September 21 - October 4, 2000

Contact: Virginia Painter, (360) 902-2256

Fall is a happening time in Washington. As the leaves change color and the air begins to take on a nip, outdoors enthusiasts can have their pick of wildlife experiences, from pheasant hunting and salmon fishing, to viewing opportunities such as bird watching or the annual Roosevelt elk rut.

Youth pheasant and waterfowl hunters can take advantage of a special youth pheasant and waterfowl (ducks, geese and quail) season open Sept. 23 and 24. Remember that youth hunters must be under 16 years old and must be accompanied by an adult at least 18 years old who is not hunting.

Hunters 65 and older may enjoy a special westside pheasant season Sept. 25 through 29. General season for pheasant on the west side of the mountains is Sept. 30 through Nov. 30, and east side pheasant and quail seasons open Oct. 7. For details on permits, harvest limits and odd/even hunting days, consult the Migratory Waterfowl and Upland Game Seasons pamphlet.

As bird seasons get under way, hunters should be aware of new non-toxic shot requirements for all small-game hunting on many state wildlife areas and pheasant release sites. The non-toxic shot rules, put in place to protect other wildlife species including waterfowl and raptors, affect the Chehalis River, Hunter Farms and Raymond Airport pheasant release sites; the Lake Terrell and Snoqualmie wildlife areas; and the Dungeness Recreation Area in western Washington. These requirements remain in effect in the Skagit Wildlife Area. In addition, non-toxic shot is now required in the following eastern Washington locations: the Driscoll Island, Hegdahl and Kline Parcel segments of Sinlahekin Wildlife Area, the Sunnyside Wildlife Area, the Bridgeport Bar segment of Wells Wildlife Area and Two Rivers and Wallula units of the McNary Wildlife Refuge.

On the fishing front, keep in mind that when October comes, fishing success moves from the ocean and goes inland to the rivers. Good ocean conditions this year mean hatchery coho returning to rivers are nearly twice the size of last year. While averages last year were seven to eight pounds, this year's catches are in the 12- to 15-pound category. So if you're after the big ones, this may be your year to fish.

Sept. 23 is National Public Lands Day in Washington. The National Environmental Education and Training Foundation, along with several federal and state agencies and the governor's office, encourages people to get out and enjoy their public lands. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is highlighting two sites where government and citizen partnerships have made a difference -- the Lower Hood Canal area, including Theler Wetlands near Belfair in Mason County, and Tennant Lake and Interpretive Center in Whatcom County.

At Theler Wetlands and Environmental Center in Belfair, visitors see the results of more than 10 years of cooperation between public landowners, the North Mason School District, Theler Trust and WDFW. The school district and community have worked together to manage the wetlands and enhance the environment. Walk wetland trails where volunteers have established a native plants garden, and enjoy numerous interpretive displays in and around the center. At Tennant Lake in the Whatcom County town of Ferndale, visitors may enjoy bird watching and take in Tennant Lake Interpretive Center, operated cooperatively by Whatcom County Parks and Recreation Department and the WDFW, with plenty of community support.

All over the state there are birdwatching opportunities of various kinds, as shorebirds, raptors and other migrant birds move south for winter. Watch the drama in the sky from high elevations, especially on windy days, when hawks and falcons are more likely to swoop and glide. Or take a walk on western shores, and enjoy the shorebirds taking a break to touch down for a meal before continuing their journey.

Regional Highlights:

Northern Puget Sound:

• Hunting: Grouse hunters have been successful in high mountain areas where berries are in evidence. Continuing warm weather has slowed Canada geese, somewhat diminishing overall hunter success. For Youth Hunting Day Sept. 23, Washington Waterfowlers will have displays set up at Skagit Wildlife Area off Wiley Road near Conway. Special pheasant releases are planned at Cherry Valley and Stillwater on the Snoqualmie Wildlife Area, and at Lake Terrell and Skagit wildlife areas. Hunters are reminded that new non-toxic shot requirements are in effect at Lake Terrell and Snoqualmie wildlife areas, and remain in force at the Skagit Wildlife Area.

• Fishing: Coho fishing in northern Puget Sound has been "the best we've seen in many, many years- some anglers are saying the best in memory," says WDFW's Tony Floor. Check the WDFW Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet for season closures, which vary by marine area.(Marine areas 9 and 10 area closed from Sept. 16 until Oct. 1, while areas 8-1 and 8-2 east of Whidbey Island, remain open for coho). Anglers can thank favorable ocean conditions for this year's coho run, which appears may be exceeding forecasts, with individual fish weighing in at up to twice their normal seven-pound range. October will bring new coho fishing opportunities in many westside rivers as fish move from saltwater back into freshwater streams, he added. Check the fishing pamphlet for opening dates and bag limits, which vary by location.

• Wildlife watching: This is the season to spot shorebirds, and a good place to check is the Padilla Bay dike trail near Bayview. Western sandpipers, dowitchers, and greater and lesser yellowlegs are expected to be visible in the area. The Jenson access at the Skagit Wildlife Area, and Spencer Island also are likely spots for good bird viewing. For best results, try areas where mudflats are exposed, and try to time visits to incoming tides, suggests WDFW Regional Wildlife Manager Lora Leschner. At high elevations, hawks also are on view now. Try high ridge areas with open sight lines, especially on windy days; Chelan Ridge and Chinook Pass are good prospects. Peregrine falcons have been spotted in the Davis Slough area of Leque Island. The island's position between Camano Island and Stanwood on a migration corridor make it a good spot to watch for both shorebirds and raptors. And boaters on marine waters in the San Juans should be on the lookout for Arctic and Caspian terns and Bonaparte gulls.

Olympic Peninsula/South Sound:

• Hunting: The first batch of pheasants from the Lewis County Game Farm will be released at sites around western Washington just in time for the special two-day youth hunt that begins Saturday (Sept. 23). Young people age 15 and under also have the option of hunting for ducks that weekend, although geese are off limits in Goose Management Area 2 due to the potential presence of duskys. Young hunters who want to target pheasants can check out possible sites on the WDFW website. The same is true of seniors age 65 and over who want to get a jump on the seniors' hunt from Sept. 25-29 before the general-season pheasant hunt begins on Sept. 30. The daily limit for all hunters in western Washington is two pheasants of either sex. Pheasant hunters in western Washington need to purchase a pheasant punch card, which entitles each hunter to take a total of eight birds throughout the season. Youth waterfowl hunters are reminded to get a free state migratory bird stamp, available at license dealers. Meanwhile, the weather continues to be favorable for archers hunting deer in the region, with cool misty mornings that allow them to get within range.

Fishing: Lots of boats are fishing the Strait of Juan de Fuca right now as coho continue to move into inside waters. The average catch is running slightly over one fish per rod out of Sekiu and Port Angeles, most fish weighing five to six pounds. A better bet may be Neah Bay, where the effort is low but the coho are still running strong. For those who don't mind some company, the Quilcene River "is black with fish" and lined with anglers "as far as the eye can see," reports WDFW fish biologist Steve Boessow. "Everybody is limiting on coho," said Boessow, who cautions anglers to observed the closed areas described in the WDFW Fishing in Washington pamphlet. The Sol Duc River also has a strong run of above-average size coho, with less dramatic fishing conditions. Further south, one in three anglers is bringing home a salmon from the Grays Harbor area and one out of two is scoring in Willapa Bay. Most Willapa Bay fishers are targeting the mouths of the Naselle and Willapa rivers, and are catching some chinook weighing in the high teens, as well as hatchery coho. WDFW Fish Biologist Bill Freymond notes that summer steelhead are still available around the Calawah and Bogachiel Rearing ponds. Once the caddis fly larvae begin to hatch in the next few week, those fish will go on the bite.

The Quilcene River was nearly black with returning hatchery coho and wild summer chum salmon recently. The run offers a viewing opportunity, as well as fishing for coho only; chum must be released. To visit the area, follow Highway 101, and watch for state hatchery signs about one mile south of the town of Quilcene. The river also is visible from Linger Longer Road and Rogers Street in town.

• Wildlife watching: The next two weeks will offer a spectacular opportunity to watch Roosevelt Elk on the Olympic Peninsula. The Big Boys are in town for the rut and, if you've never heard a bull elk bugle or spar with rival bulls, this is your chance. Hunting seasons are timed to avoid the peak of the elk rut during the last two weeks of September because that's when the herd is most vulnerable. The Quinault River valley, upstream from Lake Quinault, is a great place to observe this rite of fall. Several groups of elk are visible along the loop road along the South Shore and North Shore roads. The Graves Creek Campground is an even better spot, although it is not accessible by vehicle and requires a hike. The elk are most active during the early morning and evening hours. Observers should give the elk plenty of room, since they are easily disturbed and potentially dangerous.

Southwest Washington:

• Hunting: The youth pheasant hunting season Sept. 23 and 24 and a 65-and-older season Sept. 25 to 29 will bring hunters to several sites in this region, as well (check the Migratory Waterfowl and Upland Game Seasons pamphlet for details.) Deer numbers in all of Klickitat County are high, and archery hunters should find many good opportunities there – especially in GMUs 588 and 382. Hunters are reminded that much of GMU 382 is private land and will require making contact with landowners to arrange access.

• Fishing: The focus in salmon fishing this time of year is shifting from ocean chinook to hatchery coho in the lower Columbia River tributaries. Hot spots are the Cowlitz, Toutle and Lewis rivers, with adult and jack coho already being caught in good numbers. Coho should also be present in the Elochoman and Grays rivers. Something anglers can look forward to is Oct. 1, when daily limits will be increased to six hatchery coho, all six of which may be adults on the lower Cowlitz and Toutle (including the mainstem and north fork), the Green River (Cowlitz County) and the Lewis River (including the north fork.) "This is the biggest daily adult bag limit in the state," says Joe Hymer, fish and wildlife biologist. "This increase, put in place to provide maximum harvest of hatchery coho, is a real opportunity for fishers out there." Bag limit increases also will be in effect on the Elochoman, Tilton, Cispus and Upper Cowlitz rivers, where the limit will be six fish, of which four may be adult hatchery coho. Hymer sees a great opportunity for family fishing targeting hatchery coho jacks on the lower Columbia River all around the Longview area, using simply fish eggs on a hook and plunking the bait on the bottom of the river. Catches are in the 12- to 14-inch range. You might also catch a hatchery searun cutthroat. Also promising: sturgeon fishing off the bank just below the Bonneville Dam; hatchery coho, chinook and steelhead in Bonneville pool, including its tributaries. Drano Lake and the Klickitat River are still good areas to catch a large-sized fall chinook.

• Wildlife watching: An early autumn drive to the woodlands and grasslands of Julia Butler Hansen Wildlife Refuge near Cathlamet may yield views of an endangered subspecies of deer, the Columbia white-tail deer, reported as common during the time of Lewis and Clark. Roosevelt elk from the surrounding Willapa Hills also forage here, and since it's elk rutting season, this could be an interesting time to visit. Bird watchers may see warblers, songbirds, tundra swans and Canada geese as well.

Eastern Washington:

• Hunting: Pheasant hunting for youth over the special youth hunting weekend, Sept. 23-24, should be enhanced with 1,300 pheasants being released at Sherman Creek Wildlife Area in Ferry County, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) property at Fishtrap Lake in Lincoln County, and several Corps of Engineer habitat management units along the Snake River in the southeast part of the region. Youth hunters who drew antlerless deer permits in the Mayview (145) and Prescott (149) game management units can make arrangements for free access to deer-rich property in those areas by calling Jack Peasely (509-884-4624). All ages of bird hunters can enjoy the opener of Hungarian and chukar partridge season on October 1; for chukars, work the springs in the Snake River breaks country, and for huns, try the wheat country of Whitman and Lincoln counties - with permission, of course, from private property owners. Sixty-two moose hunting permittees start their once-in-a-lifetime hunts October 1 in this region.

• Fishing: Steelhead trout fishing in the Snake and Grande Ronde Rivers is starting to pick up. says WDFW fish biologist Mark Schuck of Dayton. The early September rains brought flows up slightly and helped lower water temperatures earlier than in recent years, he says, so the prospects for steelheading are good. Lake anglers are reminded that many productive waters close September 30 and trout are now feeding steadily in preparation for coming winter; Badger, Williams, and West Medical lakes are good bets close to Spokane, with Amber Lake shifting to catch-and-release October 1.

• Wildlife watching: Moose are hard for wildlife watchers to miss, and now is the time to be looking. Bull moose have recently been wreaking havoc with trees and backyard swingsets to remove velvet from antlers, ready to battle other bulls for breeding dominance. The orchard and farm country of northeastern Spokane County is a haven for moose and moose-watchers, but check out clearcuts and edges of cropfields throughout Pend Oreille and Stevens counties, too. The moose population in this area is growing so rapidly that moose-watching may rival bird-watching some day!

North Central Washington:

• Hunting: About 1,400 farm-raised pheasants will be released for the youth hunting weekend, Sept. 23-24, at 11 locations in Grant, Adams, Chelan, and Okanogan counties; youth hunters should call or visit the Ephrata office for specifics on release sites. WDFW wildlife biologist Jim Tabor says that waterfowl hunting opportunities should be super for youth hunters in the Columbia Basin over the weekend, too. Chukar and Hungarian partridge hunting for all opens October 1.

• Fishing: Jameson Lake in Douglas County opens to fishing for the month of October. WDFW fish biologist Heather Bartlett of Twisp says fishing is picking up at many trout lakes as the summer heat subsides and trout come out of the thermocline to chow down before winter. This makes it an excellent time to visit some of the selective-gear and fly-fishing-only lakes such as Okanogan County's Chopaka, Aeneas, and Blue, and catch-and-release waters like Little Twin, Rat and the Green lakes. WDFW fish biologist Jeff Korth of Ephrata reports that yellow perch fishing has really turned on at Moses Lake; perch are running 8 to 12 inches, with many up to 15 inches. Rainbow trout angling is also very good at Moses Lake, he says, with the average fish in the two-pound range. Trollers have had the best luck, he says, but bank anglers are also catching limits off the I-90 bridge and city parks access.

• Wildlife watching: Deer watching is a year-round activity in this region, from mulies in the mountains to whitetails in the farmlands. But it's especially fun now because lots of "families" are viewable; does with fawns, many with twins, are out and about near dawn and dusk and even mid-day, browsing in preparation for coming winter. Slow down and watch those field edges, irrigation canal corridors, and mountainside meadows for a glimpse.

South Central Washington:

• Hunting: Youngsters participating in the special, early bird-hunting weekend, Sept. 23-24, will have a chance to bag one of 900 pheasants being released at the Sunnyside Wildife Area in Yakima County, Wenas/L.T. Murray Wildlife Area in Kittitas County, Hill Road release site in Klickitat County, and Ringold release site in Franklin County. Partridge (Hungarian and chukar) hunting season opens Oct. 1. The early modern firearm antlerless elk hunting season, that runs through Oct. 13 in Game Management Units (GMU) 372 (Kiona) and 382 (East Klickitat), has an emergency expansion to address crop-damage by elk that left the Hanford area due to earlier wildfires: in GMU 372, Oct. 1-13, any elk can be taken by any elk tag holder (including archers and muzzleloaders; check details on the department's website.

• Fishing: Yakima River fall salmon season opened with relatively slow fishing, but WDFW fish biologist Jim Cummins expects success to pick up as more coho enter the river. Estimated harvest in the lower river (Prosser to Richland) over opening weekend was 12 chinook and six coho, with greater fishing pressure than in past years. Fewer anglers tried the stretch from I-82 to Roza, but of 12 checked there, two had chinook. Cummins says that, like the lower Yakima, fishing will improve when coho reach this section of river, which may be several weeks. He notes that most of the coho that pass McNary Dam are destined for the Yakima, and he expects that number to exceed 4,000 by the end of the run. Yakima River fly anglers are also out in force on the catch-and-release section and doing well with caddis, nymph, and grasshopper patterns. Chinook salmon fishing continues to be relatively good on the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River, although it's down slightly from last week. Latest reported creel checks at Wahluke counted 93 anglers with seven adult chinook and two jacks; at Vernita, 100 anglers with 11 adult chinook and three jacks. Hanford Reach fishing pressure is very heavy, Cummins says, particularly on weekends; anglers should try to get away on a weekday for a little more elbow room. Fall chinook salmon fishing in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River north of the Tri-Cities is heating up fast with two fish for every three boats checked last week. Jim Cummins, WDFW district fish biologist, predicts the catch will peak mid through late September. The "upriver brights" are in prime condition at this time, although the season runs through the end of the year. Early morning fishing is best, mostly by boat (launched at White Bluff or Ringold), trolling plugs in the early morning from Ringold to Priest Rapids Dam, with the Vernita area usually the most popular. Boats can be launched from under the Vernita highway bridge but the terrain is rough enough that a four-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended. Cummins also advises anglers to park their vehicles well above the high water mark, as the Columbia in the Hanford Reach area can fluctuate five to six feet a day. For the same reason, anglers should avoid leaving their boats tied up to the river bank for long periods–– those who do so may return to find their craft high and dry.

  Flows in the Yakima River above Roza Dam (selective fishery, catch and release area) have decreased significantly and should stabilize soon. The annual water level "flip-flop" is in progress: decreased water releases from upper Yakima reservoirs (Kachess, Keechelus, CleElum) result in much lower flows in the Yakima, but greatly increased flow in the lower Naches (from Rimrock Reservoir to the Tieton River). This means great fishing in the Yakima where anglers can wade to catch 8- to 20-inch rainbows on caddis and large stonefly imitations. The flows in the Naches River and the Yakima from the confluence with the Naches down to Union Gap, (part of the area open September 16), will be a little high, but still fishable.

• Wildlife watching: Good numbers of white pelicans can be seen now in the Hanford Reach area of the Columbia River. Fall colors are beginning a little early, due to summer drought and now early fall rains on the east side of the Cascades. Combined with bugling elk and migrating birds, the colors make this a great time for backpacking in the mountains.