Popular hunting seasons, including the opening for ducks and geese and the modern-firearms season for deer, get started Oct. 14. But before those hunts begin, muzzleloaders hunting deer and elk will take to the field Oct. 7-13.

Cooler weather and improved access to private timberlands should give blackpowder hunters an advantage over the archers that went before them, said Brian Calkins, an acting regional wildlife manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

"Dry conditions and access restrictions due to concerns about wildfires posed some real obstacles to bowhunters during the early season," Calkins said. "Muzzleloaders should fare better, because conditions have improved considerably in the last few weeks."

All hunters must carry a valid 2006-07 hunting license for the species they are hunting. For more information, see WDFW's 2006 Big Game Hunting Seasons pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm), the 2006-2007 Waterfowl and Upland Game Regulation pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/water.htm) or WDFW's licensing website (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov).

Rather handle a clam gun? All five of Washington's ocean beaches will be open for the first clam dig of the fall season beginning Oct. 6. Digs at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks and Kalaloch have been approved after a series of marine toxin tests confirmed that the clams there are safe to eat. All five beaches will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 6-8. A fourth evening of digging is also scheduled Monday, Oct. 9, at Twin Harbors and Long Beach only. Digging will be restricted to the hours between noon and midnight each day at all five beaches.

"Overall, razor clam populations are up on the beaches south of Grays Harbor and down some compared to last year on those beaches to the north," said Dan Ayres, coastal shellfish manager for WDFW. "This will likely mean more digging opportunities at Long Beach and Twin Harbors during the 2006-07 season."

Anglers still looking for a chance to take home a sturgeon this year will have a great opportunity to do so when the retention fishery from the Wauna powerlines to Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River resumes Oct. 5. After a two-month hiatus, anglers can again keep one legal-size white sturgeon per day in those waters Thursday through Saturday each week until the area harvest guideline is reached.

In Puget Sound, a seven-month-long selective fishery for hatchery winter blackmouth is under way in marine areas 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay) and 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner). The fishery began Oct. 1 and runs through the month of April. Anglers can keep up to two hatchery chinook per day, so long as the fish measure at least 22 inches in length. Wild chinook salmon, which have an intact adipose fin, cannot be brought aboard the boat.

See the regional reports below for additional information on fishing, hunting and wildlife-watching opportunities throughout the state:

North Puget Sound

• Fishing: It's been a tricky fall for salmon anglers. Despite strong coho returns to some of the area's rivers, catch rates are way down on the saltwater. "Clearly this is one of those years when the coho are lock-jawed," said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fisheries biologist. "In most marine areas, coho just aren't biting."

  The limited harvest was evident at the recent Everett Coho Derby. A total of 3,046 adult and youth tickets were sold for the event, but only 410 silvers were weighed. Of the anglers who did catch fish, R. Scott Slaughter turned out to be the derby's big winner. Slaughter hauled in a 16.82-pound coho, taking home the $2,500 first prize in the adult division. Frank Hannon, who weighed in a 16.79-pound coho, finished second and pocketed $1,500, while Debbie Olson's 16.73-pound silver was good enough for third place and $1,000. In the kids' division, Mathew Klemm took first with a 14.21-pound coho.

  Coho fishing might be slow, but anglers in the region now have the option of turning their attention to chinook. A seven-month-long selective fishery for hatchery winter blackmouth is under way in marine areas 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay) and 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner). The fishery, which began Oct. 1 and runs through the month of April, should be a good opportunity for anglers in the coming weeks, said Thiesfeld. Anglers can keep up to two hatchery chinook per day, so long as the fish measure at least 22 inches in length. Wild chinook salmon, which have an intact adipose fin, cannot be brought aboard the boat.

  "According to some reports, there are a lot of shakers around," said Thiesfeld, who recommends using large spoons or plugs to reduce the catch of those sub-legals. "Anglers who hook a shaker need to properly handle those fish before releasing them."

  Elsewhere, anglers in Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands) can keep one chinook as part of a two-salmon daily limit, while anglers in Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton) can take home one chinook as part of the two-salmon daily limit in that area beginning Oct. 16.

  Freshwater fisheries also are slow for coho. The Snohomish and portions of the Stillaguamish, Snoqualmie, Skykomish and Skagit rivers are currently open for salmon fishing. Chad Jackson, WDFW fish biologist, said anglers on the Snohomish River haven't had much success with silvers. "There's plenty of coho in the Snohomish but they just aren't biting," he said.

  Anglers fishing the Snohomish River, as well as the Skykomish, Snoqualmie and Stillaguamish rivers, have a daily limit of two salmon measuring at least 12 inches but must release chinook and pink salmon. Anglers on the Skagit River are allowed three salmon daily measuring at least 12 inches, but must release chinook. Anglers should check WDFW's 2006/2007 Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) for more information on those and other fisheries in the region.

• Hunting: Muzzleloaders stalking deer and elk will go afield Oct. 7-13 before making way for the general firearms season for deer, which begins Oct. 14. General seasons also will get under way for ducks and geese Oct. 14 in the region. The best hunting during the early part of the season is usually in the bays and estuaries, said Don Kraege, WDFW waterfowl manager. "We'll start to see the birds move more inland after we get some rain and sheetwater forms in the fields," Kraege said.

  Meanwhile, hunting seasons continue for bear, cougar, grouse and pheasant, while the California quail and bobwhite seasons get started Oct. 7. For information about WDFW's pheasant release sites, see the 2006 Western Washington Pheasant Release pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/wwapheas.htm).

  Before going afield, hunters are encouraged to check the 2006 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm) and the 2006-2007 Waterfowl and Upland Game Regulation pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/water.htm) for regulations in specific areas.

• Wildlife viewing: Flocks of turkey vultures heading south for the winter have been spotted throughout the region. About 125 turkey vultures were kettling over the Fauntleroy area before streaming south, according to one birder reporting to the Tweeters website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/). Another birder spotted a smaller flock - about eight vultures - rise on a thermal in the Everett area. The vultures gained about 600 feet "before streaming south and picking up another thermal," according to the birder. This is the best time of year to spot migrating turkey vultures in the Puget Sound area. The birds often congregate off the coast of Vancouver Island before traveling across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the shores of Clallam County, and then on to warmer climates.

  Another birder in the Everett area spotted an eared grebe and a horned grebe. Both grebes were seen on a "pond north of the gravel drive to Spencer Island in Everett," noted the birder. A greater white-fronted goose also was spotted at the pond, which was teeming with ducks, including a dozen cinnamon teals.

South Sound/Olympic Peninsula

• Fishing: The first razor clam dig of the fall season will get under way Friday, Oct. 6, on evening tides at all five of Washington's ocean beaches. WDFW approved the digs at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks beaches after a series of marine toxin tests confirmed that the clams there are safe to eat. The National Park Service approved the digs at Kalaloch Beach, which is located within Olympic National Park, to coincide with those at the other coastal beaches.

  All five beaches will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 6-8. A fourth evening of digging is also scheduled Monday, Oct. 9, at Twin Harbors and Long Beach only. Digging will be restricted to the hours between noon and midnight each day at all five beaches.

  "Overall, razor clam populations are up on the beaches south of Grays Harbor and down some compared to last year on those beaches to the north," said Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager. "This will likely mean more digging opportunities at Long Beach and Twin Harbors during the 2006-07 season."

  Harvesters are allowed to take no more than 15 razor clams and must keep the first 15 they dig, regardless of size or condition. Each digger's clams must be kept in a separate container. A license is required for anyone age 15 or older. Any 2006 annual shellfish/seaweed combination fishing license is still valid. Another option is a razor-clam only license available in annual or three-day only versions. Descriptions of the various licensing options are available on the WDFW website at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/.

  Evening low tides during the dig will occur at 6:39 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6 (-0.6 ft.); 7:28 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 (-1.3 ft.); 8:16 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8 (-1.6 ft.); and 9:03 p.m. Monday, Oct. 9 (-1.6 ft.).

  One final weekend of ocean salmon fishing remains as the "LaPush Late Season Area" fishery continues. Fisheries managers recently announced that two chinook may be kept as part of the two-salmon daily limit. This season runs through Oct. 8. See WDFW's 2006/2007 Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) for details on the area's boundaries.

  While Marine Area 5 (Sekiu to Pillar Point) closed for all salmon fishing Sept. 30, Marine Area 6 (East Strait of Juan de Fuca) opened for salmon retention Oct. 1. However, recent WDFW creel counts have been showing virtually no fish being caught at the Port Angeles count sites. "It's just been a difficult season for salmon anglers," said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fish biologist. "The fish have shown up in certain areas, but aren't always biting."

  Unfortunately it's the same story around inland waters, with catch counts showing few salmon being caught in marine areas 11 (Vashon Island to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge), 12 (Hood Canal) and 13 (South Puget Sound). "Some rain would help bring the fish into Puget Sound and area rivers," said Thiesfeld. "But given the lateness of the season, they may be more interested in spawning than feeding at this point."

  New fishing opportunities opening in Puget Sound include chum retention in all of Hood Canal beginning Oct. 16. The forecast for chum in the canal is up slightly this year over last, said Thiesfeld. Blackmouth fishing also opens Oct. 16 in Marine Area 10. He noted that Manchester and Allen Bank in Kitsap County are popular spots to sink a line.

  More area rivers also open for fall fishing Oct. 16. The Dungeness River in Clallam County (from the mouth to Gold Creek) opens for trout and coho only, while the Humptulips River in Grays Harbor opens from the mouth to Ocean Beach Road for trout and salmon. A section of the Hoh River from Willoughby Creek to Morgan's Crossing boat launch also opens for salmon fishing Oct. 16. In Pacific County, anglers can begin salmon fishing the Willapa River from the Highway 6 Bridge to Fork Creek. Anglers are advised to check WDFW's 2006/2007 Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) for details before fishing these waters.

  Recreational crab fishing remains open in marine areas 4 (Neah Bay), 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point) and 13 (South Puget Sound) seven days a week through Feb. 28. WDFW will announce this month if crab fishing will reopen in other waters where the catch has not met area quotas.

• Hunting: Goose-hunting for all hunters opens Oct. 14 through Oct. 26. In Pacific County, hunters must have written authorization to hunt, which requires passing a goose identification test. Jack Smith, WDFW regional wildlife manager, reminds hunters that all of Grays Harbor County is in Goose Management Area 3 this year so they may hunt there without special authorization. And he has been seeing lots of Canada geese in the county. "In fact I've seen big flocks right across from the regional office here in Montesano," he said.

  The season for duck, coot and snipe also begins Oct. 14 and continues through Oct.18 before opening again Oct. 21 through Jan. 28. Meanwhile, the statewide forest grouse season continues through Dec. 31. "The first grouse hatch was a bit late," said Smith. "But the second nesting had good survival and is now grown-up, so there's still opportunity for excellent grouse hunting."

  The general pheasant season continues for hunters of all ages, having gotten under way on Sept. 30. Check the WDFW website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/wwapheas.htm) for the locations of the department's pheasant release sites. Hunters may also pursue California quail and bobwhite beginning Oct. 7.

  Those hunting deer and elk with muzzleloaders will take to the field Oct. 7-13. The modern firearm season for black-tailed deer follows Oct. 14-31. Coastal timberlands offer good deer hunting, where there are active harvest programs and the animals thrive in the more open brush, according to Smith. Good bets include Satsop, Wynoochee, Williams Creek, Minot Peak and Capitol Forest game management units, Smith said.

• Wildlife viewing: Festivals and classes provide a plethora of opportunities this month for people interested in learning more about our state's wildlife. One option is NatureFest, a free outdoor fair at the South Puget Sound Wildlife Area in Lakewood on Sunday, Oct. 8. The event, which runs 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., features live animals - including including a birds-of-prey show - nature storytellers, marine touch tank, turtle pond tours, trout-fishing pond, and natural history and environmental displays. Go to http://piercecountywa.org/pc/abtus/ourorg/pwu/waste/naturefest.htm for more information.

  Or join well-known South Puget Sound birdwatchers Ruth and Patrick Sullivan on a birding trip through the Adrian Hess Wetland Park in University Place, Pierce County. Those who participate in the event, scheduled for Oct. 9, noon to 1 p.m., will be helping the Tahoma Audubon Society meet or surpass the mark of 73 bird species identified in the park since the society set up an office there in 1999. Anyone may drop in the day of the walk to join in. The park is located at 2917 Morrison Road West. Call the society at 253-565-9278 for information.

  If you prefer fins to feathers and would like to explore the deep, a class for divers to identify fish and invertebrates is being offered Oct. 13-14. Sponsored by the Puget Sound Action Team, Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group and SeaDoc Society, the free classes will be at the Mary K. Theler Community Center in Belfair, Mason County. More information is available at http://www.thelercenter.org or call 360-275-4898.

  The Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival in Port Angeles offers a less strenuous and more succulent way to celebrate the region's maritime bounty. This event, taking place Oct. 7-8 at the City Pier and Red Lion Hotel, will feature plenty of eating, including a community crab feed, cooking demonstrations and a restaurant tour. Meanwhile, the Environmental Pavilion bids to feed the mind by featuring displays about many wildlife and habitat issues affecting the local area.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: Anglers still looking for a chance to take home a sturgeon this year will have a great opportunity to do so when the retention fishery from the Wauna powerlines to Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River resumes Oct. 5. After a two-month hiatus, anglers can again keep one legal-size white sturgeon per day in those waters Thursday through Saturday each week until the area harvest guideline is reached. That could take through the end of the year, given that more than 9,400 sturgeon remain to be caught under the area's 12,800-fish annual guideline, said Joe Hymer, a WDFW fish biologist.

  "I can't remember when this many sturgeon were available for the fall fishery," Hymer said. "Fishing should be good from Camas up to Bonneville Dam. Bank anglers fishing below the dam will have their best chance of the year to catch a legal-size white sturgeon."

  "Keepers" must measure at least 42 inches but no more than 60 inches. Anglers are limited to one sturgeon per day and five per year. "If you still have notches left on your catch record card for sturgeon, this is a great opportunity to fill them up," Hymer said.

  Meanwhile, salmon anglers fishing above Bonneville Dam have a chance to fill a few notches, too, now that chinook retention is once again allowed from the dam up to the Highway 395 bridge at Pasco. Those waters were reopened to catch-and-keep chinook fishing after fish counts revealed that more chinook salmon have been passing over Bonneville Dam since mid-September than expected, said Bill Tweit, WDFW Columbia River policy leader.

  "Anglers fishing above Bonneville Dam didn't get much of a chance to take home chinook salmon earlier in the season," Tweit said. "The additional fish we're seeing now give us a chance to provide more fishing time, without exceeding conservation guidelines or compromising the commercial fishery in the lower river."

  Tweit noted that anglers must still release any chinook salmon they catch downstream from Bonneville Dam to Rocky Point/Tongue Point near Astoria. Anglers fishing in that area may, however, retain hatchery coho and steelhead, which can be identified by a missing adipose fin.

  But some of the best action for those fish has been on the tributaries, where late-run hatchery coho are overlapping with fall chinook runs, Hymer said. While late coho runs are expected to be smaller than the early run, he said bright fish are expected in the Washougal, Lewis, Kalama, Cowlitz, Elochoman and Klickitat rivers. Fishery managers are also expecting 12,000 late-run chinook to return to the North Fork Lewis River in the days ahead. The best place to intercept these hatchery fish is at the Cedar Creek Hole near the hatchery, Hymer said.

  On the Cowlitz River, creel checkers counted 167 boat anglers with 30 adult chinook, 17 hatchery coho and 11 hatchery steelhead during the week ending Oct. 1. Bank angling has been slow from the Interstate 5 bridge downstream (except at the mouth of the Toutle River), but creelers counted nonetheless 14 hatchery coho, 10 hatchery steelhead, two chinook and a number of sea-run cutthroat trout among the 142 bank anglers checked on the Cowlitz that week. Bank anglers also picked up seven fall chinook on the Klickitat River, where 16 boat anglers added another 11 fish to the tally.

  Anglers should be aware that chinook-release rules are now in effect in the following waters to protect spawning salmon:

  • Elochoman River, upstream from the Highway 4 Bridge
  • North Fork Toutle from the Kidd Valley Road Bridge near Highway 504 upstream
  • Green River
  • Cowlitz River from Blue Creek to Mill Creek
  • Kalama River from the natural gas pipeline crossing upstream
  • Washougal River from the Little Washougal River upstream
  • White Salmon River from the posted markers half a mile above the Highway 14 Bridge upstream

  In addition, all fishing is now closed from Colvin Creek (near the salmon hatchery) upstream to Merwin Dam on the Lewis River. Night closures went into effect Oct. 1 at Drano Lake, where all non-tribal fishing is now prohibited on Wednesdays. Additional regulations are described in WDFW's Fishing in Washington rule pamphlet, available online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm.

  Meanwhile, Tacoma Power employees resumed transporting fish to Lake Scanewa during the last week of September with the releases of 1,285 coho adults, 175 coho jacks and one spring chinook adult into the Cowlitz River at the Day Use Site. In addition, they released 105 coho adults and 23 coho jacks into the Cipsus River above the mouth of Yellowjacket Creek during the week. A total of 699 coho adults, 46 coho jacks, one cutthroat trout, 518 fall chinook adults and 35 jacks were released into Mayfield Lake at Ike Kinswa Park boat launch during the week.

  Anglers casting for trout should be aware that Goose Lake was planted with 1,545 cutthroat averaging nearly a pound each on Sept. 25. Another 334 one-pounders went to the South Lewis County Park Pond near Toledo the next day, while Battleground Lake got 813 cutts and - hold on to your poles - 30 rainbows weighing 10 pounds apiece.

• Hunting: The archers have now retired from the field, opening the way for the early muzzleloader season for deer and elk that runs Oct. 7-13. Deer hunters using modern firearms are next in line with a season beginning Oct. 14.

  Cooler weather and improved access to private timberlands should provide better conditions for blackpowder hunters than the archers that went before them had, said Brian Calkins, acting WDFW regional wildlife manager. "Dry conditions and access restrictions due to concerns about wildfires posed some real obstacles to bowhunters during the early season," Calkins said. "Muzzleloaders should fare better, because conditions have improved considerably in the last few weeks."

  For one thing, Port Blakely timberlands are now generally open to hunters, although some roads may be closed due to logging operations. Most of Weyco's Twin Harbors area is open to hunters, as are the usual access corridors at the St. Helens Tree Farm. Those lands include some of the region's most popular Game Management Units (GMUs).

  GMU 501 (Lincoln) was the most productive area for deer during last year's blackpowder hunt, according to WDFW's 2005 Game Management Report (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/harvest/2005/index.htm). The best producers for elk were GMUs 505 (Mossyrock), 530 (Ryderwood) and 550 (Coweeman).

  Most GMUs in the region are open to hunters holding a muzzleloader deer tag. Deer hunters are restricted to bucks only during the early musket season. Rules for specific GMUs are noted in WDFW's Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm).

  Meanwhile, hunting seasons continue for bear, cougar, grouse and pheasant, while the California quail and bobwhite seasons get started Oct. 7. For information about the WDFW pheasant release sites, see the report on WDFW's website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/wwapheas.htm). General hunting seasons for ducks and geese open Oct. 14 in most areas. An exception is goose hunting in Goose Management Area 2A, which will remain closed until Nov. 11, as noted in WDFW's Migratory Waterfowl and Upland Game pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/water.htm).

• Wildlife viewing: The second clay-colored sparrow in as many months was recently spotted in Skamania County according to a report on the Tweeters bird-watching website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/digests/). The latest sighting was only the third ever reported for that county. Meanwhile, the blackpoll warbler that has been attracting birders to the Ridgefield National Wildlife Reserve has been sighted once again, this time standing in the ring road with several dozen yellow-rumped warblers. Other birds spotted on the River "S" Unit that day include 37 killdeer, six greater yellowlegs, several ruby-crowned kinglets and a single western tanager.

  More interested in fish? The fish-viewing windows at Bonneville Dam still offer one of the best shows around, although most salmon and steelhead runs are starting to wind down. Just last month, anywhere from 10,000 to 14,000 chinook salmon could be seen passing up the fish ladders in a single day. Now, the number is around 2,000 and dropping. Counts of steelhead, coho salmon and lamprey are also down from a month ago.

  But there are still plenty of fish to see, said Joe Hymer, WDFW fish biologist. "Actually, this is a good time to practice your fish-identification skills, because the fish aren't all crowding together," he said. But watch out for a new burst of bright late-running coho. They should start arriving at the dam in large numbers any time.

  To get to the fish-viewing window, take Washington State Highway 14 east to Milepost 40 (about 5 miles from Stevenson) and turn into the Bonneville Dam visitor center. The visitor center is the glass building at the end of the powerhouse.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: The steelhead run and catch in the Snake River is picking up steam. Glen Mendel, WDFW district fish biologist, said numbers of fish available and water conditions are usually very good in October, so catches should increase. "River flows are low and clear and water temperatures aren't bad," he said.

  River and stream fishing for trout and other species throughout the region also is good, with fish feeding on fall insect hatches. Many of those waterways, or portions of them, close to fishing at the end of October. Fishing lakes that didn't close last month will close Oct. 31 also. One notable exception is Amber Lake in southwest Spokane County, where catch-and-release rainbow and cutthroat trout fishing, under selective gear rules, continues through November. Anglers should check the fishing pamphlet for more information on those and other fisheries.

  WDFW enforcement officers recently conducted boat patrols on Lake Roosevelt and found lots of fishers with lower-than-usual catches of rainbow trout for this time of year.

• Hunting: Moose hunting has been under way since Oct. 1 for 100 special permit hunters in game management units from the Canada border to south Spokane County. The season runs through November.

  The early fall general and permit wild turkey hunting season in northeast game management units wraps up Oct. 6. WDFW Wildlife Biologist Dana Base said once again the season has almost been a non-event. "Turkeys may not be as exciting to hunt in the fall as in the spring," Base said. "But I have seen turkey flocks daily, including flocks on state and other public lands. And most days there have been zero hunters in the field pursuing them. A novice turkey hunter might well consider a trip to northeastern Washington in the early fall as well as the spring."

  Quail and Hungarian and chukar partridge hunting opens Oct. 7. Field reports indicate that quail numbers are very good throughout the region in riparian and brushy-cover habitat. Quail may be the upland game bird to target this season, since pheasant numbers appear to be down due to cool, wet weather during the peak of their hatch. Pheasant hunting opens Oct. 21. Waterfowl hunting opens Oct. 14 and duck and goose numbers are expected to remain fairly high, as they have in recent years.

  Modern firearm deer hunting also opens Oct. 14. The northeast district prognosis so far, based on pre-season deer classification surveys, is average buck ratios but lower fawn ratios for whitetails. Steve Zender, WDFW district wildlife biologist, said there have been more mature bucks in the harvest in the last few seasons. Hunter harvest report cards show a 10- to 19-percent increase, depending on the unit. "The population is relatively stable and we did not have a bad winter or any disease outbreaks," he said. "Because of that stability, we have a new opportunity for youth, disabled and senior hunters with antlerless hunting during the late buck season this year. For the last three years we expanded the antlerless permit season into late buck, too, and since that did not impact the population, we felt we could offer some other hunters additional opportunity."

  Dave Volsen, WDFW wildlife biologist, reminds hunters that the late whitetail buck hunt in the Palouse region south of Spokane will not be open to general hunters this fall. A total of 625 special permit holders only will be allowed to hunt whitetail bucks, with three antler points or more, in game management units 127-142, Nov. 6-19. Hunter harvest of older bucks has been so high in recent late seasons, that the season was changed to a controlled permit hunt to help preserve a healthy ratio of older, breeding bucks in the population.

  WDFW District Wildlife Biologist Pat Fowler said deer hunters who normally hunt game management units (GMU) 162 and 166 should plan to go elsewhere this year because of the Columbia Complex wildfires that have been burning in the Blue Mountains since late August.

  "Very little of GMU 154 was impacted by the fires," Fowler said. "Some green-up is already occurring in CRP fields and wheat fields that were burned. A little rain should really boost forage production. Barring a severe drought, deer and elk should have forage available for this winter." Fowler said probably 70 percent or more of the acreage covered by the Columbia Fire will create excellent habitat for wildlife in general. "It was a near perfect under-burn in most places, leaving most of the over-story in place," Fowler said. "Robinette Mountain and the Rainwater Wildlife Area look good, a few hot spots, but overall a good burn. There are some areas where it was very hot and resembled last year's School Fire, but very little acreage was impacted at that level."

  The Tucannon River Road is open to the Tucannon Guard Station 8.5 miles south of The Last Resort RV Park, allowing access to WDFW's Wooten Wildlife Area and use of six of its nine campgrounds (three are located beyond the road closure). Scoggins Ridge Road and Maloney Mountain Road are open down to the U.S. Forest Service boundary. Some access roads, campgrounds, and trailheads in the Umatilla National Forest and Wenaha-Tucannon wilderness area remain closed to public access. See http://inciweb.org/incident/443/ for the latest on the fire and access restrictions.

  Also opening Oct. 14 is the general (non-hound-hunting) season for cougar. WDFW biologists say the cougar population is healthy, but probably down from the high population years in the late 1990's. Prospects for boot (non-hound) hunters are moderate and similar to the last few years. Prospects are good for hound hunters with pilot program permits for the season that starts Dec. 1 in portions of Ferry, Stevens, and Pend Oreille counties.

• Wildlife viewing: Fall is a good time to look and listen for eastern Washington's most common ungulates - deer, elk, and moose. Woody Myers, WDFW wildlife research biologist, said it's breeding season for these big-hooved animals and that means bucks and bulls are focused on does and cows. The moose "rut" or breeding season is the earliest - since mid-September bull moose have been marking territory and thrashing trees, fence posts or each other with their wide antlers. Moose are fairly well distributed throughout northeast Washington, often found in or near riparian or streamside areas. Myers said moose, which can be relatively fearless, are even sometimes seen in urban or suburban areas. Last month bull elk started "bugling" - announcing their cow harem claims to other bulls through unique and loud calls. Some can still be heard, especially near dawn and dusk, in traditional elk habitat areas with a mix of forested cover and open fields. Most elk in the region are found in the Blue Mountains to the south or the Selkirk Mountains in the northeast, but growing herds are now in Spokane County, especially near Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge. Mule deer bucks may already be starting to challenge each other for breeding dominance with antler displays, rushes, and head-on clashes. Mule deer and white-tailed deer breeding activity usually peaks later, in mid-to-late November, but some young bucks in particular are already practicing their rituals.

  Although whitetails are more common in the north end of the region and mule deer are more common in the south and west ends, both species of deer are found throughout the region. Look for "edges" of habitat, Myers said, where woods and fields come together to provide convenient hiding and feeding areas. Usually the best viewing or listening is early or late in the day, he notes, but during the peak of breeding season, bucks and bulls can be seen or heard almost anytime.

  Guided waterfowl and other bird watching will be available Oct. 14 after a public dedication of the state's acquisition of Reardan's Audubon Lake, a 277-acre wildlife viewing site in Lincoln County. The event is a celebration of the cooperative efforts of WDFW and the Inland Northwest Land Trust, Spokane Audubon Society, and Reardan Area Public Development Authority to preserve this long-popular birding spot with a grant from the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program of IAC - the state's Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation. The property, 30 miles west of Spokane and just north of the town of Reardan, is made up of wetlands, vernal ponds, grasslands and channeled scablands. Howard Ferguson, WDFW district wildlife biologist, said it supports more than 250 species of birds and other wildlife, including 13 species and four habitat types of special concern. The dedication starts at 1 p.m. at the access point on the south side of the property, off Railroad Avenue, east of Highway 231 and north of Highway 2. After a brief ceremony, refreshments and displays about future project development will be available at the Reardan School's Smith Gymnasium on the corner of Spokane and Aspen streets. Free guided tours to the north side of Reardan's Audubon Lake, including a quarter-mile walk to an overlook, will depart from the school after 2 p.m.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: Bob Jateff, WDFW district fish biologist, reminds anglers that Pearrygin Lake in the Winthrop area of Okanogan County, which normally closes Sept. 30, will remain open to fishing through Oct. 8. There are no daily catch or size limits, allowing anglers to take as many rainbow trout as possible before the lake is treated with rotenone to remove undesirable fish populations. The lake will close to fishing Oct. 9 when the rehabilitation treatment begins.

  Jateff said some other trout fishing lakes to try in the Okanogan during October are Blue Lake in the Sinlahekin Valley, Ell Lake in the Aeneas Valley, Big Twin Lake near Winthrop, and Rat Lake near Brewster. "These are all under selective gear rules and should provide good fishing opportunities for both lure and fly anglers," he said. All are open through the month of October.

  The Methow River has been closed to fishing for all species, including steelhead, since Oct. 1. Joe Miller, WDFW northcentral regional fish program manager, said staff are evaluating the possibility of conducting a steelhead fishery in the upper Columbia River and tributaries within the parameters of the federal Endangered Species Act. No decisions have yet been reached about that fishery.

• Hunting: Forest grouse hunting, which has been open since Sept. 1, has been relatively slow, with few birds harvested. But bird hunting in the northcentral region should pick up a bit when quail and Hungarian and chukar partridge season opens Oct. 7 and waterfowl season opens Oct. 14.

  Field reports indicate that quail numbers are very good throughout the region in riparian and brushy-cover habitat. Quail may be the upland game bird to target this season, since pheasant numbers may be down due to cool, wet weather during the peak of their hatch. Pheasant hunting opens Oct. 21.

  Jim Tabor, WDFW district wildlife biologist, said waterfowl hunters can expect good numbers of ducks and geese for opening weekend in Grant and Adams counties in the Columbia Basin. "The number of migrant mallards coming to the Basin is expected to be similar to previous years, and locally-produced goose numbers are high," he said. "But just remember that waterfowl hunting opportunity and success is largely controlled by weather conditions on any given hunting day."

  Further north in the region, WDFW biologists note that waterfowl hunting opportunities are usually good on opening weekend, but may slow down because of limited local production. Chelan and Okanogan district duck hunting should improve in November with the arrival of migrants.

  Modern firearm deer hunting also opens Oct. 14 and the prospects for that season are excellent throughout the region. In the Columbia Basin, Tabor said deer numbers appear to be as high as any time in the past 20 years. "Although deer certainly use public land, most reside on private property," Tabor said. "That makes it critical to obtain permission for access to private land well in advance of opening day of the season."

  Beau Patterson, WDFW district wildlife biologist, said deer hunters should find excellent hunting in Chelan County. "Post-season buck escapement was good and adults wintered well," he said. "We did experience higher fawn winter mortality, which will translate into reduced yearling bucks in 2006. That will reduce harvest next year, as two-year-old bucks are typically the largest class of legal bucks under our three-antler-point minimum rule." Patterson also said that while availability of high-elevation migrant deer will be largely determined by snowfalls, resident deer at lower elevations have increased the past few years and should provide greater harvest opportunities.

  "Deer hunters should also find plenty of deer in Douglas County," Patterson said. "However, with most of the land privately owned, obtaining access is key to a quality hunt. Good public land and walk-in hunting opportunities also exist there, but expect plenty of company from other hunters."

  Okanogan County deer populations are also good, but hunter access may be restricted from the Tripod Complex Wildfires, particularly in Game Management Units 215 and 224 and the eastern portion of 218, said WDFW District Wildlife Biologist Scott Fitkin. "The east and southwest portions of the Okanogan district are largely unaffected by closures," he said. "We really don't know to what extent deer displacement from the fire might enhance opportunity in surrounding unburned areas."

  Fitkin advised hunters to check access restrictions daily as they plan upcoming hunts by calling the Methow Valley Ranger District at 509-996-4003 or the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest at 509-826-3795. Online updates are available at http://inciweb.org/incident/341/.

  Also opening Oct. 14 is the general (non-hound-hunting) season for cougar. WDFW biologists say the cougar population is healthy, but probably down from the high population years in the late 1990's. Prospects for boot (non-hound) hunters are moderate and similar to the last few years. Prospects are good for hound hunters with pilot program permits for the season that starts Dec. 1 in portions of Chelan and Okanogan counties.

• Wildlife viewing: If you're too busy with fall cleanup around the homefront to make a wildlife viewing trip afield these days, bring the wildlife to you by setting up a backyard bird feeding station. This time of year, many migrant species are moving through the region and would welcome a feeding, watering, and resting stopover. If you've never set up bird feeders before, check out WDFW's Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/backyard/) website to get started with providing a variety of feed types in different styles to attract the greatest diversity of birds. If you're hauling out feeders that you took down early this spring, be sure they are clean and dry before filling them with fresh seed. In these dry conditions, it's just as important to provide water for birds, either in a birdbath or just a pan of water. Consider placement of feed and water to avoid drawing birds too close to windows where they might have collisions, or too close to heavy cover where cats can ambush them. Bird feeding stations, of course, are simply supplemental to preferred natural food sources.

  Fall is a great time to plant trees and shrubs, so be sure to include species that provide food and cover for birds and other wildlife to enhance your home viewing. Just putting some of that fall yard cleanup on hold is a good way to leave some natural food sources for birds, like flower seed heads and leaf duff that hosts worms and bugs.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: The latest weekly creel report from WDFW Fish Biologist Paul Hoffarth indicates an estimated 731 chinook salmon (662 adults, 69 jacks) were harvested in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River near the Tri-Cities. Anglers averaged one chinook for every 22 hours fished, he said, or roughly one-half chinook per boat. Total chinook harvest to date is 1,579 (1,419 adults, 160 jacks). In 2005, 3,665 chinook had been harvested through Oct 2. Angler effort has been slightly below last year's effort, he said.

  Meanwhile, the fall chinook salmon harvest on the lower Yakima River east of Prosser and west of the Tri-Cities has been so high that the season's scheduled run through Oct. 22 could be curtailed. Hoffarth explained that this year's Yakima chinook run of about 2,500 fish is about one-third smaller than last year's, but the harvest of 297 fish to date is already more than three times greater than this time last year. Most of the catch has been near the Chandler hydroelectric powerhouse discharge area, which is about eight miles east of Prosser, just north of Interstate 82 off the Chandler Canal. Yakima River water is diverted from Prosser Dam to the Chandler facility. "The fish are so vulnerable there that we may be reaching an overharvest of fall chinook in the Yakima River," Hoffarth said. "We also have a high incidence of snagging in that area, and unless fish are hooked inside the mouth or on the head, they're illegal to possess." Snagging citations bring a $540 fine. Stay tuned for a possible emergency rule change about the length of this season.

• Hunting: Quail and chukar and Hungarian or gray partridge hunting opens Oct. 7. Ted Clausing, WDFW southcentral regional program manager, said it will be a good season. "This has been a great quail production year throughout the region," he said. "And chukar numbers appear good, too. The recent wetter weather we've had may scatter them a little more, but most are sticking pretty close to water sources." Quail and partridge may be the upland game birds to target this season, since pheasant numbers appear to be down due to cool, wet weather during the peak of their hatch. Pheasant hunting opens Oct. 21. Waterfowl hunting opens Oct. 14 and duck and goose numbers are expected to remain fairly high, as they have in recent years.

  Modern firearm deer hunting also opens Oct. 14, and while the southcentral region is known more for its elk hunting, deer populations are also in good stead. It's mostly a mule deer harvest here and almost all game management units are under a three-antler-point minimum. Check the hunting rules pamphlet for details.

• Wildlife viewing: Bull elk will continue their bugling through the first half of the month to maintain breeding territories. Ted Clausing, WDFW regional wildlife program manager, recommends getting out in the woods to listen and watch. The Raven's Roost area in the Little Naches River drainage in the far northwestern corner of Yakima County (follow Hwy. 410 northwest of Naches) is traditionally one of the best places to listen. For the best opportunities, arrive just before daylight (or plan to camp in one of the many forest service campgrounds in the area), and walk the Cougar Valley trail. Elk may be visible on the open hillsides until about 7 a.m., when they move down into timber. But their bugling might be heard throughout the day, particularly early and late.

  If you're too busy with fall cleanup around the homefront to make a wildlife viewing trip afield these days, bring the wildlife to you by setting up a backyard bird feeding station. This time of year, many migrant species are moving through the region and would welcome a feeding, watering, and resting stopover. If you've never set up bird feeders before, check out WDFW's Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/backyard/) website to get started with providing a variety of feed types in different styles to attract the greatest diversity of birds. If you're hauling out feeders that you took down early this spring, be sure they are clean and dry before filling them with fresh seed. In these dry conditions, it's just as important to provide water for birds, either in a birdbath or just a pan of water. Consider placement of feed and water to avoid drawing birds too close to windows where they might have collisions, or too close to heavy cover where cats can ambush them. Bird feeding stations, of course, are simply supplemental to preferred natural food sources.

  Fall is a great time to plant trees and shrubs, so be sure to include species that provide food and cover for birds and other wildlife to enhance your home viewing. Just putting some of that fall yard cleanup on hold is a good way to leave some natural food sources for birds, like flower seed heads and leaf duff that hosts worms and bugs.