_prog.htm.

If you enjoy identifying your feeder visitors, consider joining 1,000 other bird-watchers across the state in the eighth annual Winter Backyard Bird Survey. The data collection is simple: count birds in your backyard for two days every other week from mid-November thorough March. When you sign up as a survey volunteer, you receive a data form booklet, instructions, and bird poster. The information collected helps WDFW biologists determine species diversity, distribution, and relative abundance – all important to long-term management of Washington's birds. Mail a postcard, no later than Oct. 25, with your name address and phone number, asking to participate in the Winter Backyard Bird Survey to: Patricia Thompson, WDFW, 16018 Mill Creek Blvd., Mill Creek WA 98012, or sign up by e-mail at thomppat@dfw.wa.gov.

Elk hunting starts October 28 for modern firearm hunters in eastern Washington and November 4 in western Washington. A change this year is that any Northeast, Blues, Colockum, or Yakima elk tag is valid for hunting anywhere on the eastside. Elk herd populations vary across the state, but overall hunting prospects are fair to good. In general, eastern Washington has spike-bull-only general seasons and western Washington has a three-antler-point minimum.

In the northeast, elk are in small, widely-scattered groups, and hunter success is usually low due to the abundance of escape cover in rugged terrain. Blue Mountains elk numbers have improved in most areas, with the exception of the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness (game management unit 169). Colockum elk numbers are low and harvest probably will be, too. The Yakima herd numbers over 13,000 elk, and even with the spike-only rule, those who get off roads should have good hunting.

In the Puget Sound area elk numbers are down and hunting opportunities are limited, so pre-season scouting now is critical. In southwest Washington, the Mount.St. Helens elk herd is the state's second largest and the South Rainer herd is still recovering from declines; hunters need to map out and line up access now, due to both permanent habitat-protecting and recent wild fire danger road closures. In the coastal region of the Olympic Peninsula, elk hunting is likely to improve over the last few years when herds were in steep declines; hunters willing to get away from roads will do best.

For more information on elk hunting prospects, see "Game Trails: Washington Hunting News," and for specific elk hunting regulations by unit, see the Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules pamphlet, both available at WDFW offices or at www.wdfw\.wa\.gov/huntcorn.htm on the Internet.

Those tuned in to the Halloween season may enjoy a vicarious wildlife experience available on the WDFW web site. "Bats of Eastern Washington," features photos, descriptions and interesting details on several types of bats native to the state.

Here's what's happening specifically, region by region:

North Puget Sound:

• Fishing: Chum salmon are expected to make their appearance by Nov. 1 in some of the region's major rivers. To allow anglers to take advantage of the early arrivals, chum fishing opened Oct. 13 in the Skagit, Snohomish and Skykomish rivers. Meanwhile marine anglers will do best by heading west if they want to try for a chum, says WDFW's Tony Floor, who adds that the feisty fish tend to frequent the west side of Puget Sound. Closer to home, however, anglers can look forward to the Nov. 1 opening of fishing for blackmouth (immature chinook), which runs through Nov. 30 from Sekiu to Olympia. These fish have been held extra time in hatcheries to overcome their natural migratory instinct and encourage them to linger in the Sound, for extra angler opportunity.

• Hunting: The arrival of fall rains is expected to bring better conditions for both waterfowl and deer hunters. Besides driving birds in off the water, stormy weather also prompts deer to choose daylight hours for venturing out to feed. Wet weather also dampens the woods, muffling the sound of approaching deer hunters. Duck hunters have been meeting with some success in the Skagit Wildlife Area, especially the Welt's section on Padilla Bay, but the main action of the season is expected to start mid-November when migrating birds arrive from the north in greater numbers. Snow goose hunting is open, but like ducks, the birds are not expected in large numbers until mid-November. Waterfowl hunters should keep in mind the statewide two-day closure of duck hunting Oct. 19 and 20, and the brief closure of goose hunting Oct. 27 to Nov. 3. Both temporary closures are the result of added hunting days at other times during the season.

• Wildlife watching: Fall storms will bring waterfowl from Alaska. This is a good time of year to see sea ducks at spots such as Anacortes or Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island. Watch for waterfowl on lakes or from shoreline viewpoints like Bayview State Park. Watch for sea bird migrations from shorelines, boats and ferries.

Olympic Peninsula/South Sound:

• Fishing: Clam guns will be back in style on ocean beaches Oct. 25, when the fall razor clam season is scheduled to open with a one-day dig. As discussed above, the one-day season opener and the two-day dig planned Oct. 27-28 depend on a final test for marine toxins so make sure you call the Marine Toxin Hotline (1-800-562-5632) before you hit the beach. Or, if you'd rather just catch a salmon, grab a pole and take advantage of the chum salmon action on Hood Canal and the west side of Puget Sound. "Chum have the power of a chinook (salmon) and the acrobatics of a coho," enthuses Tony Floor, WDFW recreational fishing coordinator. "They're a blast, and they're good to eat too." Shore anglers are reporting success fishing from the pontoons on the east side of the Hood Canal bridge. Best bets for boat fishers include the east end of Hood Canal and in Puget Sound from Point Monroe to Point No Point. Floor recommends drifting with a small plug or whole herring on the end of 60 feet of line. Chum are also schooling in terminal areas in Willapa Bay and elsewhere. For coho salmon, the in-river fishery on the Dungeness River opened Oct. 16, with a daily bag limit of four fish greater than 12 inches in length. Dungeness Bay will also remain open to coho fishing through Oct. 31, with a daily limit of two fish. With the forecast of showers and rain for next week, in-river coho fishing should also pick in the north coastal and Strait of Juan de Fuca rivers open to salmon fishing.

• Hunting: Blacktail deer hunting got off to a slow start but is expected to pick up with the coming of wetter, colder weather. On the Pysht Tree Farm, only one spike buck was checked among about 140 hunters – about half the normal pressure, and harvest down about 80 percent. That could be due to the high rate of deer hair loss syndrome in the area and possibly a high cougar population, said Jack Smith, regional wildlife manager. At the popular Vail Tree Farm, "Eyes in the Woods" volunteers checked 1,939 hunters with 121 deer, for a 6 percent success rate. That is slower than last year, when 1,416 hunters took 154 deer for a success rate of 11 percent. Smith noted, however, that none of the 33 bucks equipped with radio collars this year in the area were among the 121 deer taken in the first few days of hunting. "That suggests that there are a lot more deer out there for the patient and persistent hunter," Smith said. Besides those qualities, Smith also urges hunters to be cautious at all times. Two area hunters have already been injured in non-fatal hunting accidents this year – one when a loaded rifle in a vehicle (which is illegal) accidentally discharged and another when a hunter was mistaken for game. "It's easy to get caught up in what you're doing out there, but it is essential to put safety first," Smith said. That will be even more important next month when elk hunters take to the field. Best bets include Game Areas 681 (Bear River), 658 (North River), 660 (Minot Peak) and the Willapa Hills. The opening of pheasant hunting at the Dungeness Recreation Area release site on Oct. 7 saw about 50 hunters each day of the weekend, averaging the "normal" one bird apiece, Smith said. Recent warm weather has taken a toll on waterfowl hunting, although ducks are abundant in the South Puget Sound lowlands, Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor areas.

• Wildlife watching: Stop in to just about any WDFW hatchery these days and you'll see salmon – lots of salmon. Some facilities that focus on chinook salmon production are winding down, but others are in full swing with the arrival of coho and chum salmon. Minter Creek Hatchery near Purdy (12710 - 124th Ave. Ct.) is a good bet because it produces all three species. Like other state hatcheries, it is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. seven days a week. If it's birds you want to see, there's still time to observe the departure of the last wave of Bonaparte's gulls at Point No Point and perhaps the fall arrival of murrelets. You'll also see a big flock of terns, which is usually being harassed by jaegers. The Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge near Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula is also a good place to see seabirds, waterfowl, raptors and winter songbirds of all kinds at this time of year.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: The main focus for fall fishing in the region's rivers is late stock hatchery coho. The Klickitat River has been one of the best places of late, with boat anglers averaging 1.5 fish and bank anglers averaging .5 fish. Boat anglers near the mouth of the Klickitat have been averaging a fish per person and the fish are nice and bright, eight to 15 pounds each, according to Fish and Wildlife Biologist Joe Hymer. Fishers in the Lewis, Kalama, Cowlitz and Green rivers are finding good numbers of hatchery coho as well. The Elochoman River is a good bet too for late stock coho. The opportunity for Columbia River sturgeon just below the Bonneville Dam is still good. Meanwhile, several lakes and ponds have been planted. Over the past two weeks, Goose Lake has been planted with 2,000 sea run cutthroat averaging a pound each. The lake will receive 3,000 more cutthroats over the next three weeks. Klineline Pond near Hazel Dell got 204 steelhead averaging eight pounds each and Battleground Lake got 122 steelhead of about eight pounds each. John Day Pool continues to be a good fishing destination for hatchery steel head.

• Hunting: On the west side of the Cascades, black-tailed deer populations are down. Hair loss syndrome in deer continues to cause concern in southwest Washington and causing antlerless harvest to be curtailed in several Game Management Units. For good hunter access, because of good deer cover and forage, consider units 550 (Coweeman), 501 (Lincoln), 505 (Mossyrock) and 530 (Ryderwood.) The best areas are lowland wet areas near small clear cuts less than 10 years old. Private, industrial timber lands may also be more productive; the onus is on the hunter to get permission to hunt on private lands. East of the Cascades, in Klickitat County, deer populations are healthy, and there's a high fawn-to-adult ratio. Deer hunting continues at least through next weekend in most units and through the month in others. Hunters should check specific regulations in the Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules pamphlet.

• Wildlife watching: Now is a great time to see fall chinook and coho salmon runs at area hatcheries. Lesser sandhill cranes are still available for viewing at Shilapoo National Wildlife Refuge near Vancouver, and wintering Canada geese are starting to show in small numbers. Viewers can find a fall scene with wintering ducks and geese at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, as well. It's the time of year to check wild oak habitats in the Klickitat Wildlife Area , where there may still be a chance of viewing turkeys; early mornings are the best time to catch sight of them.

Eastern Washington:

• Hunting: Elk hunting should be good in most parts of the Blues, south of the Snake River and for those fortunate enough to obtain access to private lands in southern Spokane County. There are also some widely-distributed elk, and lots of antlerless whitetail deer, for hunters with the right tags and a place to hunt in Whitman, Stevens, and Pend Oreille counties. Mule deer hunting continues through Oct. 22, and white-tailed deer hunting continues through the Oct. 27, in northeast units; wetter, cooler weather should make these seasons more productive than the opener. Pheasant releases are underway this week and next at several sites across the region; check at the Spokane office or www.wdfw\.wa\.gov/wlm/game/water/ewapheas.htm for details. Chukar hunting is the best it has been for the past several years in Whitman County.

• Fishing: Snake River steelheading continues to be strong. The Grand Ronde, a Snake tributary in the southeast corner of the state, is now excellent for steelhead fishing. Trout fishing picks up due to dropping water temperatures at this time of year in the northeast, says WDFW district fish biologist Curt Vail. Some of the special regulation waters like Starvation, McDowell, Bayley, and Davis lakes in Pend Oreille County, and other cutthroat lakes, produce fairly well at this time, Vail says. West Medical Lake in Spokane County remains open without limits through Oct. 22, to allow anglers to remove as many fish as possible before the lake is treated with rotenone to rid it of goldfish and pumpkinseed fish. Anglers are also reminded that the part of the Little Spokane River a quarter mile above the inlet to Chain Lake in Pend Oreille County is closed to fishing, and Chain Lake itself closes Nov. 1, to protect these waters' unique stock of kokanee from incidental or illegal harvest during the winter months.

• Wildlife watching: Tundra swans are back in the region, at least for their migratory stopovers of a few weeks. Good places to see swans, including occasional Trumpeters are: Spangle ponds and sometimes Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge in Spokane County, Reardan ponds and other lakes and potholes in Lincoln County, and Calispell Lake and the Pend Oreille River in Pend Oreille County. Bird-watching tours of McNary National Wildlife Refuge and nightly "owl prowls" through the local cemetery are among the many watchable wildlife opportunities at the annual Walla Walla Foliage and Feathers Festival, October 28-3; for more information, call the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation at 509-529-8755 or go to www.downtownwallawalla.com/Promotions/ff-schedule.htm on the Internet.

North Central Washington:

• Hunting: Pheasant hunters in the Columbia Basin can boost their chances of bagging birds by checking out the seven release sites in Grant and Adams counties where roosters are being released periodically; site locations are available at the regional office in Ephrata or at www.wdfw\.wa\.gov/wlm/game/water/ewapheas.htm. WDFW district wildlife biologist Jim Tabor notes that corn harvest has begun in the irrigated farmland of the Columbia Basin and migrating mallards use the harvested corn fields extensively. Duck hunters are reminded that the season is closed October 19 - 20, then reopens on the 21st.

• Fishing: Rainbow trout fishing at Potholes Reservoir in Grant County has been good with catches of two to five pound fish, both by shore and boat anglers. There are no catch limits through the rest of the year at Davis Lake in Okanogan County so that anglers can catch remaining fish before the lake is treated with rotenone next spring to rid it of undesirable fish populations.

• Wildlife watching: Now is the time to take a detour off Interstate 90 to see birds: waterfowl and other bird migrations are spectacular in the Columbia Basin. Take your binoculars and camera along the backroads between Vantage and Ritzville, through the Frenchman Hills, Winchester Wasteway, and Columbia National Wildlife Refuge. Or go north from George to Soap Lake, Startford, Wilson Creek, and Odessa.

South Central Washington:

• Hunting: Colockum elk numbers are low and harvest probably will be, too. The Yakima herd numbers over 13,000 elk, and even with the spike-only rule, those who get off roads should have good hunting. Pheasant releases at several sites are underway. Wild quail are in good numbers.

• Fishing: Many year-round lakes in Benton, Kittitas, and Yakima counties have lots of newly-stocked catchable-size trout in them for the catching; see details at www.wdfw\.wa\.gov/do/oct00/oct1300a.htm. Columbia River Ringold area steelheading continues through the year. Mid-Columbia River chinook salmon fishing also continues; the Hanford Reach section closes Oct. 22, but other sections continue through end of year.The Lower Yakima and Naches rivers are open to coho and chinook salmon through October 31.

• Wildlife watching: WDFW area fish biologist Jim Cummins reports there is good fish viewing opportunity for spawning Rimrock Lake kokanee in the North Fork Tieton River between Rimrock and Clear Lakes until the end of October. An occasional bald eagle and lots of osprey can also be seen feeding on the kokanee carcasses in that stretch. "Hawk Watch" is underway near Swauk Pass between Cle Elum and Wenatchee; contact Marianne Gordon (e-mail at "marianne@eburg.com") of Kittitas Audubon for details. The aspens, maples, cottonwoods, larch and other deciduous trees along the east slopes of the Cascades are putting on a great color show now.