October 13-26, 2004

Contact: Margaret Ainscough, 360-902-2408 or Madonna Luers, 509-456-4073

Diggers are headed to coastal beaches for the first razor clam opportunity of the fall season, scheduled tomorrow through Saturday (Oct. 14-16).

Long Beach, Mocrocks, Copalis and Twin Harbors beaches will be open, although no digging is allowed before noon any day. Kalaloch Beach will remain closed to clam digging in October. For details, see the Olympic Peninsula region report below.

Meanwhile, Oct. 16 also marks the opening of some of the state's biggest hunts, with modern-firearm deer, duck and goose seasons all set to begin then.

Nearly 170,000 hunters could be afield this fall for bucks, ducks and geese, based on figures from 2003 hunter harvest reports.

Deer herds are generally healthy, and prospects are good for a season at least as productive as last year, when 26 percent of deer hunters statewide took home venison. Waterfowl prospects could be mixed.

Drought conditions and northern nesting success could limit duck-hunting opportunities in some areas, although Grays Harbor and other coastal areas look promising. Local Canada goose production is excellent in most parts of the state, so goose hunters should fare better than duck hunters. Most waterfowl hunting will likely be concentrated on Washington's big waterways, since smaller ponds and potholes are dry this year.

Check WDFW's big game and waterfowl hunting pamphlets on the Department's website for details.

Hunters and others recreating in the Mount St. Helens vicinity will need to pay close attention to access updates from major landowners in the area. Fluctuating levels of volcanic activity may prompt sudden changes in safety-closure zones around the mountain. For the latest information, check the U.S. Forest Service's Gifford Pinchot National Forest website and Weyerhaeuser's toll-free telephone hotline at 1-866-636-6531.

Eastern Washington pheasant hunting starts Oct. 23 and wild bird production will be supplemented with farm-raised rooster releases throughout the eastside. See the Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Pamphlet, for more details.

Here is more information on current recreational opportunities statewide:

North Puget Sound

• Fishing: Anglers fishing the waters of Puget Sound from Seattle north to Everett are putting a few coho salmon in the fish box, but catch rates have dropped significantly over the past couple of weeks. Saltwater anglers are beginning to catch hefty fall chum salmon, too. Chum can often be caught by slowly trolling small herring, imitation squid or bright green spoons. Anglers who land a chum and plan to eat it should be sure to bleed the fish and keep it cool until it's time to hit the grill or go into the smoker - not bad advice for any salmon that are going to be kept. The next big date on the saltwater salmon-fishing calendar is Nov. 1 when marine areas 7 through 10 open for blackmouth fishing. These four marine areas will have a two-fish daily limit, one of which can be a blackmouth (minimum length 22 inches) beginning Nov. 1. There are still plenty of coho salmon in area rivers, but fishing success has been sporadic, notes Curt Kraemer, WDFW regional fish program manager. Some rivers are not in the best fishing shape, with either too much or too little water in them. The Skagit River, which has been high and dirty, is currently open with a three-fish daily limit (release chinook and chum) from the mouth to the confluence with the Cascade River. The mainstem of the Nooksack River is open through Dec. 31 with a two-fish daily limit. Release wild chinook and wild coho in the stretch of river from the Lummi Nation reservation upstream to the FFA high school barn in Deming, and release all chinook and wild coho in the stretch from the school barn upstream to the confluence. Salmon fishing in the north fork of the Nooksack runs through Oct. 31 with a two-fish daily limit. Release chinook and wild coho. The south fork of the Nooksack opens to salmon fishing Oct. 16 and runs through the end of the year with a two-fish daily limit. Release chinook and wild coho. Salmon fishing on the Samish River has been slow. Salmon fishing downstream of the I-5 bridge is open through Dec. 31 with a two-fish daily limit. The Stillaguamish, another river that has been plagued by poor visibility, is open from the mouth to the forks with a two-salmon daily limit. Release all chinook and pink salmon. Anglers can retain two hatchery steelhead on the mainstem from Marine Drive upstream to the forks, and on the north fork (fly fishing only) from the forks to the Swede Heaven Bridge. The Snohomish River, which has been one of the most consistent coho producers this year, remains open to salmon fishing through Dec. 31 with a two-salmon daily limit. Release chinook and pink salmon. Anglers on the Skykomish River have scratched up a few coho. The Sky is open through Dec. 31 with a two-salmon daily limit. Release all chinook and pink salmon. The same rules apply to the Snoqualmie River. Plenty of anglers have been fishing for coho in the Green River, which is now open from the mouth up to Auburn-Black Diamond Road Bridge. There is a six-salmon daily limit, no more than three of which may be adults. Release chinook. The end of October is also the end of the general lowland lakes fishing season. Check the WDFW "Sport Fishing in Washington" rules pamphlet for more information on a particular lake. Squid jigging has been productive off the downtown Seattle piers, as well as Everett and Des Moines waterfront areas. Squid fishing is open year-round, and the daily limit is five quarts or 10 pounds. Legal gear is a forage fish jig, a maximum of four squid lures, forage fish dip net or a hand dip net. Each harvester must have a separate container.

• Hunting: Fall brings more hunting opportunities to northern Puget Sound than any other season, whether it's big-game hunts for deer (Oct. 16-31), bear (through Nov. 15) or cougar (through March 15, 2005). Big-game hunting regulations are available online on the Internet. Upland birds, such as forest grouse and pheasant, or waterfowl, including goose and duck. Hunts for forest grouse (through Dec. 31) and pheasant hunts (through Nov. 30) are ongoing, while goose hunting runs Oct. 16-29, then Nov. 6-Jan. 30. Duck hunting runs Oct. 16-20, then Oct. 23-Jan. 30, except pintail and canvasback seasons are closed Oct. 23 - Dec. 6, 2004. Sea duck hunters must have a written authorization and file a harvest report with WDFW. Check the 2004-05 Migratory Waterfowl and Upland Game Seasons pamphlet for details on seasons, daily bag limits and other information. The pamphlet is available at hundreds of retail outlets, from WDFW offices, and online on the Internet. There's good news for waterfowl hunters who hunt the Island Unit or bay front of WDFW's Skagit Wildlife Area. The department's boat launch is open for use and provides great access to those portions of the wildlife area. Lora Leschner, WDFW's regional wildlife program manager, suggested hunters check out the river for logs and other potential dangers before using the recently rehabilitated boat launch in the dark.

• Wildlife viewing: How many species of sparrows can a birder see in one day? One sharp-eyed observer who reported his findings to the Tweeters birding website recently scanned the small community of Point Roberts and counted five: the Fox, song, golden-crowned, white-crowned and Lincoln's. Another interesting Point Roberts sighting was a solitary ruddy turnstone, which was embedded in a flock of about 40 black turnstones. Juanita Bay Park in Kirkland has been providing some great birding opportunities recently. One Tweeters correspondent reported a close encounter with a peregrine falcon, while a beautiful green heron was seen "strutting up and down the boardwalk as if it were a fashion catwalk." Another peregrine was spotted on the lower Duwamish River in industrial south Seattle, along with the remains of a pigeon (a likely falcon meal). Mountain chickadees have been spotted in Kirkland and northeast Seattle, while solitary great horned owls have been seen at Cockreham Island in Skagit County and near Kent in King County. Upstream salmon migrations are in full swing throughout the region. As always, please observe salmon spawning activity from a distance, and be sure kids and pets don't disturb this last crucial step in the salmon's life cycle.

Olympic Peninsula/South Sound

• Fishing: The first razor clam dig of the fall season will get under way on evening tides Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 14-16, at four ocean beaches. WDFW approved digs at Long Beach, Mocrocks, Copalis and Twin Harbors beaches after a series of marine toxin tests confirmed that the clams on those beaches are safe to eat. No digging will be allowed at any beach before noon any day during the three-day opening. Kalaloch Beach, jointly managed by WDFW and Olympic National Park, will remain closed to digging in October, because levels of toxic domoic acid found in clams tested there are above the state and federal health standard of 20 parts per million. Under WDFW rules, harvesters may take no more than 15 razor clams and must keep the first 15 taken, regardless of size or condition. Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager, recommends that clam enthusiasts start digging at least one hour before low tide. Low tides during the three-day opening this month are as follows:
  • Thursday, Oct. 14 - 7:38 p.m. (-0.6 feet)
  • Friday, Oct. 15 - 8:20 p.m. (-1.0 feet)
  • Saturday, Oct. 16 - 9:05 p.m. (-1.2)

  A license is required to dig razor clams for anyone age 15 or older. (Annual shellfish/seaweed licenses purchased last spring are still valid.) Descriptions of the various licensing options are available on the WDFW website. Ayres strongly recommends that prospective diggers who need licenses buy them before leaving home to avoid long lines that often form at coastal license dealers during a dig. WDFW will, however, sell licenses at the Willapa Bay Field Station, 26700 Sandridge Rd., Ocean Park, on the Long Beach Peninsula to help ease the pressure on coastal dealers. The Field Station, also known as the "Nahcotta Lab," will sell licenses from noon to 7 p.m. Oct. 14 and from 1 p.m. until 8 p.m. Oct. 15 and 16. Meanwhile, runs of chinook and coho salmon should be reaching their peak on north coast rivers such as the Sol Duc, Hoh, Bogachiel and Queets, said Mike Gross, WDFW fish biologist. All of those rivers have been running high in recent weeks, but now appear to be dropping into shape just in time for prime-time fishing, Gross said. "Fishing should be ideal through the end of October if a storm doesn't bring the rivers back up again," said Gross, noting that the section of the Hoh River from Willoughby Creek to Morgans Crossing opens Oct. 16. Farther south, some catches have been reported on the Wynoochee and Satsop rivers, although most of the action is still centered around the mouth of the Chehalis and Johns rivers, said Wendy Beeghley, WDFW fish biologist. Catch rates have been averaging half a fish per rod (mostly coho) off 28th Street in Cosmopolis and about 0.3 to 0.5 fish per rod (both coho and Chinook) off Port Johns, she said. "We're seeing a lot more bank angling than in past years on the lower Chehalis River," Beeghley said. "People are doing pretty well." Elsewhere, salmon fishing has been fair on the Nisqually and Skokomish rivers, but slower on the Puyallup River, Hood Canal and southern Puget Sound. Fishing at American Lake in Pierce County should be better than ever, thanks to a boost from a private grower, said Manny Farinas, WDFW regional fish manager. Troutlodge, based in Sumner, planted 40,000 surplus rainbow trout in the lake in mid-October, almost as many as WDFW stocks in a year. Farinas said those fish average 5-6 inches right now, but survivors should be about a foot long by next spring.

• Hunting: The crack of rifles and shotguns will be heard throughout the region Oct. 16, when hunting seasons for deer, ducks and geese get under way. For deer, recent storms have left the forests in prime condition for this month's modern-firearms opener, said Jack Smith, WDFW regional wildlife manager. "The leaves are wet and many are off the trees," Smith said. "Those conditions improve visibility, and also reduce a deer's ability to hear you before you see it." Smith predicts good hunting for black-tailed bucks this year, particularly in lowland areas with lots of clearcuts. As always, Smith expects the Vail game management unit (GMU) to be the top producer, although he also sees strong potential in the Olympic, Willapa Hills, Satsop, Wynoochee, Capitol Forest and Nemah units. "The North River unit could be the sleeper this year, both for deer and elk," he said. While Smith expects to see lots of hunters in the field opening day, he said past experience indicates hunting during the last weekend of the season will be as good as the first. "It's not like you're out of luck if you can't make it out opening day," Smith said. "There are a lot of deer out there right through the season." The black-tailed deer season for hunters using modern firearms runs through Oct. 31, followed by the elk season Nov. 6-14. Meanwhile, seasons for ducks and geese open Oct. 16, providing new bird-hunting opportunities throughout the region. Greg Shirato, WDFW wildlife biologist, sees some good, early-season duck hunting ahead. "There's a lot of ducks on Grays Harbor right now, and people are saying their numbers are looking better than they have for years," he said. Shirato said few birds have moved inland yet, so hunters should focus on saltwater areas during the early season. Pintails are mixed with mallards and widgeon, which will require careful shooting, he said. The same is true of goose hunting in Goose Management Area 2B (Grays Harbor and Pacific counties), where the concern is dusky geese. Dusky geese are off-limits to hunting, and hunters must carry an authorization card and meet other requirements specified in WDFW's Migratory Waterfowl and Upland Game Seasons pamphlet to take geese in that management area, Shirato said. Once the season opens Oct. 16, hunting in Goose Manage Area 2B is permitted only on selected days listed in the pamphlet. That's not the case in Goose Manage Area 3, where no special authorization is required to hunt for geese and the season runs daily from Oct. 16-29, followed by a late season Nov. 6-Jan. 30. Rather hunt pheasant? Hunters can choose from eight release sites throughout the region to test their shooting skills.

• Wildlife viewing: Beachcombing is a popular activity year-round. Whether on Puget Sound or ocean beaches, the tidelands are alive with crab, sea urchins and sand dollars while seabirds of all kinds skitter across the sand and shriek overhead. During a recent visit to Point No Point on Admiralty Inlet, one contributor to the Tweeters birding website spotted 25 Pacific loons, five parasitic jaegers, 25 Heermann's gulls and a number of species common to Puget Sound at this time of year. But on the coast, beachcombers have been encountering creatures - often dead or dying - far less familiar to Northwest shores. Beginning late last month, Humbolt squid weighing ten pounds or more began appearing around Westport, giving rise to a popular, if short-lived, fishery. Pushed northward by ocean currents, these dark-red marine mollusks are now washing up on coastal beaches. "We'd strong advise people to avoid eating or even touching dead squid they find on the beach," said Greg Bargmann, WDFW groundfish manager. "They should also keep their dogs away from squid or any marine life, dead or alive, they might encounter on the beach." That is especially true for sea lions, about 20 of which have been found on beaches from Long Beach to Neah Bay over the past two months. Like the Humbolt squid, many of these animals have been moving northward from rookeries in California - and many of the ones found on the beach are sick, said Steve Jeffries, a WDFW research scientist specializing in marine mammals. Of those examined, Jeffries said several beached sea lions have been carrying leptospirosis, a potentially fatal disease that can be transmitted to humans through physical contact or through bodily fluids. "We always warn people not to approach or touch a marine mammal, and we want to emphasize that point now when people are encountering sick sea lions on the beach," said Jeffries, who asks that anyone who sees a beached marine mammal to contact the Northwest Marine Mammal Stranding Network at (206) 526-6733. Those reporting a stranded marine mammal are asked to note their name; phone number; location, size and description of the animal; and whether it is alive.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: Sturgeon fishing is going strong in the Columbia River gorge, with 51 Washington bank anglers reported keeping 26 fish during the first week of October, according to Pat Frazier, WDFW's Southwest Washington fishery manager. The sturgeon scene on the rest of the river was considerably slower, with catch rates of one sturgeon kept for every five to 10 boats sampled during the first two weeks of October, Frazier noted. A few fall chinook are still available in the lower Columbia, with the best remaining opportunity to be found near the mouths of tributaries such as the Lewis and the Cowlitz. And on the Cowlitz River, anglers are still enjoying a strong return of sea-run cutthroat trout. Goose Lake is also still producing the fish. Recent hatchery fish-recycling efforts should sweeten the angling prospects in several areas. Recent transports and recycling efforts placed 2,556 adult coho in Lake Scanewa; 110 adult coho in Skate Creek near the bridge in Packwood; 666 adult coho in the Cispus River above the mouth of Yellowjacket Creek and 1,447 adult coho in the Tilton River at Gus Backstrom Park. In addition, 53 hatchery steelhead, 128 fall chinook and 36 cutthroat trout were recycled downstream to Blue Creek boat launch on the Cowlitz River, and 349 fall chinook, 49 steelhead and 32 cutthroat trout were taken to the Massey Bar boat launch on the lower Cowlitz River. Continuing volcanic activity at Mount St. Helens means anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts should be cautious near rivers downstream from the mountain. The mainstem and north and south forks of the Toutle River, the lower Green River in Cowlitz County and the upper North Fork Lewis River above Swift Reservoir are among the waters that could be affected by suddenly increasing stream flows, flooding or other hazards related to volcanic activity. Fishing for hatchery steelhead and salmon is open through Nov. 30 on the North Fork Toutle and the lower Green rivers, and hatchery steelhead fishing is under way on the South Fork Toutle. The upper North Fork Lewis River is open for game-fish angling through Oct. 31.

• Hunting: With modern-firearm deer seasons set to open Oct. 16, a restless Mount St. Helens is continuing to keep hunters guessing. As volcanic activity fluctuates, access to public lands and private timberlands near the mountain could change suddenly as well. Hunters and others recreating outdoors are urged to check the websites and/or telephone hotlines of major landowners in the area for the latest access information. For information on U.S. Forest Service lands check the Gifford Pinchot National Forest website. For information on access to Weyerhaeuser-owned timberlands and roads, call 1-866-636-6531 and press 2. For information on state Department of Natural Resources lands, visit the department's website. Closures near the mountain mean that other, accessible areas are likely to be more crowded than usual, notes Wildlife Biologist Robin Woodin, who adds that hunters need to exercise extra patience and caution as a result. Meanwhile, duck and goose hunts are also scheduled to open Oct. 16, except for pintail and canvasback hunting, which is closed from Oct. 23 through Dec. 6, 2005.

• Wildlife viewing: Late September and early October mark the migration of lesser sandhill cranes through the lower Columbia River area. Regional WDFW staffers and local birders are reporting the return of sandhill cranes to the Shillapoo Wildlife Area and surrounding lands outside Vancouver. Each year the cranes visit this area to feed and rest to finish their southward migration. The cranes feed in croplands as well as grazed pastures, wetlands and mowed areas where they obtain nutrients from insects and native seeds not available in grain crops. WDFW Wildlife Area Manager Brian Calkins reports seeing up to 800 cranes in the North Unit of the wildlife area. Regional Wildlife Program Manager Fred Dobler reports spotting a large group of cranes at the northern end of Vancouver Lake. And a Tweeters website correspondent reports sighting almost 200 sandhill cranes Oct. 10 in a field just east of the road on WDFW's Shillapoo Wildlife Area North Unit. Post Office Lake was recently reported to be loaded with ducks-mostly wigeons and pintails, and some shovelers. Three great egrets were also visible, as well as a coyote ambling along the east shore of lake, looking wistfully at the ducks it couldn't reach. Another birder reports spotting a sharp-tailed sandpiper Oct. 5 at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. In late September the refuge's Rest Lake was reported crowded with birds. Species sighted included wigeons, a scaup, pintails, mallards, five white-fronted geese, several long-billed dowitchers, three greater yellowlegs, one immature brownish double-crested cormorant, great blue herons and great egrets. A common snipe was seen ambling along the edge of the lake, and a but further on an immature green heron was keeping a motionless watch.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: Snake River drainage steelheading has slowed down a little in most areas, at least according to the latest creel survey results. One of the few improved catch-rate areas is the Walla Walla River, where anglers are averaging less than one hour of fishing effort per steelhead caught. The Snake River below Ice Harbor Dam has improved to six hours of effort per fish caught, while the Lower Grand Ronde River is averaging about six hours of fishing per fish, as well. Other creel checks show: Snake River from Lower Monumental Dam to Little Goose Dam, 11.3 hours per fish caught; Tucannon River, 13.2 hours; Wallula from stateline to mouth of Walla Walla River, 34.7 hours; Snake River from Ice Harbor Dam to Lower Monumental Dam, 36.6 hours; and Snake River from Little Goose Dam to Lower Granite Dam, 44.9 hours. Up to 1,700 surplus, catchable-size (9-inch) rainbow trout from WDFW's Tucannon Fish Hatchery are being stocked in a few Tucannon River impoundments in Columbia County for the final weeks of the fishing season. Spring, Blue and possibly Watson lakes, which all close Oct. 31, will receive the extra fish. Rainbows stocked much earlier this year in Ferry County's Fish Lake are now providing catches weighing over a pound each. Other lakes still open through the end of the month in the northeast district are producing catches, including Stevens County's Black Lake, the Little Pend Oreille chain of lakes and Potters Pond. Bayley Lake, on the Little Pend Oreille Wildlife Refuge, is open for catch-and-release fishing through Oct. 31. WDFW enforcement officers have been checking anglers on the upper end of Lake Roosevelt, where fishing for big walleye has been good.

• Hunting: The region's most popular hunting season-modern-firearm deer-opens Oct. 16 and for the most part it should be productive. WDFW Northeast District Wildlife Biologist Steve Zender expects success rates similar to last season, when nearly 28 percent of all deer hunters in the northeast units bagged an animal. 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. Northeast mule deer buck harvest, which is primarily in Ferry County's Game Management Unit (GMU) 101, has increased each year for the past three seasons and the percentage of four-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, so we expect hunters to have at least similar success in 2004," Zender said. Central district deer prospects look pretty good, too, says WDFW central district wildlife biologist Howard Ferguson, although early counts indicate the season won't break any records. Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) has taken some whitetail deer, and is expected to continue to take deer until a hard frost knocks out the virus-carrying gnats that carry the disease, Ferguson says. WDFW Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area Manager Juli Anderson expects traditional, heavy deer-hunting pressure on the wildlife area, which she says 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." WDFW Southeast District Wildlife Biologist Pat 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. Duck and goose hunting also opens Oct.16 for a few days in this region before the "split," which gives waterfowlers more opportunity for later-arriving birds; check the WDFW "Migratory Waterfowl and Upland Game Seasons" pamphlet for all details. Pheasant hunting opens Oct. 23 and the central part of the region- Whitman, Lincoln and Spokane counties, where bird numbers appear relatively stable-will likely provide the best hunting. "We did have some cold, rainy weather just when the first pheasant nests were incubated," noted Anderson. "Between that and drought conditions, pheasant numbers might be down on and around Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area." Fowler expects pheasant hunting success to be lower in the southeast district for the same reason. In addition to wild birds, farm-raised pheasants will be released prior to the opener on several sites throughout the region; for details, see the Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Pamphlet. Anderson also noted that small game hunters after cottontail rabbits must be careful to avoid shooting jackrabbits. "At Swanson Lakes you're much more likely to encounter a jackrabbit than a cottontail," she said. Modern firearm elk hunting opens Oct. 30 in units across the region, with most of the effort in the southeast's Blue Mountains where the largest herds roam. Fowler reports that the only unit not at or near elk-population-management objectives is GMU 169 Wenaha, (including the Wenaha Wilderness Area), which could support up to 1,500 elk but currently has about 500. The Blue Mountains units are under a spike-bull rule and, with lower calf survival still plaguing many herds, there are fewer spike bulls available. Fowler noted that only about 6 percent of elk hunters have bagged spikes in the last several years. Hunters with antlerless-elk permits should find excellent hunting in GMU 175. Antlerless-elk hunters in GMUs 154 and 162 should be arranging for access now, since the best hunting in those areas is in private ownership. Black bear hunting, which has been under way since early September, will pick up with deer and elk hunters who pack bear tags. Populations are healthy throughout the region, but dry conditions have bears spread out as they forage before hibernation. In the northeast district, bear hunters need to remember that protected grizzly bear populations continue to increase and widen in their distribution. Zender notes that grizzlies in southern British Columbia, northern Washington and northern Idaho regularly cross state and international boundaries, especially in GMUs 113, 111, 108 and 105. "While sightings are still unusual, black-bear hunters must be increasingly careful of their target," he said. WDFW Spokane Fish Hatchery Specialist Jim Muse recently reported seeing a "big, beautiful silvertip" grizzly while hunting the west branch of Dry Canyon about 21 miles from Usk in Pend Oreille County.

• Wildlife viewing: Birdwatchers in northeast Washington have recently reported blue jay sightings from the town of Rice on Lake Roosevelt to the Little Pend Oreille Wildlife Refuge. Blue jays are rarely seen in Washington, with breeding populations further east, from Alberta to Texas and Florida. The increased sightings in the past several years may indicate shifts in the species distribution and dispersion. How long the rare birds will remain in the area is anyone's guess, but birdwatchers themselves are "migrating" north to catch a glimpse. Those who prefer to enjoy local wildlife from the comfort of a window-side easy chair can set up backyard winter-feeding and watering stations now. Although birds and other wildlife species don't usually need supplemental feeding, especially where good habitat exists, a close-up view is enjoyable. Feeding deer is not recommended because concentrated deer can attract potentially dangerous cougars, or make deer vulnerable to other problems like vehicle collisions on nearby roads. Bird feeding can create problems if feeders are not kept clean or located properly. For tips on how to safely winter-feed, see the Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary program information on WDFW's website.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: Portions of the Upper Columbia, Okanogan and Methow rivers remain open for hatchery-origin steelhead fishing. WDFW enforcement officers patrolling those waters report very good fishing throughout the open portion of the Methow River, in particular. Anglers need to keep in mind, however, that there is a section of the lower Methow closed this year, from the second powerline crossing above the Highway 97 bridge upstream to the first Highway 153 bridge north of Pateros. Other than that section, the Methow is open for steelheading from the mouth at Highway 97 bridge upstream to the confluence with the Chewuck River in Winthrop. Officers report low fishing effort on the Okanogan River, all of which is open for steelheading except for a section from Lake Osoyoos or Zosel Dam downstream to a quarter- mile below the railroad trestle. Steelheaders can harvest up to two hatchery-origin, 20-inch minimum steelhead daily - those with an adipose-fin clip and a healed scar in the location of the missing fin. All steelhead with an intact adipose fin and steelhead with a disk tag must be immediately released unharmed. Chinook salmon fishing closes Oct. 15 on the upper Columbia from the Highway 173 bridge at Brewster upstream to the Highway 17 bridge at Bridgeport.

• Hunting: Waterfowl hunting opens Oct. 16 and WDFW Eastside Waterfowl Biologist Ron Friesz says drought conditions will have both birds and hunters concentrated on big waterways. "Water levels are as low as I've ever seen them," said Friesz, who has spent at least a couple of decades in the Columbia Basin. For example, Friesz's recent visit to Stratford Lake yielded a count of no more than 2,000 lesser and Taverner Canada geese. He says the big flocks of up to 25,000 geese could still come in late October, but some of those migrants could be shifting water-use patterns, too. This should be another good season for goose hunters, Friesz said, since the Basin has a lot of local production of the greater or western race of Canada geese. "Our breeding population of these honkers is fairly stable, so we should see very good hunting again this year." Given the lack of water in traditional potholes and small lakes, however, most will be concentrated on the region's larger waters, like the Columbia River, Potholes Reservoir and Moses Lake. Ducks are another story, Friesz says. "Nesting conditions to the north have not been real rosy," he said, "and our hunters depend on many ducks from southern Alberta and British Columbia. Compared to last year, it looks like we could be down about 11 percent on all ducks and about 7 percent on mallards alone." Freisz says that may not sound like a huge difference, but the key is water for stopovers of migrating ducks. "Even if the ducks come through here, there aren't as many places for them to land and safely rest." Duck hunters could find the season fair to poor, with the best hunting likely on the region's big waterways. Modern firearm deer hunting also opens Oct. 16 and WDFW Columbia Basin District Wildlife Biologist Jim Tabor says the prospects are good. "Deer numbers in the Basin are as high as any time in the past 20 years," Tabor said. Most Basin deer are on private property so hunters who have yet to obtain permission for access may be out of luck, he noted. Deer hunters will find excellent hunting in Chelan County, where WDFW District Wildlife Biologist Beau Patterson reports 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, resident deer at lower elevations have increased and will provide greater harvest opportunities," Patterson said. Okanogan district deer harvest will likely be similar to the last couple of years, predicts WDFW district wildlife biologist Scott Fitkin, perhaps a bit better due to favorable conditions. "We've had good summer moisture and the start of a wet and cool fall," he said. "Combined with the general season extending later in the month and overlapping more with deer-migration activity, I think hunters will have access to more deer." Fitkin advised hunters to look for 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. Pheasant hunting opens Oct. 23 and Tabor expects the season in the Columbia Basin to be similar to last year when wild roosters were scarce, compared to several years ago. Although there are a few pockets of wild birds on limited- access private land in Douglas County, much of the region depends on release of farm-raised roosters throughout the season. For details see the Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Pamphlet. Modern firearm elk hunting opens Oct. 30 and most harvest in this region is in the Chelan district, particularly the Mission Game Management Unit. Success rates should be near normal, Patterson said, with 3 to 5 percent of hunters bagging an elk. Special-elk-permit hunters in the Malaga and Peshastin units will experience less crowded conditions and typically higher success rates. Other units open for hunting in the region have small populations and poor prospects for hunters.

• Wildlife viewing Migrating birds that typically use small waterways for resting and feeding stopovers are more likely to be seen this fall at the region's bigger waters, like the Columbia River, Potholes Reservoir, Moses Lake and Sprague Lake. That includes everything from sandhill cranes (a few of which were recently seen near Sprague) to shorebirds and of course ducks and geese, said WDFW eastside Waterfowl Biologist Ron Friesz. That's because drought conditions have left many small potholes and ponds high and dry this year, he explained, so the most productive birdwatching field trips will be near big water. Those who prefer to enjoy local wildlife from the comfort of a window-side easy chair can set up backyard winter feeding and watering stations now. Although birds and other wildlife species don't usually need supplemental feeding, especially where good habitat exists, a close-up view is enjoyable. Feeding deer is not recommended because concentrated deer can attract potentially dangerous cougars, or make deer vulnerable to other problems like vehicle collisions on nearby roads. Bird feeding can create problems if feeders are not kept clean or located properly. For tips on how to safely winter-feed, see the Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary program information on WDFW's website.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: Anglers have only through Oct. 22 to go after fall chinook salmon in the upper section of the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River. That's when the river between the Old Hanford townsite wooden powerline towers and Priest Rapids will close. The lower part of the reach, on the Columbia River between the Highway 395 bridge at Pasco and the powerline towers, remains open for both salmon and steelhead. Fishing has been good, reports WDFW Fish Biologist Jim Cummins, but fish are beginning to show some color as they mature and approach spawning. Latest creel checks on the Hanford Reach showed an average of a little over 14 hours of effort by boat anglers per chinook caught. Bank angling at Ringold was measured at an average of about 30 hours of effort per chinook. A strong steelhead run will draw more attention as salmon fishing declines, particularly in the Richland-to-Ringold area. Anglers are reminded that an emergency rule permits harvest of adipose-fin-clipped only steelhead, as opposed to the pamphlet-published rule that required both the adipose and right ventral fin to be clipped. Wild (unclipped) steelhead and fish with disk tags must be released unharmed. The Yakima River also closes to salmon fishing Oct. 22. Fishing has been only fair, with anglers catching only one chinook for an average of 33 hours of effort. But southcentral region Fish Program Manager John Easterbrooks says catch rates are expected to increase, as they typically do, in the final days of the season. The Yakima is closed year-round to steelhead fishing. Cummins reminds anglers that many of the region's rivers and streams close to all fishing on Oct. 31. "The final weeks of fall fishing can be good for rainbow and cutthroat trout," he said. "The Naches River, Rattlesnake Creek, Naneum Creek, Taneum Creek, Manastash Creek, and the catch-and-release reach of the Yakima River are just a few of many excellent trout fishing opportunities for fly and lure anglers. With the exception of the heavily fished Yakima River, fishing effort is generally low, so you can find plenty of solitude this time of year." Cummins also notes that many rivers have selective-gear rules, which prohibit fishing with bait and require single barbless hooks. A number of lowland lakes, including Mattoon and Fio Rito in Kittitas County, and Clear, I-82 Ponds 4 and 6, Myron, Rotary and Wenas in Yakima County, will be stocked with catchable-size rainbow trout to provide fall and winter fishing opportunities. A complete list of lakes that will be stocked is posted on the WDFW website on the Internet. Weekly planting reports are also posted.

• Hunting: Opening Oct. 16 is modern firearm deer in select units and waterfowl hunting throughout the region. Precipitation and temperature drops would boost success for all. Pheasant hunting opens Oct. 23 and most harvest will come from farm-raised pheasants released prior to the opener on several sites throughout the region; for details see the Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Pamphlet. Modern firearm elk season, which opens Oct. 30 in many units, is this region's forte. Nearly 40 percent of elk hunters in Washington hunt the southcentral units, and more than one-fourth of the state's harvested elk are bagged here. Last year's modern firearm elk season yielded an overall regional success rate of 6 percent. The top producing game management units were the Quilomene (329) and Cowiche (368) where 9 percent of elk hunters were successful and the Naneum (328) where 8 percent harvested an animal. WDFW Regional Wildlife Program Manager Lee Stream says there should be some good opportunity this year with a healthy Yakima elk herd. It's spike bull only, but production has been good, so hunters should see fair numbers of legal bulls.

• Wildlife viewing: Birdwatchers in the Yakima area are reporting unusual numbers of mountain chickadees in low-lying areas. Many are also noting "irruptions" (sudden and dramatically large migrant numbers) of pine siskins, pine grosbeaks, evening grosbeaks and other species. Backyard feeding stations continue to be visited by smaller numbers of varied thrushes, white-crowned sparrows, white-breasted, red-breasted nuthatches and others. Those who haven't already set up backyard feeders can get information about the best ways to do so through WDFW's Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary program on WDFW's website. Bird feeding can create problems if feeders are not kept clean or located properly and the information provided can steer birders in the right direction. Although birds and other wildlife species don't usually need supplemental feeding, especially where good habitat exists, a close-up view is enjoyable. Feeding deer is not recommended because concentrating them can attract potentially dangerous cougars, or make deer vulnerable to other problems such as vehicle collisions on nearby roads.