September 29 - October 12, 2004

Contact: Craig Bartlett, 360-902-2259 or Madonna Luers, 509-456-4073

Fall is in the air, turning the landscape red and gold as the days grow shorter and colder. Birds fly south in a steady stream, while salmon move in from the ocean toward the rivers where their lives began.

For Washingtonians who enjoy the great outdoors, the arrival of fall also signals the start of a new season of recreational opportunities from the Pacific coast to the Idaho border. Here are just a few highlights for the weeks ahead:

• Hunting seasons: New hunting opportunities for quail, bobwhite, chukar and gray partridge begin Oct. 2, which is also the opening day of the early muzzleloader deer and elk season in select units across the state. Pheasant season is also open on the west side of the state, with duck and goose seasons coming up Oct. 16 on both sides of the Cascades.

• Razor clams: The first razor-clam dig of the fall season is tentatively scheduled to begin Oct. 14-16, provided that test results show the clams are safe to eat. If the tests prove favorable, WDFW will proceed with a three-day dig on evening tides at Long Beach, Mocrocks, Copalis and Twin Harbors. See the South Sound/Olympic Peninsula section of this report for more details.

• Fall fishing: Thanks to one of the highest steelhead returns in the past 15 years, anglers can fish for marked, hatchery steelhead in portions of the upper Columbia, Okanogan and Methow rivers starting Oct. 1. Several westside rivers - including the Chehalis, Satsop, Wynoochee and Wishkah - also open for salmon fishing that day.

For anyone who hunts, fishes or just likes to spend time outdoors, the state Department of Health (DOH) recommends taking precautions against mosquito bites. Washington is now the only state in the Lower 48 that has not yet logged a human case of West Nile virus, and DOH is urging residents - particularly those who spend a lot of time outdoors - to reduce their chance of exposure to the potentially serious disease.

To do so, DOH recommends wearing long sleeves and long pants and using insect repellant with DEET while in the field. For more information call the Department of Health West Nile virus information line 1-866-78-VIRUS (1-866-788-4787) or log on to http://www.doh.wa.gov/WNV.

With that in mind, here's a summary of fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing opportunities now available - or coming up shortly - in every region of the state:

North Puget Sound

• Fishing: Coho salmon continue to provide the bulk of angling action in marine and freshwater areas. The southwestern shore of Whidbey Island, the Possession Point-to-Shipwreck area, and Edmonds south of the ferry terminal have all produced fish. Anglers have also been finding coho along the Kitsap shoreline of Puget Sound in areas such as Kingston and Jefferson Head, as well as Elliott Bay in front of Seattle. Fish have been biting on fresh herring, imitation squid fished with a small herring strip, spoons or large flies. Chinook must be released in Marine Area 7 beginning Oct. 1, except in Bellingham Bay, where two chinook 22 inches or longer may be retained as part of the four-fish daily limit. The remainder of Marine Area 7 has a two-fish daily limit. Anglers who like to fish Marine Area 8-2 should know that the Tulalip Bay "bubble" fishery for chinook has ended. The entire area is open through Oct. 31 with a two-fish daily limit, and all chinook must be released. Coho catch rates in rivers have yo-yoed with stream conditions, but fishing in general should be improving well into October if water levels and clarity stabilize. Anglers on the Skagit River have been finding some nice coho, plus the occasional Dolly Varden, which must be at least 20 inches to retain. The Skagit is open from the mouth to the confluence with the Cascade River with a three-fish daily limit. Release all chinook and chum. The Samish River, which is open to fishing from the mouth upstream to the Thomas Road Bridge, has been slow for salmon. The stretch from the Thomas Road Bridge upstream to the I-5 Bridge opens Oct. 1 with a two-salmon daily limit. Slow fishing has also been reported on the mainstem Nooksack River, which is open from the Lummi Nation reservation boundary upstream to Deming with a two-salmon daily limit. Release all chinook and wild coho. The north fork of the Nooksack opens Oct. 1 from the mouth to Maple Creek, while the south fork opens Oct. 16; both stretches will have the same two-salmon daily limit. Chinook and wild coho must be released. The Stillaguamish River, including the north fork, remains open to coho fishing. The river has been plagued by low visibility conditions. A few nice coho have been taken from the Snohomish River system, including the Skykomish and Snoqualmie rivers. Try fishing the mainstem Skykomish between Monroe and Sultan. The Duwamish/Green River has produced decent coho catches in the lower stretch, and fishing should improve as more salmon arrive from the saltchuck. The river is currently open from the mouth to the Southwest 43rd Street-South 180th Street Bridge with a six-fish daily limit, no more than three of which may be adults. All chinook must be released. Beginning Oct. 1 the stretch of the Green from the Southwest 43rd Street-South 180th Street Bridge upstream to the South 277th Bridge in Auburn opens with the same daily limit and the requirement to release chinook. The river from the South 227th Bridge to the Auburn-Black Diamond Road bridge opens Oct. 16 under the same regulations. Fishing for coho salmon has begun in Lake Washington (north of the State Route 520 Bridge and east of the Montlake Bridge). The daily limit is two coho at least 12 inches long. Salmon fishing continues in Lake Sammamish where there is a two-fish daily limit (12-inch minimum) and all sockeye must be released. Lake anglers going after trout and perch should have some success, now that water temperatures are cooling.

• Hunting: Early fall brings a number of new opportunities for bird hunters, including the forest grouse season (through Dec. 31), the pheasant season (through Nov. 30) and the California quail and bobwhite seasons, opening Oct. 2 and running through Nov. 30 in western Washington. Duck and goose hunters have just a little longer to wait before seasons open Oct. 16. The general duck season runs Oct. 16-20, then Oct. 23 through Jan. 30. Pintail and canvasback seasons are closed Oct. 23-Dec. 6. Hunters are reminded that nontoxic shot is required on the Lake Terrell, Skagit and Snoqualmie wildlife areas, and all Whidbey Island pheasant release sites. More information on migratory waterfowl and upland game seasons is available online on the Internet. For specifics on the western Washington pheasant release program, check out the WDFW website on the Internet. Westside archery deer season runs through Sept. 30, while the early muzzleloader season for deer is set for Oct. 2-8. The modern firearm western Washington blacktail deer season runs Oct. 16-31. Check out all of the big game hunting information on the Internet. Hunters have an opportunity to win a hunting rifle while they help the state monitor for chronic wasting disease in deer, under a joint effort by WDFW and Safari Club International. Hunters who notify WDFW after harvesting deer in Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, King, San Juan or Island counties, and allow the department to collect a brain-stem tissue sample from the animal, will have a chance to win a hunting rifle donated by Safari Club International. Hunters are asked to promptly notify WDFW at (425) 379-2319 if they harvest a deer in the north Puget Sound area. A department biologist will arrange to meet the reporting hunter and collect a tissue sample for testing. All participating hunters who submit viable samples from deer 16 months or older will be entered in a drawing for a new Ruger hunting rifle in a caliber of their choice donated by the Northwest Chapter of Safari Club International.

• Wildlife viewing: Fall bird migrations are well under way, and birding enthusiasts across the region have been reporting their sightings to the Tweeters birding website on the Internet. Birders on a Whidbey Island outing recently saw three sandhill cranes at Crockett Lake near Fort Casey State Park. The birds were likely migrants traveling from summer breeding grounds in Canada to wintering grounds in California's Central Valley. Adult sandhill cranes have a wingspan up to six feet across and have a striking crimson crown. The same birders also recorded four species of grebes, three cormorant species and more than 100 goldfinches - all on Whidbey Island. Another island - Spencer Island near Everett - was recently hosting a stilt sandpiper. A medium-sized, long-legged wader, the stilt sandpiper nests in the Arctic tundra north of the tree line and migrate as far south as South America to find wintering grounds. They are infrequent fall visitors to Washington state, preferring to migrate through the Midwest. Another Tweeters correspondent recently witnessed an encounter between a Douglas squirrel and a band-tailed pigeon. The observer saw 11 of the big birds feeding on the ground below a feeder when the squirrel lunged at one of the pigeons. "It latched with teeth and claws onto the bird's tail feathers and held on," the correspondent wrote. "The startled bird took flight with the squirrel attached…It was able to obtain about a foot in altitude and fly about 10 horizontal feet before the squirrel fell off, clutching to tail feathers."

Olympic Peninsula/South Sound

• Fishing: With salmon fishing moving in from the coast to area bays and rivers, anglers will have a wide range of new options to consider in the next few weeks. And, to complicate matters, the fall razor-clam season is tentatively scheduled to begin Oct. 14-16, provided that test results show the clams are safe to eat. If the tests prove favorable, WDFW will proceed with a three-day dig on evening tides at Long Beach, Mocrocks, Copalis and Twin Harbors. (Kalaloch Beach, the state's other razor-clam beach, will likely remain closed to digging in October, because levels of domoic acid have been testing well above state health standards.) WDFW will announce the first dig of the season by Oct.13, when test results for all five beaches will be available. WDFW also announced tentative digs Nov. 11-13 and Dec. 10-12 at Long Beach, Mocrocks, Copalis and Twin Harbors, contingent on the results of future marine toxin tests and estimated harvest levels. As with the season opener, no digging will be allowed those days at any beach before noon. Anyone age 15 or older is required to have a valid license, which includes any 2004 annual shellfish/seaweed license purchased last spring. But none of this answers the question of where to fish for salmon. This much we know: Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco) closes to salmon fishing Sept. 30 and Marine Area 3 (La Push) closes Oct. 10, marking the end of the 2004 recreational ocean salmon fishery. We also know that salmon fishing has been hot for the past two weeks in Grays Harbor, particularly around John's River and near the mouth of the Chehalis River. In fact, anglers have been averaging between one and 1˝ fish per boat off 28th Street in downtown Aberdeen, according to Wendy Beeghley, WDFW fish biologist. "When I was there, just about every boat had a fish on," said Beeghley, who took a 42-pound chinook that day. "It gets pretty crowded, but are a lot of fish there right now." That bodes well for salmon fishing in the Chehalis River, which opens upstream to Porter Bridge on Oct. 1, said Beeghley. While anglers can retain one chinook salmon per day as part of their bag limit on that stretch of the Chehalis, they must release any they catch on several other rivers opening that day, including the Satsop, Wynoochee, Wishkah and the Hoquiam. Rick Ereth, another WDFW fish biologist, said coho have already been spotted in the Satsop and the Wynoochee, adding that runs are expected to increase in the weeks ahead. Because other regulations vary on those rivers, Ereth strongly advises anglers to check the WDFW Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet before heading out. Then again, anglers may want to consider joining any number of other fisheries already in progress. In Sekiu, where marked coho are the rule, the catch rate ranged between one fish and one-third of a fish per rod the last week of September. At Ediz Hook, anglers have been catching approximately half a salmon per rod, about the same rate as those fishing at Point Defiance on a good day. (One difference, though, is that anglers at Point Defiance can keep chinook salmon, some of which have been weighing in at around 30 pounds.) In southern Puget Sound, coho fishing has been particularly good off Harstene Island in late September, while anglers fishing Capitol Lake in Olympia have been catching bright chinook salmon bound for the Tumwater Falls Hatchery. "That run is starting to taper off, but there's still probably another week of good fishing," said Larry Phillips, a WDFW fish biologist who reminds anglers that only non-buoyant lures are allowed. One more thing to consider: Although most areas of Puget Sound have closed to recreational crab fishing, marine areas 4 and 5 in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, along with Marine Area 13 south of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge remain open until further notice.

• Hunting: The early deer season for archers ends Sept. 30, after a month of good weather and successful hunting. "The early season has really been spectacular," said Jack Smith, WDFW regional wildlife manager. "Rain has kept the forest moist all month long, which really helps bow hunters who have to get in close." The same is true of muzzleloaders, who will take to the field in pursuit of deer Oct. 2-8. Meanwhile, hunting continues to be good for black bears and grouse in various parts of the region, Smith said. Those hunting black bears should head for the high country, where the huckleberry crop is drawing hungry bruins by the dozen, Smith said. Shooters seeking grouse, on the other hand, are advised to hunt along riverbanks where birds often take cover in heavy brush. "I've seen a lot of grouse this year, which tells me that hunting should be good," said Smith, who notes that "it really helps to have a birddog" on the trail. Rather hunt pheasant? Once the Dungeness Recreational Area opens for pheasant hunting Oct. 2, hunters can choose from eight release sites in the region to test their shooting skills.

• Wildlife viewing: Leaves flash red and orange, a sure sign of the change of season. But there are also plenty of other indications that autumn has arrived. In downtown Olympia, returning chinook salmon pass under the Fourth Avenue Bridge, drawing throngs of onlookers. Right behind them, more than a dozen orcas were spotted venturing into Puget Sound as far south as Kingston, just as they have done at this time of year since 1997. Throughout the region, cedar waxwings have begun their autumn raid on laurel berries and dogwood buttons, while turkey vultures kettle overhead from Johns River to Washougal. Most turkey vultures are still concentrated on Vancouver Island but - if all goes as it has in the past - those birds should start showing up en masse at Salt Creek any day now. While all of these autumnal rituals make a fine show, it's hard to beat the elk rut - now in progress - for sheer excitement. If you haven't heard a bull elk bugle or clack antlers with a rival, 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. An alternative is Northwest Trek in Eatonville, where visitors can observe the spectacle from a safe distance. The wildlife park is at 11610 Trek Dr. East in Eatonville, about 35 miles east of Tacoma, on the road to Mount Rainier. Details: 360-832-6117 or at their website.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: With the peak of the fall chinook run now past Bonneville Dam, salmon fishing is slowing some on the lower Columbia River mainstem, reports Pat Frazier, WDFW's deputy regional Fish Program manager. There are still some fish to be had, however. During the week of Sept. 20, 457 Columbia River boat anglers kept 111 chinook caught between Cathlamet and Bonneville Dam. Chinook retention had been scheduled to end Oct. 1 in the lower river below the dam, but fish managers for Washington and Oregon now plan to extend retention below Bonneville through the end of the year, thanks to a late surge in run size, according to Cindy LeFleur, Columbia River harvest manager for WDFW. Good passage conditions and cooling river temperatures have fueled excellent chinook fishing at tributary mouths between Bonneville and The Dalles Dam. Chinook catches are currently peaking at the mouths of the Big White Salmon, Wind and Klickitat rivers and should remain good for the next several weeks. Fishery managers expect that chinook retention will be allowed through the end of the year in the area above Bonneville Dam. Summer-run steelhead fishing at the Klickitat River mouth is also expected to remain strong through October. Some coho are also showing up at the mouths of tributaries such as the Cowlitz and Washougal rivers. On the Cowlitz, 15 boat anglers kept five coho during the week of Sept. 20. Anglers can enjoy some extra salmon fishing opportunity, thanks to recent hatchery fish "recycling" efforts reported by Tacoma Power, including 460 adult coho taken to Lake Scanewa in the upper Cowlitz River; 130 adult coho recycled to Skate Creek Bridge in the upper Cowlitz River; 519 coho adults transported to Gus Backstrom Park on the Tilton River, and 96 summer steelhead transported to Massey Bar boat launch in the lower Cowlitz River. The Cowlitz also offers a "huge" return of sea-run cutthroat trout this year, says Frazier, who urges anglers to take advantage of the bounty with nightcrawlers, salmon eggs, lures or flies. All wild cutthroat (those with intact adipose fins) must be released in the lower Cowlitz River below Mayfield Dam. All cutthroat trout must be released in the upper Cowlitz River, as well as Mayfield Lake. Fall fishing for cutthroat trout is excellent in Goose Lake in Skamania County. As the curtain goes down on the salmon show in the mainstem Columbia River, attention is shifting to sturgeon. Beginning Oct. 1, anglers fishing from the Wauna power lines upstream to Bonneville Dam can retain legal-size sturgeon (from 42 to 60 inches in length) on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Catch-and-release fishing continues other days.

• Hunting: Early muzzleloader hunts for deer and elk run from Oct. 2 through 8 across the state. With a flurry of small earthquakes at Mount St. Helens recently prompting closures of some hiking trails there as a safety precaution, hunters should stay tuned for possible access restrictions near the mountain. Information on the Saint Helens Tree Farm is available from Weyerhaeuser's access hotline at 1-866-636-6531, press 2. For information online visit the Forest Service's Gifford Pinchot National Forest website. Those who really want to keep a close eye on the action can check out the Mount Saint Helens VolcanoCam, with images that refresh every five minutes. Hunters in southwest Washington have an opportunity this fall to win prizes while they help the state monitor for chronic wasting disease in deer, under a joint effort by WDFW and local businesses. Hunters are asked to promptly notify WDFW at (800) 888-7513 if they harvest a deer in Wahkiakum, Lewis, Cowlitz, Clark, Skamania or Klickitat counties. A department biologist will contact the reporting hunter to arrange for collection of a brain-stem tissue sample. All participating hunters who submit viable samples from deer 16 months or older will be entered into the drawing for a chance to win prizes and gift certificates from local businesses. Pheasant hunts opened Sept. 25 throughout western Washington. For details on regional release sites, pick up a copy of the Western Washington Pheasant Release Program booklet at a WDFW office or check the WDFW website. Hunting for California quail and bobwhite also open Oct. 2 in the westside of the state. An additional hunter education class has been scheduled in Clark County to serve young hunters. The added hunter safety class begins Oct. 5 at the WDFW Southwest Washington regional headquarters. Students must pre-register by calling WDFW at (360) 696-6211.

• Wildlife viewing: Fall's arrival brings misty days, crisp air and the annual spectacle of salmon surging upstream toward spawning grounds to complete their life cycle. As of late September, over a half-million chinook had passed Bonneville Dam. With more than 5,000 fish a day still passing the dam, visitors can enjoy the show from the dam's fish-viewing windows. Another viewing option is a visit to a salmon hatchery. Regional options include WDFW's Elochoman Hatchery near Cathlamet, the Cowlitz Hatchery complex near Salcum, the Washougal Hatchery near the town of Washougal or the Lewis River Hatchery outside Woodland. Federal facilities, such as the Spring Creek National Hatchery above Bonneville Dam on State Route 14, also are good spots for salmon-viewing The River-S Unit on the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge north of Vancouver was bursting with birds in late September, according to a Tweeters correspondent, who describes Rest Lake as crowded with hundreds of ducks-wigeons, a scaup, pintails and mallards-five white-fronted geese, several long-billed dowitchers and several greater yellowlegs. In the middle of the sea of ducks was an immature, brownish, double-crested cormorant. Great blue heron were "everywhere," and great egrets were nearly as plentiful. A few sandhill cranes were seen flying overhead and resting on the grounds. A common snipe was spotted ambling along the south side of the lake, and a bit farther on an immature green heron was keeping a motionless watch. Harrier hawks and red-tailed hawks soared overhead. Deer on the Klickitat Wildlife Area are in the process of shedding their reddish summer coats, and the contrast with darker winter coats can resemble the symptoms of hair-slippage (hair loss) syndrome. WDFW regional wildlife biologists advise taking a close look with binoculars to determine whether a deer is showing changing hair colors or actual skin spots before reporting a possible hair-loss sighting.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: Snake River steelheading has picked up a bit with increasing numbers of fish moving upstream fast. That's according to WDFW fish biologist Joe Bumgarner, who reports the following average catch rates from the latest creel surveys on Snake River tributaries and sections between dams: Touchet River, two hours of fishing effort per steelhead caught; Tucannon River, 2.4 hours per fish caught; mid-Snake above Interstate Highway bridge, 3.9 hours; Grand Ronde River, six hours; Snake below Ice Harbor dam, 6.9 hours; Walla Walla River, 13.8 hours; Snake between Lower Monumental and Little Goose dams, 14.4 hours; Snake between Little Goose and Lower Granite dams, 17.9 hours; Snake between Ice Harbor and Lower Monumental dams, 20.6 hours. Lake Roosevelt rainbow trout fishing is going strong with anglers in the Hunters area recently limiting out in just a few hours. Spokane County's Amber and North Silver lakes switch to catch-and-release trout fishing Sept. 30 and fall insect hatches are making for great dry fly action. Size and catch limits, along with selective gear rules, have been waived at Ferry County's Ellen Lake and Stevens County's Rocky Lakes through Oct. 4, when they close early (normally open through October) for rehabilitation treatment on Oct. 5. Anglers are urged to remove as many fish as possible before the lakes are treated with rotenone, which removes infestations of undesirable fish and prepares them for trout re-stocking.

• Hunting: Northeast Washington's new general wild turkey season, which allows hunting for either sex, no special permit required, closes Oct. 1. Although birds have been plentiful, hunting pressure has been light overall, said WDFW district wildlife biologist Steve Zender, who reports that many flocks of up to 30 turkeys each can be found throughout Stevens County. Quail and chukar and gray (Hungarian) partridge hunting opens Oct. 2, and although no specific counts are made, weather conditions and field information suggest that numbers could be spotty. WDFW wildlife biologist Dana Base says he's noticed a remarkable range expansion of quail in the northeast over the last few years of relatively mild winters. "Harvesting a limit would still be a challenge compared to other parts of the state," Base said, "but you'll find a covey or two in the brushy patches near riparian areas, agriculture and forest edges." In the central district, quail numbers are good, but not like last year's extremely plentiful broods. Lincoln County's Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area quail have always been few, says WDFW area manager Juli Anderson, but they seem to be down this year - perhaps due to drought conditions this summer. Pheasants (which are not legal game until Oct. 23) appear to be down in numbers, too. "Hungarian partridge may be down a bit here, too," Anderson said, "but they don't seem to be as affected by drought as quail and pheasant." In the southeast, cold, wet weather during the May-June nesting season hurt all upland bird production. "Hunters can expect to find hunting for Hungarian and chukar partridge, and later pheasant, less productive than last year," said WDFW district wildlife biologist Pat Fowler. "The quail population seems to be doing better though, and hunting should be comparable to past years in historically good habitat areas." Fowler notes that forest grouse also appear to have suffered from bad weather during nesting and that hunters are finding populations of both ruffed and blue grouse down compared to last year. Waterfowl hunting, which opens Oct. 16, always depends on weather and the amount of freestanding water throughout the region. Drought conditions appear to have caused a lot of ducks and geese to pass over the northeast and central districts for water further south. Pintail numbers in particular are depressed in WDFW counts, but blue-winged teal appear to be increasing slightly. "Most of the small lakes and potholes on the Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area are dry," reported Anderson, "so unless we get an ark-load of rain or snow, the only real options would be walking in to Z-Lake or possibly Florence Lake, if they pick up a bit more water." Anderson also suggested trying the Bureau of Land Management's Twin Lakes, just to the south of the wildlife area. "Z-Lake and Twin Lakes are rimrock lakes at the upper end of Lake Creek," Anderson explained, "so they're deeper than the average pothole lake around here. Florence Lake is a large pothole lake. The paired Swanson Lakes are dry, as is the unnamed lake system directly to the east of them." Although there are fair numbers of waterfowl along the Columbia and Snake rivers in the south end of the region, Fowler says the best waterfowl hunting occurs in December-January as migratory birds move into the area from the north. Resident Canada goose numbers are still high, and will provide good opportunity in open areas along the Snake River. Deer hunting, which opens for muzzleloaders in some units on Oct. 2 and for modern firearm hunters on Oct. 16, should be very good up north and good to fair in the central and southeast districts. Zender reports that mule deer buck harvests have increased each year in northeast units since 2001 (from about 300 bucks in 2001 to about 500 in 2003). It also appears that more mature bucks are being taken each year, as the percentage of four-antler-point and better bucks has increased to 56 percent from 47 percent in 2001. "Mule deer fawn-doe ratios have been relatively good in the past few years," he said, "so we expect hunters to have at least similar success in 2004." Zender noted that the primary mule deer harvest in the northeast comes from Game Management Unit (GMU) 101 in Ferry County. The white-tailed deer buck harvest in the northern units was up 10 percent last year from 2002 and the antlerless harvest was up 32 percent. "Since the 2003 whitetail doe-fawn ratio was only at about maintenance level," he said, "we don't expect a big crop of yearling bucks this fall to boost the harvest, so we'll likely see buck numbers similar to 2003." Zender noted that the continuation of "relatively conservative" late whitetail buck seasons appears to be improving the percentage of mature bucks, with hunters reporting 15 percent five-point or better bucks harvested in 2003, compared to 12 percent in 2001 and 10 percent in 1999. "The buck-doe ratios allow us to offer plenty of antlerless opportunity again this fall, especially for youth, seniors, and hunters with disabilities," he said. Central district deer prospects look pretty good, says WDFW wildlife biologist Dave Volsen, although early counts indicate it won't be a banner year. "Large bucks don't appear bountiful," Volsen said, "and fawn production is so-so. We can perhaps contribute it to the prolonged drought, which means poor nutrition both for fawn production and antler growth." Volsen has found some indication that Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) has taken some whitetail deer in southern Spokane County. "If frost is late it could be a bad year for EHD with deer concentrated at dwindling water sources where the virus-carrying gnats bite them," he said. Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area deer are nearly all mulies, so Anderson says whitetail hunters shouldn't bother. "We've seen a fair number of three-point and over bucks this summer," she said, "although they sure seem to make themselves scarce during the rifle season." Anderson reports heavy deer hunting pressure on the wildlife area, which often drives deer off the property. "Many rifle hunters spend lots of time driving around the county roads on the wildlife area waiting for that buck to come to them," she said. "Our advice is park your vehicle and walk in." Fowler reports that southeast mule deer populations have declined slightly due to lower fawn production and survival over the last several years, and he anticipates lower hunter success rates. "Late summer and early fall drought has plagued southeast Washington for the past three years," he explained, "and that hurts fawn production the following year. I think finding legal bucks will be more difficult this year due to this problem." Fowler also noted that whitetail deer populations are healthy, but EHD might cause some die-off. "Only time will tell how severe this die-off could be," he said.

• Wildlife viewing: In the bird world, everything seems to be on the move these days. That's the collective assessment of WDFW staff throughout the region, with notes of many different species encountered as fall migrations peak. Long strings of Canada geese and faster-moving groups of mallards and other ducks are gracing the skies nearly everywhere. Huge flocks of blackbirds blanket treetops and powerlines during migratory rest stops. Backyard bird-feeding stations are being visited by species that summer to the north, including white-crowned, song, and American tree sparrows, spotted towhees, Cassin's finches and pine siskins. Groups of and individual red-tailed, Cooper's and sharp-shinned hawks are shifting south. Turkey vultures, distinguished from hawks by their more V-shaped wing position and separated primary feather tips, are also migrating. Noticeable, too, at this time is the nearly complete absence of so many common summer species, including hummingbirds, swallows, bluebirds, and robins. "You don't need a calendar to know what time of year it is," said WDFW central district wildlife biologist Howard Ferguson. "Just look and listen around you."

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: Anglers can begin catching hatchery steelhead with clipped adipose fins in portions of the upper Columbia, Methow and Okanogan rivers Oct. 1, thanks to one of the highest steelhead returns in the past 15 years. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-Fisheries (NOAA) permits WDFW to open this fishery under Endangered Species Act (ESA) rules because it reduces the proportion of hatchery steelhead, and increases the proportion of wild steelhead, contributing to spawning next spring. The two-week-long season rules are intended to minimize impacts to wild steelhead, while allowing harvest of surplus hatchery steelhead. Daily catch limit is two hatchery steelhead (minimum size 20 inches). All steelhead with an intact adipose fin, and steelhead containing a disk tag, must be immediately released unharmed. A night closure is in effect and "selective gear rules" apply in the open tributaries, meaning that bait is prohibited and only unscented artificial lures or flies with one, single-pointed barbless hook may be used. Contrary to the selective-gear rule definition in the pamphlet, however, motorized vessels will be allowed. Open areas include the Columbia River from Rocky Reach Dam upstream to Highway 17 Bridge at Bridgeport; the Okanogan River from mouth upstream, except waters from Lake Osoyoos Control Dam (Zosel Dam) downstream to one-quarter mile below the railroad trestle; and the Methow River from the mouth (Highway 97 bridge) upstream to the confluence with the Chewuch River in Winthrop, except from the second powerline crossing above the Highway 97 Bridge upstream to Highway 153 Bridge north of Pateros. Some chinook salmon harvest will also be allowed in the Columbia River from Wells Dam upstream to the Hwy. 17 bridge at Bridgeport through Oct. 15. See WDFW's fishing rule changes website for details. Moses Lake crappie fishing is evidently hot, since WDFW enforcement officers recently issued 17 citations in one day to anglers exceeding the limit or retaining undersized crappie. Several anglers were observed catching limits of fish and leaving for short periods of time before returning in different clothing to catch more limits. The largest number of fish seized from one angler was 28 crappie, including 19 of legal size and nine sub-legal. Although the statewide rules on crappie do not specify a minimum size or daily catch limit, Moses Lake's special rules (listed in the pamphlet) are 10-inch minimum size and five crappie per day.

• Hunting: Columbia Basin quail numbers are high and hunting opportunities should be plentiful from the Oct. 2 opener and throughout the season. WDFW district wildlife biologist Jim Tabor reports that the highest quail densities are in the dryland portions of Grant County, but huntable numbers are also available at other locations, including the irrigated parts of Grant and Adams counties. Tabor says Gray (Hungarian) partridge, or "Huns," are also in good numbers in central Adams County on both public and private land, including cooperators in WDFW's Hunter Access Program. Upland bird prospects in Chelan County appear mixed, according to WDFW district wildife biologist Beau Patterson, with lower numbers of quail and forest grouse - but higher chukar partridge numbers - than 2003. Okanogan County grouse and partridge numbers appear to be patchy - good in some areas, hard to find in others. "Heavy spring and early summer rains likely reduced brood rearing success locally," explained WDFW district wildlife biologist Scott Fitkin. "Harvest of these birds may be down a bit relative to the last couple of years." Fitkin added that on the bright side, quail appear to be abundant throughout the Okanogan. Waterfowl hunting opens Oct. 16 and Tabor says hunters can expect "adequate" numbers of ducks and geese in the Columbia Basin on opening weekend. "The number of migrant mallards coming to the Basin is expected to be similar to that of 2003," he said, "but as always, duck hunting opportunity and success is largely controlled by weather conditions." Tabor noted that local Canada goose numbers are high. In Chelan County, Patterson says early season waterfowl hunting opportunities, which focus mainly on local birds, will likely be poor for ducks and better for geese. He says duck hunting should improve in November with the arrival of migrants. The region's overall prospect for deer hunting, which opens for muzzleloaders in some units Oct. 2 and for modern firearm hunters Oct. 16, is excellent. Tabor says the potential for a successful hunt in the Columbia Basin is good, with deer numbers as high as any time in the past 20 years. Although deer occur on public land, most occupy private property and hunters are urged to obtain permission for access well in advance of opening day, he said. Deer hunters should also find excellent hunting in Chelan County, where herds have shown steady increases and high fawn survival and buck escapement for the past few years. "While availability of high elevation migrants will be largely determined by timing of snowfalls," Patterson said, "resident deer at lower elevations have increased and will provide greater harvest opportunities." Hunters should also find plenty of deer in Douglas County, however with most of the land privately owned, obtaining access is key to a good hunt. Good public land and walk-in hunting opportunities exist there too, but expect plenty of company from other hunters. Okanogan district deer harvest will likely be similar to the last couple of years, Fitkin predicts, perhaps a bit better due to favorable conditions. "Conditions in the Okanogan may be the best in years," he explained, "with good summer moisture and the prognosis for a wet and cool fall. The combination of these conditions with the general season extending later in the month than it has in years, means the season will overlap more with deer migration activity, making deer more accessible to hunters." Fitkin advised hunters to look for lots of deer movement late in the general season along ridges leading from the back country to the primary winter ranges in the Methow and Okanogan watersheds. Surveys showed a post-season buck-doe ratio last year of 18:100, down from 25:100 the year before, so decreased buck availability may somewhat offset increased buck accessibility. "In a nutshell, I think will have good hunting conditions with a small to significant increase in buck harvest over last year," he said, "depending on weather conditions late in the general season."

• Wildlife viewing Preliminary raptor survey data from the Chelan Public Utility District's Burch Mountain transmission line route suggests this area may support higher concentrations of migrating raptors than Chelan Ridge, which is one of seven national raptor migration-monitoring sites operated by Hawk Watch International. On Sept. 20 and 21, migrating raptor passage rates of 10.7 and 12.7 per hour, respectively, were observed from Eagle Rock. By contrast, the maximum daily passage rate for Chelan Ridge in 2003 was 7.3 per hour on September 24. Accipiters were the most prevalent group observed, and species of particular concern observed included bald eagle (federal and state threatened species), northern goshawk (federal species of concern and a state candidate species), golden eagle and merlin (both state candidate species). Hawk Watch International and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) encourage wildlife watchers to visit the Chelan Ridge raptor observation site and even watch or help with the raptor banding and monitoring project. Biologists and volunteers are counting and banding raptors every day well into October, weather permitting. Visitors have a good chance of viewing captured birds up close during a short show-and-tell session before banded birds are released for their continued journey south. For more information and driving directions, contact the USFS Methow Ranger District at 509-996-4000.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: Yakima River chinook salmon fishing is fair from Prosser downriver to the mouth. WDFW fish biologist Jim Cummins reports that the latest creel census in that area showed one chinook for every 16 hours of fishing effort. There is very little fishing effort and no harvest reported from the Granger to the Sunnyside (Parker) Dam area. WDFW enforcement officers have been kept busy with reports of snagging on the Yakima, and several citations have been issued. Anglers are reminded that there is a night fishing closure and non-buoyant lure restriction during the salmon season (Sept. 1-Oct. 21) and that all steelhead must be released. The non-buoyant lure rule, defined on page 21 of the fishing regulation pamphlet, requires anglers to use single hooks on sinking lures. This rule is an attempt to make it more difficult for poachers to snag salmon. Columbia River-Hanford Reach salmon anglers are doing fair to good most days, with some days better than others. Cummins reports the latest creel census there showed that anglers caught one chinook for every 23 hours of fishing effort. Starting Oct. 1, Columbia River anglers can target both salmon and steelhead from the Highway 395 Bridge in Pasco upriver to the Old Hanford townsite wooden towers. At this writing, only hatchery steelhead with both adipose and right ventral fin clips can be retained, but watch for possible rule changes. Cummins said October is a great time to hike into high trout lakes or fish rivers and streams. "High lake anglers must watch the weather and be prepared for rapid weather changes," he said, "but you can expect good fishing and great fall colors. Streams are low and clear, so flies are often the most productive gear. Yakima River is very popular, but can be crowded. Alternatives are Rattlesnake Creek, a tributary of the Naches, and the Naches River, where rainbow and cutthroat often are eager to rise to a fly. The Yakima has been a little slow, but should get better when temperatures cool."

• Hunting: Muzzleloader elk season opens in some units Oct. 2, and WDFW regional wildlife program manager Lee Stream says there should be some good opportunity with a healthy Yakjma elk herd. "There will still be some bulls still in rut and bugling," he said, "giving the hunter indications of animal locations. There have been no major elk movements and they are still on summer ranges. Late summer rains dampened the forest floor, providing good conditions for walking quietly and not spooking animals." Stream warned that summer-like conditions, with daytime temperatures still around 80 degrees in the valley and in the 70s in mountainous areas, mean that harvested elk will need to be processed quickly and taken to a locker. "I don't recommend hanging elk overnight while in the woods just yet," he said. Quail hunting also opens Oct. 2 and Stream says populations are holding their own in most of the riparian areas throughout the region. "These birds adapt so well to urbanization that they're doing particularly well in cities and suburban areas where of course they can't be hunted," he said. "But rural and remote drainages provide quail habitat, too, where hunting is conducive and hunters should fare well." Chukar partridge, which also open on Oct. 2, are spotty this year. "Some locations are better than others," Stream said, "but we're still below population objectives." Chukar hunters most frequently concentrate on the areas north of Vantage to Wenatchee and in the Yakima Canyon as well as the Yakima Training Center (YTC). YTC hunters will need to check in at the MP station and watch a video prior to hunting. Stream also noted that forest grouse hunting, which opened last month, has been slow and numbers of birds seem to be down from last year.

• Wildlife viewing: Your own backyard may be as far as you need to go to see incoming grosbeaks, juncos, sparrows, towhees and other birds that summer further north and might winter in this region of Washington. Although natural food sources are still plentiful, it's not too early to set up backyard bird feeding and watering stations if you want to entice some to stay and watch them close-up. Or better yet, take advantage of this best time of year to plant trees and shrubs that will establish long-term, year-round habitat for wildlife of all kinds, right on your property. Detailed information about supplemental feeding and habitat landscaping is available from WDFW's Backyard Sanctuary Program packet, available for printing costs of $5.