Salmon Fishing: Most adult wild chinook have now returned to their native rivers to spawn so much of northern and central Puget Sound opened to blackmouth fishing on Nov. 1. Blackmouth are immature chinook and the vast majority of them in Puget Sound in November are from hatcheries. Tony Floor, manager of WDFW's blackmouth program and an avid salmon angler, said blackmouth fishing often is best in central Puget Sound in November. He suggests trying areas like Jefferson Head, Point No Point and Port Townsend. "Find the baitfish and you'll find the blackmouth," Floor said. He added, "The tides are great during the first week of November. They will school up the baitfish and draw the blackmouth to them." In areas where chinook fishing is open, anglers each day may keep one chinook which must be at least 22 inches in length. Anglers should be sure to check the Fishing In Washington regulation pamphlet before fishing because rules vary around Puget Sound.

There are plenty of coho–some as large as 20 pounds and many in the midteens– available to be caught in the Columbia, Lewis and Cowlitz rivers. Vancouver WDFW biologist Joe Hymer said the run size estimate for late coho recently was raised from 90,000 to 225,000 fish.

For the first time in decades, the section of the Yakima River from the Interstate 82 bridge at Union Gap to 400 feet below Roza Dam will open Nov. 15 for sport salmon fishing, thanks to an agreement between WDFW and the Yakama Nation. The tribe also raised the hatchery coho for this fishery. The tribe has worked for several years to "reprogram" coho from lower Columbia River hatcheries by holding them in Yakima Basin holding ponds. Anglers may keep two salmon over 12 inches in length. Coho with adipose fins as well as those with clipped fins may be kept. More than 3,000 coho are expected to return to the Yakima. The sport fishery closes Dec. 31.

Youngsters under age 15, seniors age 70 and older and disabled persons will have the opportunity to catch hatchery coho weighing up to 10 pounds that are being planted in Vance Creek County Park Pond #1 off Highway 12 near Elma. WDFW will be planting hundreds of large coho over the next two weeks. Another 200 adult hatchery coho have been planted in Lincoln Pond in Port Angeles. The pond is open to youngsters under age 15 all year. The daily limit is five coho and no catch record card is required. The pond is open all year. Additional hatchery coho may be planted if they become available.

Razor Clams: Sport razor clam digging is open from 12:01 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 at Long Beach. The clamming seasons at Copalis and Mocrocks beaches have been extended to Nov. 5, 7, 9 and 11 between 12:01 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. Long Beach also is scheduled to reopen for sport digging on Nov. 26 and 27 and Dec. 20 and 21. Twin Harbors and Kalaloch Beach remain closed to protect the public from domoic acid, which is toxic to humans. The Washington Department of Health is monitoring domoic acid levels in razor clams at those beaches and Twin Harbors may reopen at a later date if the clams are safe.

Waterfowl Hunting: Duck and goose hunting should pick up now that the weather is stormier and colder. Waterfowl get more restless as the wind picks up and they have to eat more as the temperature drops. The combination makes them more accessible to hunters. The area from Port Susan Bay north to the Canadian border should provide good hunting. A recent survey showed 90,000 ducks in the area, more than last year and higher than the average year.

Upland Bird Hunting: WDFW biologists suggest hunting for quail, with Asotin, Yakima and Okanogan counties offering some of the best opportunities. Almost 10,000 pheasants will be released at release sites around the state in November. Dave Ware, manager of WDFW's game program, says the release sites offer the best hunting as natural production has been low. Check the Western Washington Pheasant Release Program and Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Program brochures on the WDFW Website for release site maps and other information. The department's regional offices in Spokane, Ephrata, Yakima, Mill Creek, Vancouver and Montesano and the headquarters office in Olympia also have brochures with information about pheasant release sites.

Big Game Hunting: Modern firearm elk hunting in eastern Washington is open. Rolf Johnson, WDFW's big game manager, said hunters should do well in the Yakima and Colockum areas but may find only moderate success in the Blue Mountains. Modern firearm elk hunting will be open from Nov. 6-14 in western Washington with the best hunting expected to take place in the Mount St. Helens area. Johnson reminds hunters that some parts of southwest Washington are permit-only areas. Johnson also suggests hunters consider the deer-elk-cougar-bear license option that will enable hunters to take a cougar or bear encountered during the elk hunt. Johnson noted bear and cougar populations are very healthy, providing good opportunities for hunters. The deer-elk-bear-cougar license option costs the resident adult hunter $66. Adding a bear and cougar license to a deer and elk license costs $20.

Hunter survey: Hunters have until Nov. 25 to give their views on hunting season preferences in a 20-question survey conducted by WDFW. The results of the opinion survey, along with a public comment period that will be held in January, will be considered as WDFW adopts hunting seasons for the next three years. Hunters may fill complete the survey on the Internet or dial 1-800-318-3243 to respond via automated telephone system.

Bird Watching: The Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge near Vancouver has just opened a new 4-mile auto-only tour route, complete with observation areas and interpretative signs for people wishing to watch birds. Birds become more accustomed to vehicles than they do people so Ridgefield may offer more opportunities to see ducks, geese, sandhill cranes and other species. Call the refuge at (360) 887-4106 for more information. November is the prime season to watch hawks and eagles migrate south. Good sites to observe bald eagles include: the Long Lake Dam Campground on the Spokane River near Spokane; Birch Bay State Park north of Bellingham and the Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery (509) 538-2755. The Columbia Gorge is a good place to spot eagles and hawks. The Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge near Cheney (509) 235-44723 and Columbia National Wildlife Refuge, near Othello (509) 488-2668, offer good opportunities to see waterfowl and other migratory species. Many species also fly south along the coast. Try the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge near Ilwaco (360) 484-3482, Bowerman Basin (360) 532-6237 and other ocean spots to see loons, pelicans and other waterfowl moving south. The Eurasian dotterel is the bird making headlines at Ocean Shores. Be sure to take binoculars so it can be distinguished from the black-bellied plovers and Pacific golden-plovers with which it usually is found. The dotterel, which normally migrate between Siberia and North Africa and the Middle East, usually can be found on the tideflats on either side of the Damon Point Road at the southeastern tip of the Ocean Shores Peninsula. Ask local birdwatchers (folks with binoculars and telescopes) to help spot the unusual visitor. In the Puget Sound area, the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge north of Olympia (360) 753-9467, Birch Bay State Park north of Bellingham, the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge near Sequim and Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend offer viewing opportunities. State park information is available by calling 1-800-233-0321. Good spots to see mallard, wigeon, gadwall, bufflehead, barrow's goldeneye and other ducks include Capitol Lake in Olympia and Kayak Point Regional Park, which is north of Everett.

Salmon Watching: For those who like to watch eagles as well as salmon, a trip to the Little White Salmon National Hatchery in Cook is in order. Call (509) 538-2755 for information. WDFW's Issaquah Hatchery (425) 775-1311 offers an excellent visitor center, viewing tank and interpretative signs for people interested in observing the salmon life cycle. Gold Creek Pond near Snoqualmie Pass also offers excellent opportunities to view fall runs of landlocked Kokanee (sockeye) salmon. The facility features an interpretative trail, pond and spawning channel. Take the Hyak-Gold Creek exit off Interstate 5 east of Snoqualmie Pass. (206) 888-1421.

Wildlife Watching: The upper end of Lake Chelan during November offers great opportunities to see mountain goats. Contact the Lake Chelan Boat Co. at (509) 682-2224 for information regarding trip schedules. Observers often also see wintering mule deer on the north shore in the lower portion of Lake Chelan. The lucky and persistent observer also may see a cougar.