After weeks of unseasonably warm, dry weather, hunters and anglers are cheering the arrival of gray skies and autumn rain. Hunters welcome these conditions, because they bring animals into the open and hush the sounds of their own footsteps.

These were not the conditions that greeted deer hunters who took to the field Oct. 14 for opening day of the modern-firearms season - a day marked by heavy morning fog in many areas followed by bright sunshine in the afternoon.

"Conditions were pretty tough for hunting on that first day," said Dave Ware, game manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). "Success rates improved when it rained the next day, but hunter turnout was pretty low overall. Fortunately, the forecast looks a lot better in the days ahead."

The modern-firearms season for black-tailed deer continues through Oct. 31, while the season for mule deer and white-tailed deer runs through Oct. 22 or Oct. 27, depending on the area. The modern-firearms season for elk follows, running Oct. 28 to Nov. 5 on the east side of the state and Nov. 4-13 on the west side. Hunters should check WDFW's Big Game Hunting pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm) for area-specific regulations.

Anglers, meanwhile, are hoping that increasing rainfall will translate into higher catch rates in rivers around the state.

"Coho salmon bite best when they're on the move, and recent rains are helping with that," said Joe Hymer, a WDFW fish biologist. "As most experienced anglers know, the best time to fish is when the river is just starting to drop." Hymer said the next few weeks are prime time to catch bright, late-run coho on the lower Columbia, Cowlitz, Lewis, Washougal, Kalama, Elochoman, and Klickitat rivers.

Meanwhile, anglers are standing by for word on two other fishing prospects: the fall-season crab fishery in Puget Sound and a proposed hatchery steelhead fishery on the upper Columbia River. WDFW expects to announce decisions on both of those fisheries sometime this week. Anglers are advised to check the Fishing Hotline (360-902-2500) or the WDFW website (http://wdfw.wa.gov) for updates.

Rather dig razor clams? WDFW has tentatively scheduled an evening razor-clam dig Nov. 3-5 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks beaches if marine toxin tests show the clams on those beaches are safe to eat. A fourth evening of digging is tentatively scheduled Nov. 6 at Twin Harbors only. No digging will be allowed before noon any of those days. Two beaches - Copalis Beach and Kalaloch Beach - will remain closed to clam digging in November.

Additional razor-clam openings have also been proposed in December and January. For more information on those digs and other fishing, hunting and wildlife-watching opportunities throughout the state, see the regional reports that follow.

North Puget Sound

• Fishing: A selective fishery for hatchery winter blackmouth in marine areas 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay) and 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner) continues to be slow. "It's not hot, but a few chinook have been caught in both of those areas," said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fisheries biologist. "It looks like the average has been about one keeper per boat for the anglers who really know the area."

  Anglers participating in the fishery, which runs through April, 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.

  Elsewhere, anglers in Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands) and Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton) can keep one chinook as part of a two-salmon daily limit in each area. However, beginning Nov.1, anglers in Marine Area 7 must release chinook.

  Meanwhile, chum salmon are starting to show up in catches throughout the region. "I've heard scattered reports of chum being caught at several places in Puget Sound," said Thiesfeld, who recommends trolling slow and using a flasher with a green coyote spoon, or a green, purple or pink mini hoochie. "We should start to see the chum fishery improve any day now."

  Freshwater fisheries also are an option for salmon anglers in the region. The Snohomish and portions of the Stillaguamish, Snoqualmie, Skykomish and Skagit rivers are currently open for salmon fishing.

  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.

  The Lake Washington coho fishery wraps up at the end of the month. Before the fishery closes, anglers are allowed two coho per day (minimum size 12 inches) from waters north of the Highway 520 Bridge and east of the Montlake Bridge.

  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: The general seasons for ducks and geese got under way Oct. 14 in the region. Hunters in the field during afternoon tides at Skagit and Padilla bays did reasonably well on opening weekend, said Mike Davison, WDFW wildlife biologist. "Hunters were averaging about two-and-a-half to three birds, which is not bad," Davison said. The bulk of the harvest was teals and local mallards, along with pintails. "We haven't seen a lot of migrants yet," he said. "And the snow geese are just arriving."

  Duck season starts again Oct. 21 and runs through Jan. 28. Goose hunts continue through Oct. 26 in the region, and then start again Nov. 4. However, snow, Ross and blue geese seasons in Goose Management Area 1 (Skagit and Snohomish counties) run from Oct. 14 through Jan. 7 without a break.

  Meanwhile, the general modern firearm hunting season for deer continues through Oct. 31, while the general season for elk gets started Nov. 4. Hunting seasons for bear, cougar, grouse, pheasant, California quail and bobwhite also are open in the region. 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: Birders have spotted snow geese from Bellingham to Seattle, signaling the beginning of the large white birds' arrival in the region. "They're back," wrote one birder on Tweeters birding website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/). "I scrambled to the rooftop deck in time to see two V's of about 100 birds calling and drifting to the northeast." Another birder spotted a V-shaped flock of snow geese over West Seattle. "It's nice to have them back," he added. Snow geese are often found in large flocks, with about 55,000 wintering in western Washington, according to the Seattle Audubon Society (http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/index.aspx). Most of the snow geese congregate in the Skagit River delta, and can be found in the area from mid-October through early May.

  Whale watchers in the Seattle area were excited to spot a young gray whale recently off the north shore of Alki Point. "I saw the calf surface once, heading east toward Duwamish Head," according to a report on the Orca Network (http://www.orcanetwork.org/sightings/map.html). A larger gray whale also was spotted in the area earlier that day.

South Sound/Olympic Peninsula

• Fishing: Clam diggers can look forward to three more multi-day razor clam digs through the end of the year, the first tentatively set to begin Nov. 3 at three ocean beaches. Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks will open for digging from noon until midnight Nov. 3-5 if marine toxin tests show the clams on those beaches are safe to eat. A fourth evening of digging is tentatively scheduled Nov. 6 at Twin Harbors only. No digging will be allowed before noon any of those days or during subsequent digs announced for December and January.

  Two beaches-Copalis Beach and Kalaloch Beach-will remain closed to clam digging in November. The beach at Copalis will be closed due to the low number of clams in the total allowable catch, said Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager. Kalaloch Beach, which is located within Olympic National Park, will also be closed to razor clam digging in November, which coincides with the opening of elk hunting season.

  WDFW and Olympic National Park have both tentatively scheduled more digs Dec. 2-3. Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks and Kalaloch beaches will open to razor clam digging pending the results of a new series of marine toxin tests. Copalis Beach will again be closed to clam digging. Twin Harbors only would be open one additional day, Dec. 4.

  A dig is also tentatively scheduled over the New Year's holiday on Dec. 31 on all five ocean beaches (including Copalis), and continuing Jan. 1 on Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks and Kalaloch and at Twin Harbors only on Jan. 2. Final approval is contingent upon marine toxin tests determining if the clams are safe to eat.

  Under WDFW rules, harvesters may take no more than 15 razor clams and must keep the first 15 taken, regardless of size or condition. Each digger's limit must be kept in a separate container.

  While late this year, fall rains are finally bringing some much-needed water into the area. Forecasts for more to come will hopefully give a boost to the fall coho salmon run, said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW fish biologist. "We've heard reports of schools of coho in Puget Sound if you can find them and get them to bite." One productive spot has been Hood Canal south of Belfair, where anglers hit one silver per rod on Oct. 9 and about one for every two rods on Oct. 14-15, according to WDFW catch surveys. Marine Area 6 (East Strait of Juan de Fuca) opened for salmon retention Oct. 1. A total of 12 coho and five chinook have been counted at WDFW check stations since Oct. 10 in that area.

  While Grays Harbor closed for chinook retention on Oct. 15, Thiesfeld said chinook fishing there was hot on closing weekend. That could make the Humptulips River, which opened for chinook retention on Oct. 16, a good bet. Again, Thiesfeld noted an adequate water level in the river will be necessary to bring the fish in. The U.S. Geological Survey provides a helpful website for checking real-time streamflow conditions across Washington (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/wa/nwis/rt).

  Meanwhile, a few chum are starting to show up and more should move in as this season heats up. Anglers are reporting the first chum at Kennedy Creek in Thurston County, and both the Skokomish River and the Hood Canal fishery near the Hoodsport Hatchery should pick up soon. Anglers can also target those hatchery fish in the following waters scheduled to open for chum retention on Nov. 1-the Dosewallips River and Duckabush River in Jefferson County, and Minter Creek in Pierce/Kitsap Counties.

  Trout anglers should know that WDFW is planting 2,000 1.5-pound rainbow trout in Black Lake in Thurston County today (Oct. 18), with another 6,000 scheduled to go in Oct. 28. "It's an experiment to see if people like it," said Hal Michael, regional fish biologist. Michael said. "It's a different time of year for us to plant, but we've been asked to offer more opportunities and wanted to see how it would go over." He encourages anglers to try some fall trout fishing.

  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 plans to announce soon if crab fishing will reopen in other waters where the catch has not met area quotas. For updates, check the Shellfish Rule Change Hotline (866-880-5431) or the WDFW website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/).

• Hunting: The modern firearm deer season opened Oct. 14 and runs through the end of the month. At the check station near Weyerhaeuser's Vail Tree Farm south of Rainier, hunters checked in 91 bucks and 14 does over opening weekend - which was slightly below average, according to regional wildlife biologist Kelly McAllister. The rain on Sunday helped bring up the count, he said. Two bears and one cougar were also taken at Vail on opening day.

  Goose-hunting continues through Oct. 26 in Management Area 3, closes from Oct. 27 through Nov. 3, then resumes through Jan. 29. In Pacific County (Management Area 2B), the season runs uninterrupted through Jan. 13, but hunting is allowed only on Saturdays and Wednesdays. Hunters must have written authorization to hunt, which requires passing a goose-identification test.

  The general pheasant season also continues through Nov. 30 for hunters of all ages. Check the WDFW website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/wwapheas.htm) for the locations of the department's pheasant release sites. Hunting for forest grouse continues through December while the seasons for California quail, bobwhite, duck, coot and snipe run into January.

• Wildlife viewing: Three birders on a search for owls Oct. 7 at Sunrise on Mt. Rainier got more than they bargained for, as reported on the Tweeters website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/). Shortly after sunset, they heard a "noise like a sonic boom" that was followed by an avalanche of rocks and ice off the northwest side of the mountain. Unscathed, they later spotted a boreal owl on their way down the mountain. At the bottom, they learned there had been a 4.5 earthquake from which they had been 4 miles from the epicenter.

  Meanwhile, Diann MacRae of the Olympic Vulture Study, continues to receive reports of turkey vultures coming through on their fall migration southward. Groups of the birds reported seen around the area during September included the following: 30 between Rochester and Elma; 20 spiraling over the Elwa River; 7 at Bottle Beach; 5 at Brady Loop; 32 near Tenino; 36 on the Enumclaw plateau; 7 over Olympia; 22 over the Tahuya area; 16 over Eatonville; 7 soaring over Tokeville; and 6 at the Port Angeles Airport.

  This is a great time of year to see salmon returning to local streams. Minter Creek hatchery (253-857-5077) near Purdy has a good viewing platform. Chambers Creek hatchery (253-589-7234) in Lakewood will see coho returning this month. The best place to see them is at the dam, but a trail also follows along the stream. Voight's Creek hatchery (360-893-6440) off Highway 162 east of Orting is another good bet for seeing coho. Call the hatchery staff at the phone numbers listed to find out when they will be taking eggs from the fish.

  In Thurston County, Tumwater Falls Park continues to offer views of the salmon as they make their way up the river, fish ladder and sometimes attempt to jump the falls. The adjacent hatchery collects salmon and their eggs. Kennedy Creek off Highway 101 north of the Mason/Thurston County line is already seeing a few returning chum. Activity should peak later in November. The restored property features a trail, boardwalk and interpretive signs.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: One in three boat anglers fishing right below Bonneville Dam have been taking home legal-size sturgeon in recent days. Then again, catch rates for late-run hatchery coho salmon have rising steadily on the Columbia River and several tributaries as river conditions continue to improve.

  "Anglers have some choices to make," said Joe Hymer, WDFW fish biologist. "Fortunately, those choices are looking pretty good."

  As predicted, the area just below Bonneville Dam has been the hotspot for sturgeon since the retention fishery reopened Oct. 5 from the dam downriver to the Wauna powerlines. While boat anglers had the highest success rates, bank anglers fishing those waters took one fish for every six rods during the second week of October. Hymer noted that boat anglers fishing the Columbia mainstem between Washougal and Longview also took home some legal-size fish that week. "If you want to beat the crowds, that's a pretty good place to catch sturgeon," he said.

  Anglers fishing from the dam to the Wauna powerlines can again keep one legal-size white sturgeon per day Thursday through Saturday each week until the area harvest guideline is reached. That could take through the end of the year, since much of the area's 12,800-fish annual guideline remains to be caught, Hymer said.

  Still, Hymer said anglers should bear in mind that now is prime time for bright, late-run coho on the Cowlitz, Lewis, Washougal, Kalama, Elochoman, and Klickitat rivers. On the Cowlitz, 109 boat anglers were checked with 14 hatchery coho, 19 hatchery steelhead and six adult chinook salmon the second week of October. The 129 bank anglers checked on the Cowlitz that week had caught eight hatchery coho and 29 steelhead, of which 17 had been released. On the Klickitat River, 18 boat anglers caught nine silvers that week.

  Some coho checked in recent days have been running up to 25 pounds, said Hymer, noting that river conditions play a major role in anglers' success. "Coho bite best when they're on the move, and recent rains are helping with that," he said. "As most experienced anglers know, the best time to fish is when the river is just starting to drop."

  Those tactics also work on the lower Columbia River, where boat anglers fishing in the Camas/Washougal area averaged one hatchery coho per 3.6 rods during the second week of October. Those fishing the Bonneville Pool averaged one coho for every 4.8 rods during the same period. Like many tributaries, those waters are also giving up some chinook salmon, although Hymer said most are dark and "looking a little long in the tooth at this point. The North Fork Lewis is probably your best bet for brighter fish."

  Columbia River anglers may now retain any legal-size chinook they catch downriver from the Highway 395 bridge in Pasco through the end of the year, although waters between Beacon Rock and Bonneville Dam will close to all salmon fishing Nov. 1. Anglers are advised to check the WDFW Fishing Hotline (360-902-2500) or the department's website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm) for updates on area fishing regulations.

  During the second week of October, Tacoma Power and WDFW recovered 4,709 adult coho salmon, 660 fall chinook adults, 41 summer-run steelhead and eight cutthroat trout at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery. During the same week, Tacoma Power employees released 1,583 adult coho and 296 coho jacks into the Cowlitz River at the Lake Scanewa Day Use Site. They also released 138 coho adults and 20 coho jacks into the Cipsus River above the mouth of Yellowjacket Creek, and 283 coho adults and 24 jacks into the upper Cowlitz River at Franklin Bridge in Packwood.

  Anglers eager to catch cutthroat trout may want to consider Swofford Pond, where WDFW planted 356 fish averaging a pound each Oct. 2. The Cowlitz River is also giving up good numbers of sea run cutts.

• Hunting: Deer hunters can almost certainly expect better hunting conditions in the days ahead than they experienced during the first weekend of the early modern-firearms season, said Dave Ware, WDFW game manager. On Saturday, many areas were covered by dense morning fog that gave way to bright afternoon sunshine, followed by driving rain on Sunday. "The rain improved hunting conditions, but it made things pretty uncomfortable out there," said Ware, noting that hunter participation and success rates were down from previous years' in most areas.

  At a WDFW check station near Yacolt, 727 hunters presented 12 deer during first weekend of the season. In the Klickitat Wildlife Area, hunters took only four deer that weekend. "The good news is that there's still time to get a deer," said Ware, noting that the modern-firearms deer hunting season runs through Oct. 31 in designated game management units. "And the weather forecast looks good for hunting."

  Ware reminds hunters that the Trout Lake Firearm Restriction Area (which corresponds to Elk Area 5062) in Klickitat County is closed to centerfire rifles, handguns and muzzleloaders Oct. 1 to Dec. 15 due to local safety concerns. That period encompasses the early and late deer seasons, as well as the modern-firearm elk season that runs Nov. 4-13 in western Washington. For other regulations affecting deer and elk hunting, see the Big Game Hunting pamphlet, posted on the WDFW website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm).

  Meanwhile, hunting seasons continue for and pheasant. For information about the WDFW pheasant release sites, see the report on WDFW's website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/wwapheas.htm). Duck hunting is closed Oct. 19-20, but resumes Oct. 21 throughout the state. Goose hunters should check the Upland Game and Waterfowl pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/water.htm) for area closures and open days.

• Wildlife viewing: October is the time to see sandhill cranes at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. Most of the big birds are likely to be gone from the refuge within a month, as cold weather drives them south. But as of mid-October, birdwatchers reporting to the Tweeters bird-watching website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/) have consistently seen cranes at the refuge, along with an assortment of great egrets, great blue herons, Canada geese, northern pintails, greater yellowlegs and other species.

  Following a birding expedition through the Columbia Gorge, one Tweeters correspondent reported seeing a white-tailed kite at Ridgefield, a rough-legged hawk at Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge and a flock of lesser goldfinches near Lyle off Old Highway 8, which later yielded a flock of black-throated grey warblers, yellow-rumped warblers and lots of scrub-jays. Not bad for a day's drive.

  Those recreating along the Columbia River should be aware that campgrounds at Beacon Rock and Columbia Hills state parks will be closing once the Washington State Parks and Recreational Commission shifts to its winter operating schedule. Beach Rock's campground will close beginning Oct. 23 and reopen March 30. The lower picnic area stays open during the winter, as does the boat ramp. At Columbia Hills, camping along Horsethief Lake is closed Oct. 30 through March 30. The day-use area and boat ramp also closes and reopens on the same schedule.

  Battle Ground Lake, Cape Disappointment and Ike Kinswa state parks remain open throughout the winter. For more information on the state parks system, see http://www.parks.wa.gov.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: The best steelhead fishing in the Snake River system in southeast Washington is on the lower Grand Ronde River, according to a recent creel survey. During the Snake River steelhead season, from September through mid-April, WDFW fish biologists team up with colleagues from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) to regularly check fishers along the Snake River and its major tributaries, including the Grand Ronde, Touchet and Tucannon rivers. The latest ODFW data on the Grand Ronde showed fishers spending less than two hours to catch a steelhead on the Oregon section of the river, from state line to Wildcat Creek, to near 14 hours per steelhead on the Washington section of river from Bogans to state line. Other recent catch rates ranged from nearly 11 hours per steelhead on the Snake River section above the interstate bridge to about 30 hours per steelhead between Ice Harbor and Lower Monumental dams. For the full report, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/creel/snake/index.htm. Additional creel data from the Clearwater and Salmon rivers in Idaho is available from IDFG at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/fish/steelhead/weekly_harv.cfm.

  WDFW District Fish Biologist Chris Donley says this is the time of year to fish for brown trout. "They're congregating now to spawn," he said, "and they're moving up in the water column as temperatures drop." Year-round Rock Lake in northern Whitman County is one of the best spots for brown trout now. Clear Lake, which is open through October, is also a good brown trout water. Waitts Lake and the Colville River further north also provide good brown trout fishing now. Donley said trout rearing in net pens at Waitts has been very effective.

  All brown trout waters also provide good rainbow trout fishing, but the best water in the region for big rainbows is Lake Roosevelt. "It's prime time for rainbow trolling on FDR," Donley said. Spokane County's Amber Lake, which is open through November for catch-and-release, selective-gear fishing only, is full of rainbows and a few cutthroat trout.

  Fall largemouth bass fishing is also good on many waters, including Spokane County's Clear Lake, which closes Oct. 31, and Eloika and Silver lakes, open year-round. Lake Roosevelt also has decent fall smallmouth bass fishing.

  Donley reports good yellow perch and crappie fishing on jigs at year-round-open Long Lake, where aquatic vegetation is dying back and fish are near the shoreline. Perch fishing is also good at Eloika Lake, another year-round fishery.

• Hunting: WDFW Regional Wildlife Program Manager Kevin Robinette reports the modern-firearm general deer hunting season opened Oct.14 with very dry and warm conditions that made hunting difficult. But by Saturday night, rain and cooler temperatures greatly improved the deer-hunting outlook. "We conducted three hunting check stations across the region over the opening weekend," he said."

  At the Deer Park check station in north Spokane County on Oct. 15, WDFW District Wildlife Biologist Steve Zender of Chewelah and other staff and volunteers checked 272 hunters with 41 deer. Compared to last year at the same time, the number of hunters was down about 11 percent (321 in 2005), but the hunter success rate of 15 percent was about the same (14 percent last year). Among the deer checked was one five-by-five-antler-point white-tailed buck, still in velvet."The northern areas of the region did not get rain until Sunday afternoon," Zender reported, "so the most common frustration we heard from hunters without deer was the dry conditions. But the woods got that soaking rain they needed and now it will be much quieter. Leaves will start falling soon, too, so that will improve visibility."

  In most northeast game management units, the general buck deer season continues through Oct. 27, with a late buck hunt Nov. 6-19. Zender notes there's even more opportunity for youth, disabled and senior hunters for any white-tailed deer, buck or doe, during these seasons, and in a special white-tailed antlerless-only season Oct. 28 - Nov. 5. "This hunt for antlerless whitetails during the break for elk season was provided primarily as an opportunity for mentoring youth, when few conflicts with other hunters on private lands are expected," Zender explained. "Now is the time for those hunter-mentors to make arrangements with landowners for access or to scout public land to help these young, hunters maximize their opportunity."

  At a check station Oct. 15 in Colfax in Whitman County, WDFW Wildlife Biologist David Volsen and other staff saw 21 deer, mostly whitetails, down from last year's 35. Harvested deer numbers were also down at the Asotin County check station conducted Oct. 14-15 by WDFW District Wildlife Biologist Pat Fowler and other staff. There 128hunters-the same number as last year -- were checked with 35 bucks and one doe. Fowler reported last year's check station at the same time counted 59 bucks and four does.

  Fowler noted the 8,441-acre Rainwater Wildlife Area, managed by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and located on Robinette Mountain near the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness Area in Columbia County, is closed to hunting access for post-wildfire rehabilitation work, including the removal of hazard trees. If the work is completed before elk season it might be re-opened, he said, but both deer and elk hunters who traditionally use the area should make other plans.

  Fowler also reported checking three upland game bird hunters with ruffed grouse at Asotin over the Oct. 14-15 weekend. "Hunters were having difficulty finding chukar in the Couse unit on the upper Snake River," he said. "I think the chukar population is down considerably from last year."

  Up north, Zender reported checking 12 ruffed grouse, the highest number he's seen on the deer opener in years. "We're hearing reports of good numbers of grouse in the northern units," he said. "Many casual ruffed grouse hunters give up on these birds after the few weeks in September, but the broods are dispersing now and with the moist conditions and leaves going off, the best grouse hunting is just beginning."

  Waterfowl hunting also opened Oct. 14 but no specific hunter checks are conducted in this region. WDFW Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area Manager Juli Anderson reported the Lincoln County potholes country could provide an average season for waterfowlers, despite the dry summer. "Most of the ponds and lakes on the wildlife area did not dry up as expected, " she said, "and the ducks and geese are back."

  Special-permit moose hunters, who have been out since the first of October in northeast units, have been reporting seeing lots of moose and great success with calling bulls. Zender is receiving reports of several big bulls harvested, including one from the 49 Degrees North unit with a 52-inch antler spread.

  Pheasant hunting opens Oct. 21, and while anecdotal field reports across the region indicate lower-than-usual bird numbers, hunters who seek out the best habitat will have the best luck. WDFW Wildlife Biologist Dave Volsen says the best pheasant habitat in Lincoln, Spokane and Whitman counties is agricultural acreage in the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), in which farmers are paid to leave land out of production and in more natural vegetation. Volsen says the larger the blocks of CRP and the higher the diversity of grasses, forbs and shrubs, the more likely hunters will find pheasants and other upland game birds. "CRP is the only game in town for pheasants in many areas of this central district," he said.

  Several pheasant release sites across the region will receive farm-raised birds throughout the season, although most will not arrive until after the opening weekend. See http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/ewapheas.htm for all the pheasant release sites.

  The modern-firearm general elk hunting season opens Oct. 28 with spike-bull-only rules in the Blue Mountains units; any bull in a few northeast units; and any elk in the central district and a few northeast units. WDFW Fowler recommends elk hunters who normally hunt game management units (GMU) 162 and 166 plan to go elsewhere this year, due to 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. Recent rain should really boost forage production. Barring a severe drought, deer and elk should have forage available for this winter. 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."

  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 access restrictions and the fire, which is 80 percent contained but still creeping and smoldering.

• Wildlife viewing: At least a thousand ducks, a few hundred geese, one tundra swan, and about 150 people were in attendance Oct. 14 during the public dedication of the state's acquisition of Reardan's Audubon Lake, a 277-acre wildlife-viewing site in Lincoln County. The event was 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 the state Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation (IAC). The property, 30 miles west of Spokane and just north of the town of Reardan, includes wetlands, vernal ponds, grasslands and channeled scablands. WDFW District Wildlife Biologist Howard Ferguson says it supports more than 250 species of birds and other wildlife, including 13 species and four habitat types of special concern. Waterfowl and other birds will be in the area over the next month or more. Until trails and other facilities are built, permission to access the site for wildlife viewing, environmental education or research must be obtained from the Spokane Audubon Society (509-838-5828) for. Ferguson notes that with a good spotting scope or binoculars, birds can be viewed from the fence line on the parking area on the south side off Railroad Avenue, or from Highway 231 on the west side of the site. "Bird watchers should be careful pulling off that road," he said. "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. Many migrant species are moving through the region and would welcome a feeding, watering and resting stop. If you've never set up bird feeders before, check out WDFW's Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary program (http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/backyard/) information on the WDFW website to get started with providing a variety of feed types in different feeder styles to attract the greatest diversity of birds. If you're hauling out previously used feeders be sure they are clean and dry before filling them with fresh seed. In dry weather, it's important to provide water for birds, either in a birdbath or a pan. Avoid drawing birds too close to windows where they might have collisions, or too close to heavy vegetation where cats can ambush them. Bird feeding stations, of course, are supplemental to preferred natural food sources. Putting some of that fall yard clean-up 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

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: Anglers should keep an eye out for an expected announcement of the opening of hatchery steelhead fishing on the mainstem upper Columbia River. Fishing could open there as early at Saturday, pending approval from federal fishery managers. Check the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov for the latest information.

  Meanwhile, WDFW District Fish Biologist Bob Jateff of Omak reports that Jameson Lake in Douglas County continues to produce good catches of rainbow trout. "The majority of these fish are eight to ten inches long but there are some holdovers from last season that run up to 15 inches," he said. The fishing season at Jameson closes Oct. 31.

  "Some other trout lakes to try in Okanogan County before the Oct. 31closure are Conconully Reservoir and Conconully Lake, Patterson, and Wannacut," Jateff said. "Any of the selective-gear waters, including Blue, Big Twin, and Ell lakes, are also good. Rat Lake near Brewster is open to catch-and-release fishing with selective gear until Dec. 1, and since the lake was rehabilitated last year, it's been producing very good catches of rainbow in the 11- to 14-inch range, with an occasional brown trout taken."

  In Grant County, Blue and Alkali lakes are open through Oct. 22 with no daily catch or size limits for any game fish. This is to allow anglers to remove fish before the lakes are treated with rotenone to restore their trout fisheries. Fishing will close Oct. 23 until further notice at Blue and through the end of the year at Alkali. Similarly, Vic Meyers (Rainbow), Mirror, and Park lakes, also in Grant County, are open through Oct. 29 with no daily catch nor size limits for any game fish. They will all close to fishing Oct. 30 until further notice for rehabilitation treatment .

• Hunting: WDFW Waterfowl Specialist Mikal Moore of Moses Lake reports the waterfowl season opened with mixed success. "Low water levels at North Potholes Wildlife Area made for difficult boating conditions," she said. "However, those hunters who took to the ground and hiked into isolated potholes had excellent success. Gloyd Seeps Wildlife Area is worth scouting as experimental water released from Lake Billy Clapp has filled seasonal wetlands that haven't seen standing water in a long time. Traditional access areas to Gloyd Seeps may be closed due to high water levels, so waterfowlers should arrive a day early to plan their hunt. The local ducks will wise up after a few weeks of hunting pressure, but things will get exciting once waterfowl begin arriving from the northern prairies. Keep an eye out for large cold fronts moving through Alberta to predict the arrival of northern migrants."

  WDFW enforcement officers in Okanogan County reported deer hunting pressure down significantly, most likely due to access restrictions and closures from the Tripod Complex wildfires in the area. Okanogan County deer populations are good, but WDFW District Wildlife Biologist Scott Fitkin of Winthrop says he doesn't really know to what extent deer were displaced by fires. "There might be enhanced opportunity in surrounding unburned areas," he said. Access is restricted in game management units 215 and 224 and the eastern portion of Game Management Unit 218. The east and southwest portions of the Okanogan district are largely unaffected by closures. Fitkin advised hunters to check access restrictions daily as they continue hunting through Oct. 22 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/.

  Pheasant hunting opens Oct. 21 and Columbia Basin hunters can expect the number of wild roosters to be similar to recent years. The best habitat to find birds is in agricultural acreage enrolled in the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), in which farmers are paid to leave land out of production and in more natural vegetation. Pheasant hunting in the Okanogan, where pheasant habitat is more sparse, is largely on farm-raised rooster releases. As in past years, birds will be released periodically throughout the season on the Chiliwist Wildlife Area and the Driscoll Island/Kline/Hegdahl area near Oroville. Similarly in Chelan County, birds will be released in the Chelan Butte, Swakane and Colockum areas. See http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/ewapheas.htm for all the pheasant release sites.

  Modern firearm general elk hunting opens Oct. 28 and most activity occurs in Chelan County. WDFW District Wildlife Biologist Beau Patterson of Wenatchee reports that most elk harvest is in the Mission Game Management Unit. "Success rates should be near normal for general season hunters," he said. "Permit hunters in the Malaga and Peshastin elk areas will experience less crowded conditions and typically higher success than general season hunters. Hunters can expect less crowded conditions, but not much likelihood of finding elk, in other units open for elk hunting."

• Wildlife viewing: October is a great time to watch the annual migration of hawks and other raptors flying south over Chelan Ridge. Bird watchers can see golden eagles, peregrine falcons, northern rough-legged hawks, goshawks and red-tailed hawks up close at the Chelan Ridge Raptor Migration project, which continues through Oct. 22. Kent Woodruff, wildlife biologist for the Methow Valley Ranger District of the Okanogan National Forest, is leading an effort to capture, band and release raptors to learn more about them and to test for avian influenza. The public can visit the site from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily to watch the capture and release effort. To get to the Chelan Ridge, drive nine miles up Black Canyon Creek on forest road 4010 and south three miles on road 8020 to the parking lot along the ridge road. For more information, call Woodruff at 509-996-4043.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: WDFW Fish Biologist Paul Hoffarth reports slowly improving catch rates in the Ringold area steelhead fishery that opened Oct. 1 in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River. The latest creel report showed anglers averaging one fish for about 14 hours of boat fishing, down from last year at this time, but better than catch rates earlier this season. Anglers may retain Ringold Springs Hatchery steelhead caught between the Highway 395 bridge (Tri-Cities) and the wooden powerline towers at the old Hanford townsite. These steelhead have both adipose and right ventral fins clipped. All fish with only an adipose fin removed and all wild steelhead must be released unharmed. Steelhead returns to Ringold are expected to be relatively low this year, at less than 2,000 fish.

  The latest creel check on the lower Yakima River chinook salmon fishery showed anglers averaging about 20 hours per fish caught. WDFW closed all fishing Oct. 7 near the Chandler power plant on the Yakima River in response to illegal snagging of fall chinook salmon. Under the emergency order, no fishing will be allowed within 400 feet of the power plant through Oct. 22, when the Yakima River fishery is scheduled to close.

  WDFW Habitat Program Manager Perry Harvester reports fall chinook "upriver brights," along with some steelhead, are still being caught near McNary Dam on the Columbia River. "Dam counts for fall chinook remain surprisingly high for this time of the year and the fish are still in good shape," he said. "Fishing for B-run steelhead should continue to improve in coming months. Pulling plugs or using floats and shrimp are typical techniques."

  WDFW District Fish Biologist Eric Anderson of Yakima reports a number of lowland lakes have been stocked recently with catchable-size rainbow trout. Mud, Myron, Rotary, Sarge Hubbard, Wenas, Tims, and Clear lakes and I-82 ponds 4 and 6 in Yakima County received trout, as did McCabe, Fio Rito North and South, and Mattoon lakes and Easton Ponds in Kittitas County.

  "Fishing should be good in those lakes until weather discourages anglers from fishing," he said. "Although smaller than our spring catchable plants, these fish are available to the angler now and some will carry over into the spring as larger catchables." WDFW Habitat Biologist Jonathan Kohr personally vouches for at least one of these fisheries-- Wenas Lake. "We limited within two hours," he said. "The fish were mostly rainbows, ranging from eight to twelve inches in length. The larger rainbows fought hard, were beautifully colored and their fins were in great shape." Kohr offered anglers a few tips for visiting Wenas Lake: Visitors can no longer drive along the lakeshore and must walk from the Wenas campground or WDFW parking lot; the boat ramp is dry as the water is very low in the reservoir; and the shoreline is soft in most places. See http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/plants/weekly/ for all stocking details at all of the lowland lakes.

  This is a favorite time of year for many fly anglers to fish in the catch-and-release reach of the Yakima River after irrigation releases from Yakima Basin reservoirs, according to WDFW fish biologist Jim Cummins. "Flows are low now, fall colors are an added attraction, and weather has been favorable ," he said. "However, the river is crowded, particularly on the weekends. Fishing for rainbow trout averaging about 11 inches has been good. The Naches River is another good bet for fly anglers who want to avoid the Yakima River crowds." Cummins also reminded anglers that most rivers and streams close to fishing Oct. 31.

• Hunting: The modern-firearm general deer hunting season got off to a fairly slow start, according to WDFW Regional Director Jeff Tayer. Waterfowl hunting was also slow, he said. But more fall-like weather, with rain and cooler temperatures, should improve success rates as the season continues through Oct. 22. Modern firearm general elk hunting season opens Oct. 28 and in most of the southcentral region it’s spike bulls only. Much of the area in those game management units open for the harvest of any elk is private land with limited access. Check the rules pamphlet for all details before going afield.

  Pheasant hunting opens Oct. 21 with most opportunity on traditional WDFW farm-raised-rooster release sites, as described in the Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Program pamphlet, available at the Yakima regional office or on-line at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/ewapheas.htm. WDFW Regional Wildlife Program Manager Ted Clausing reports one change in those release sites: The Cottonwoods site on the Wenas/L.T. Murray Wildlife Area, has been shifted about two miles north off Durr Road to avoid safety problems near a traditional target practice site. Signs have been posted to direct pheasant hunters to the new release site where hunting should be both safer and more successful.

• Wildlife viewing: Autumn is a great time to hike virtually anywhere in the region to watch wildlife and just enjoy the colorful season. WDFW Fish Biologist Jim Cummins recommends the Yakima River Canyon or any riparian or streamside area. "Fall colors, particularly where the golden color of larches and red huckleberry paint the landscape can be spectacular," he said. "As leaves drop, birds and other animals are more visible. Weather can change fast at this time of year, so hikers need to be prepared for rain, snow and cold temperatures."