Public & Private land code of conduct
The post about the shotgun shells got me thinking. I have posted somehting like this on another site years ago. Maybe it's time to do this again.
If we had a set of bylaws or policies for the average hunter to abide by while hunting what would be some of the things that would have to be "etched in stone" regardless of the area hunted.
My feelings are strong on some things, but I'll let you folks add some thoughts before I post up a whole punch list of ideas here. Two that pop into my head right from the get go are:
Never leave any litter of any kind behind. Pick up what others have left if possible.
Leave every gate as you found it, or follow the landowner policy regarding the gates.
There are plenty more, what do you think should be etched in stone for us as basic standards of conduct?
The best things in life are not "things"
http://www.huntingadventures.net
IP: 204.250.115.202
fishinmike
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Posted: November 14 2007 at 7:25pm
Do not climb barbwire fences, go between or under, climbing them is not only hazardous to your health but also can easily stretch or break it.
who took my last beer
IP: 71.197.172.134
Wader
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Posted: November 14 2007 at 8:56pm
If you gotta poop, do it where NOBODY is going to come across it!! It possible, cover it up with something!
If it ain't broke, I can fix that for ya!
IP: 67.160.61.230
dmack
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Posted: November 15 2007 at 3:15am
My buddies that hunt tell me if you have a gun and aren't afraid to use it you can do whatever you want?? Is that true???
And that's how I roll!!!!!
IP: 76.28.249.42
Echo Mules
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Posted: November 15 2007 at 8:58am
Treat the land as it was your own Backyard. Where your kids will be playing tomorrow.
If it doesn't have long ears, don't ride it.
AHE
IP: 209.166.92.114
Dipsnort
Bucketmouth [201 - 300]
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Posted: November 15 2007 at 10:50am
- Don't use your rifle scope as "binoculars" to check out other hunters!!!
- Make yourself aware of the position of other hunters as much as possible at all times and avoid shots where there is a possibility of hitting an unseen person beyond the range you're shooting.
- Make the decision to follow all game regulations no matter what before you go into the field.
- Don't show off your trophy to the masses by displaying it on the way back from your hunting trip.
Too bad breathing isn't considered an exercise, 'cause man, would I be buff!
IP: 130.76.32.181
RiverTraveler
Bucketmouth [201 - 300]
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Posted: November 15 2007 at 12:43pm
For upland hunting:
Take the time to thoroughly survey a field BEFORE you walk into it. And always make sure you are aware of your surroundings. And most of all if you're not sure of what's in your line of fire PAST the birds. DON'T SHOOT!
I fish better with a lit cigar; some people fish better with talent.
IP: 24.18.128.97
X5FishinMachine
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Posted: November 15 2007 at 12:53pm
I think we can sum it all up with good old COMMON SENSE............
Mike
IP: 71.231.190.156
riley521
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Posted: November 17 2007 at 9:09pm
people need to learn that if someone is working birds into there pond by calling and it shows they are committed do not sky blast the birds as they come over or make the birds flare come on guys. we had this go on all day at the sammish today and they are lucky they didnt get there jaw busted. we put the effort in to get the birds committed just to have some guy who calls himself a hunter to shoot at the bird 60 plus yards out when they come over.
if it flies it dies,
come rain and wind we can shoot again
IP: 76.28.243.108
JJHACK
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 7:19am
Unfortunately common sense is not that common.
Drinking beer, tossing cans and bottles out the window, or leaving a plastic grocery bag blow in the wind, all this is even below a downs syndrome level of common sense. Yet we see it every year. Probabaly tossing the butt end of a cigerette out is the most common litter, and fire hazard. It takes very little in Eastern Washingtons crispy dry grass and wheat stubble to ignite a very fast moving fire!
The best things in life are not "things"
http://www.huntingadventures.net
IP: 64.185.119.194
Gear Addict
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 9:23am
This is a post for good people. Ther is no hope for slobs that do all the things mentioned. They don't care, or are just dumb...
Wader..thats one of my all time favorites. Its really nice when your dog rolls in crap, and paper. Then wants to come back, and buddy up...
Its not the tequila...Its the way everyone acts while I'm drinking it!
IP: 71.112.2.5
fishinmike
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 11:42am
make sure to only drive on established roads, be very careful where you park your rig. parking in long dry grass can cause fires from your hot muffler or brakes igniting the dry grass
who took my last beer
IP: 71.197.172.134
KingFisher85
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 10:22pm
If hunting privet land, ask the owner if there is anything you can do to help if he needs an extra hand with something.
Offer to take them fishing or hunting.
Come holiday times, lots of land owners are gettin up there in age and can't do all the stuff that I myself can do, so I try to bring them smoked fish, fresh fish, game meats, etc..
Let the land owner know of anything that he may need to know about goin on his land...4wheeler trails, downed trees, busted fence, etc etc...
Now Booking 2008 Spring Chinook @ Winter Steelhead Trips!!
IP: 75.100.188.39
RiverTraveler
Bucketmouth [201 - 300]
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Posted: November 19 2007 at 11:06am
Originally posted by riley521
people need to learn that if someone is working birds into there pond by calling and it shows they are committed do not sky blast the birds as they come over or make the birds flare come on guys. we had this go on all day at the sammish today and they are lucky they didnt get there jaw busted. we put the effort in to get the birds committed just to have some guy who calls himself a hunter to shoot at the bird 60 plus yards out when they come over.
Couldn’t agree more with you on this! However, I fear this will become more and more common... It takes serious practice on a call and time around live ducks to understand how to get the ducks to react to a call in different conditions. I fear that as many of the new hunter come to the sport they’re not willing (some are) to put in the time to understand how it all comes together! Unfortunately these guys don’t get to see many ducks turn to their calls and if you’re working a set and they often times think the ducks are coming to their crappy call especially if they’re between you and where the ducks turned. This happened to us in Potholes a few weeks ago... Luckily when we talked to these guys they were very open and had no idea that the ducks were being worked on our calls. I think they thought the birds could turn on a dime and could slam on the breaks and turn right over them. Not everyone is going to be that open minded... Some will just tell you off and continue to practice “finders keepers�
I fish better with a lit cigar; some people fish better with talent.
IP: 24.18.128.97
Dipsnort
Bucketmouth [201 - 300]
Joined: January 30 2004
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Posted: November 19 2007 at 1:42pm
I killed my first buck in Wyoming years ago and a private land owner let me cross his land to get the buck out, making my job a lot easier. I thanked him and sent a box of Sees candies when I got home from the trip.
Too bad breathing isn't considered an exercise, 'cause man, would I be buff!
IP: 130.76.32.16
jabba
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Posted: November 19 2007 at 2:54pm
the scouts have a saying for the issue. 'Leave it better than you found it' referring to the quality of any given trail, camp area. etc. h Park, according to a report on Tweeters birding website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/ ). Glaucous gulls are rare winter visitors to the lowlands of western Washington. At 28 inches long, an adult glaucous gull has a white body, pearl-gray wings and a yellow bill. It is distinct from a glaucous-winged gull, which is more common in Washington.
South Sound/Olympic Peninsula
Fishing: January is typically the best month for catching hatchery steelhead , but high water, steady rain and even some snow put a damper on fishing the first week of the new year. Less weather-dependent, a four-day razor-clam dig is tentatively scheduled to get under way Jan. 18 if toxin tests show the clams are safe to eat.
Provided test results are favorable, Twin Harbors will open for late-afternoon digs Jan. 18-21, while Long Beach and Copalis are scheduled to open Jan. 19 and 20. Digging on those beaches will be restricted to the hours between noon and midnight. Low tides are at 2:56 p.m. Jan. 18, 3:58 p.m. Jan. 19, 4:53 p.m. Jan. 20 and 5:44 p.m. Jan. 21.
Mocrocks will remain closed to digging in January to make sure enough clams are available for harvest in April, when the tides allow for morning digs, said Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager. Kalaloch will remain closed for the 2008 season.
"The clams are out there and hopefully, the weather and surf will cooperate," said Ayres. "The good news is that these digs are scheduled for mid-afternoon and people can start digging before dark."
A license is required for anyone age 15 or older. Any 2007 annual shellfish/seaweed license or combination 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 .
Ayres also reminds diggers who drive on the beach that state highway road rules apply to Washington's beaches. Under the law:
* Seatbelts must be worn at all times.
* The speed limit on the beach is 25 MPH.
* Pedestrians have the right of way and vehicles must yield at all times.
Visitors should not park on approaches to the beach in order to provide clear passage for vehicles that are entering or exiting.
High water hasn't been the only factor affecting steelhead fishing on the Olympic Peninsula in recent days. In the Quillayute system - which includes the Bogachiel, Calawah, Dickey and Sol Duc rivers - anglers are also finding fewer hatchery fish, said David Low, a WDFW fish biologist. "Last year was pretty decent, but so far we're seeing lower returns," Low said. "That, together with harsh weather, has made fishing tough for the average angler."
Anglers have had some success catching winter steelhead on the upper Wynoochee River and on the east fork of the Satsop River in Grays Harbor, said Scott Barbour, WDFW fish biologist. "Most rivers have been out of shape but - once they drop back in - there's usually a bunch of fresh fish waiting to move upriver."
Barbour cautioned anglers that wild steelhead are making up a growing percentage of the fish moving into area rivers. "So it's important to take a close look at them if you plan to keep them," he said. As most anglers know, wild steelhead can be distinguished from hatchery fish by their intact adipose and ventral fins. Retention rules for wild steelhead are outlined on page 33 of the Fishing in Washington rule pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm ).
Anglers should also be aware that several area rivers - including the Humptulips, Copalis, Nisqually, lower Wynoochee and lower Chehalis (below Porter Bridge) - will close to salmon fishing Jan. 31. Salmon fishing in Marine Areas 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island) and 12 (Hood Canal) is now closed but will reopen Feb 16. Marine Area 13 (South Puget Sound) remains open to salmon fishing.
With Puget Sound now closed to recreational crab fishing, all crabbers licensed to fish in those waters are required to report their winter catch to WDFW by Jan. 15. Reports are due for the season running Sept. 4 to Jan. 2, whether or not crabbers actually fished or caught Dungeness crab. Sport crabbers who file their catch reports by the Jan. 15 deadline will be entered in a drawing for one of 10 free 2008 combination fishing licenses, which allow the holder to fish for a variety of freshwater and saltwater species.
To submit their catch reports, crabbers may either send their catch record card to WDFW by mail, or file their report on a special webpage on the department's licensing website. Catch record cards may be mailed to WDFW CRC Unit, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA 98501-1091. The online reporting system will be available Jan. 2-15 at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/wdfw/puget_ ... catch.html .
Hunting: The duck and geese season remains open seven days a week through Jan. 27 in all parts of the region except Pacific County (Goose Management Area 2B), which is open Wednesdays and Saturdays only through Jan. 12.
Meanwhile, big-game hunters around the state are receiving reminders - by postcard and email - that midnight Jan. 31 is the deadline for reporting their success in hunting deer, elk, bear and turkey . By law, hunters are required to report on every license tag purchased in 2007, regardless of whether they took an animal on those tags.
To submit their reports, hunters may either complete a form online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/ or they can call the toll-free telephone number 1-877-945-3492. Those who have a special hunting permit for a season extending beyond Jan. 31 have 10 days from the season closure to submit their annual report.
Big game hunters should also be aware that WDFW is accepting applications for spring black bear hunting permits through March 13. To be eligible for a permit, hunters must purchase a special permit application and a 2008 hunting license that includes bear as a species option. A drawing will be held in mid-March for 295 permits in western Washington and 235 permits on the east side of the state. Successful applicants will be notified by March 31.
Hunting licenses, bear transport tags and bear permit applications may be purchased online (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/ ), by phone (866-246-9453) or at any license vendor in the state. Applications, which require a correct hunt choice number, may be submitted online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/ or by calling (877) 945-3492.
Wildlife viewing: As birders venture out to see what winter has to offer, many are starting their yearly bird list. Keeping a list of birds seen throughout each year is a common practice among birders, veterans and novices alike.
"Birders keep daily checklists, yard lists, state and county lists and, dear to the heart of many birders, is their life list - the cumulative list of all those species they have encountered since they started birding," says well-known birder Pete Dunne. "Some people put a geographic boundary on their list. Others maintain a world-wide list."
There are a number of ways to keep a list, from writing in journals to commercial, ready-made lists to computer software programs. Some birders keep track in their field guides where and when they saw each species.
The Washington Ornithological Society (WOS) offers a wealth of information on birds and birding, including a checklist available at http://www.wos.org/ .
To learn what birds have been spotted throughout the state, people often visit Tweeters, the birding website http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/TWET.html , where many enthusiasts record their recent sightings.
For those wishing to start a list, or merely wanting to get outside with some binoculars, a one-day trip from Elma to Ocean Shores may offer numerous finds such as those recorded recently on Tweeters. One birder wrote that he started off the year by adding more than 50 species to his list.
Southwest Washington
Fishing: The early run of winter steelhead appears to have peaked, but anglers are still picking up some nice hatchery fish in rivers from the Grays to the Washougal in the lower Columbia River Basin. Anglers can also look forward to a return of late-run hatchery steelhead to the Cowlitz and Kalama rivers beginning in late January, not to mention the prospect of catching broodstock rainbows weighing up to 10 pounds in several area lakes.
"This is sort of a transition period between runs, but that doesn't mean there aren't fish to catch," said Joe Hymer, WDFW fish biologist. "If steelhead fishing slows down or the rivers are out of shape, I'd recommend that anglers go after one of those 6- to 10-pound rainbows."
Three lakes have been stocked with excess broodstock rainbows in recent weeks, and two more were planted with half-pound catchables :
* Lake Sacajawea in Longview received 125 broodstock rainbows Jan. 2 averaging 6¼ pounds each and 40 ten-pounders.
* Rowland Lake near Lyle received 83 broodstock rainbows Dec. 31 averaging 6¼ pounds each an
If we had a set of bylaws or policies for the average hunter to abide by while hunting what would be some of the things that would have to be "etched in stone" regardless of the area hunted.
My feelings are strong on some things, but I'll let you folks add some thoughts before I post up a whole punch list of ideas here. Two that pop into my head right from the get go are:
Never leave any litter of any kind behind. Pick up what others have left if possible.
Leave every gate as you found it, or follow the landowner policy regarding the gates.
There are plenty more, what do you think should be etched in stone for us as basic standards of conduct?
The best things in life are not "things"
http://www.huntingadventures.net
IP: 204.250.115.202
fishinmike
Trophy [301 - 500]
Joined: October 17 2006
Location: WA - Pierce Co.
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Casts: 378
Posted: November 14 2007 at 7:25pm
Do not climb barbwire fences, go between or under, climbing them is not only hazardous to your health but also can easily stretch or break it.
who took my last beer
IP: 71.197.172.134
Wader
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Posted: November 14 2007 at 8:56pm
If you gotta poop, do it where NOBODY is going to come across it!! It possible, cover it up with something!
If it ain't broke, I can fix that for ya!
IP: 67.160.61.230
dmack
Trophy [301 - 500]
Joined: February 06 2005
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Casts: 442
Posted: November 15 2007 at 3:15am
My buddies that hunt tell me if you have a gun and aren't afraid to use it you can do whatever you want?? Is that true???
And that's how I roll!!!!!
IP: 76.28.249.42
Echo Mules
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Posted: November 15 2007 at 8:58am
Treat the land as it was your own Backyard. Where your kids will be playing tomorrow.
If it doesn't have long ears, don't ride it.
AHE
IP: 209.166.92.114
Dipsnort
Bucketmouth [201 - 300]
Joined: January 30 2004
Location: WA - King Co.
Online Status: Gone Fishin!
Casts: 262
Posted: November 15 2007 at 10:50am
- Don't use your rifle scope as "binoculars" to check out other hunters!!!
- Make yourself aware of the position of other hunters as much as possible at all times and avoid shots where there is a possibility of hitting an unseen person beyond the range you're shooting.
- Make the decision to follow all game regulations no matter what before you go into the field.
- Don't show off your trophy to the masses by displaying it on the way back from your hunting trip.
Too bad breathing isn't considered an exercise, 'cause man, would I be buff!
IP: 130.76.32.181
RiverTraveler
Bucketmouth [201 - 300]
Code Cracker!
Joined: February 13 2006
Location: WA - King Co.
Online Status: Gone Fishin!
Casts: 263
Posted: November 15 2007 at 12:43pm
For upland hunting:
Take the time to thoroughly survey a field BEFORE you walk into it. And always make sure you are aware of your surroundings. And most of all if you're not sure of what's in your line of fire PAST the birds. DON'T SHOOT!
I fish better with a lit cigar; some people fish better with talent.
IP: 24.18.128.97
X5FishinMachine
Gamefishin Pro Staff! 2000+ Posts
Joined: April 30 2003
Online Status: Gone Fishin!
Casts: 2944
Posted: November 15 2007 at 12:53pm
I think we can sum it all up with good old COMMON SENSE............
Mike
IP: 71.231.190.156
riley521
Shaker [21 - 50 ]
Joined: November 14 2007
Location: WA - Island Co.
Online Status: Gone Fishin!
Casts: 20
Posted: November 17 2007 at 9:09pm
people need to learn that if someone is working birds into there pond by calling and it shows they are committed do not sky blast the birds as they come over or make the birds flare come on guys. we had this go on all day at the sammish today and they are lucky they didnt get there jaw busted. we put the effort in to get the birds committed just to have some guy who calls himself a hunter to shoot at the bird 60 plus yards out when they come over.
if it flies it dies,
come rain and wind we can shoot again
IP: 76.28.243.108
JJHACK
Contributing Members
"Feathers & Fur" ~ Forum Moderator!
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Location: WA - Walla Walla Co.
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 7:19am
Unfortunately common sense is not that common.
Drinking beer, tossing cans and bottles out the window, or leaving a plastic grocery bag blow in the wind, all this is even below a downs syndrome level of common sense. Yet we see it every year. Probabaly tossing the butt end of a cigerette out is the most common litter, and fire hazard. It takes very little in Eastern Washingtons crispy dry grass and wheat stubble to ignite a very fast moving fire!
The best things in life are not "things"
http://www.huntingadventures.net
IP: 64.185.119.194
Gear Addict
Orca [Over 1000]
Joined: January 09 2006
Location: WA - Snohomish Co.
Online Status: Gone Fishin!
Casts: 1316
Posted: November 18 2007 at 9:23am
This is a post for good people. Ther is no hope for slobs that do all the things mentioned. They don't care, or are just dumb...
Wader..thats one of my all time favorites. Its really nice when your dog rolls in crap, and paper. Then wants to come back, and buddy up...
Its not the tequila...Its the way everyone acts while I'm drinking it!
IP: 71.112.2.5
fishinmike
Trophy [301 - 500]
Joined: October 17 2006
Location: WA - Pierce Co.
Online Status: Gone Fishin!
Casts: 378
Posted: November 18 2007 at 11:42am
make sure to only drive on established roads, be very careful where you park your rig. parking in long dry grass can cause fires from your hot muffler or brakes igniting the dry grass
who took my last beer
IP: 71.197.172.134
KingFisher85
Gamefishin Pro Staff! 2000+ Posts
Joined: April 27 2003
Location: WA - Clark Co.
Online Status: Gone Fishin!
Casts: 2725
Posted: November 18 2007 at 10:22pm
If hunting privet land, ask the owner if there is anything you can do to help if he needs an extra hand with something.
Offer to take them fishing or hunting.
Come holiday times, lots of land owners are gettin up there in age and can't do all the stuff that I myself can do, so I try to bring them smoked fish, fresh fish, game meats, etc..
Let the land owner know of anything that he may need to know about goin on his land...4wheeler trails, downed trees, busted fence, etc etc...
Now Booking 2008 Spring Chinook @ Winter Steelhead Trips!!
IP: 75.100.188.39
RiverTraveler
Bucketmouth [201 - 300]
Code Cracker!
Joined: February 13 2006
Location: WA - King Co.
Online Status: Gone Fishin!
Casts: 263
Posted: November 19 2007 at 11:06am
Originally posted by riley521
people need to learn that if someone is working birds into there pond by calling and it shows they are committed do not sky blast the birds as they come over or make the birds flare come on guys. we had this go on all day at the sammish today and they are lucky they didnt get there jaw busted. we put the effort in to get the birds committed just to have some guy who calls himself a hunter to shoot at the bird 60 plus yards out when they come over.
Couldn’t agree more with you on this! However, I fear this will become more and more common... It takes serious practice on a call and time around live ducks to understand how to get the ducks to react to a call in different conditions. I fear that as many of the new hunter come to the sport they’re not willing (some are) to put in the time to understand how it all comes together! Unfortunately these guys don’t get to see many ducks turn to their calls and if you’re working a set and they often times think the ducks are coming to their crappy call especially if they’re between you and where the ducks turned. This happened to us in Potholes a few weeks ago... Luckily when we talked to these guys they were very open and had no idea that the ducks were being worked on our calls. I think they thought the birds could turn on a dime and could slam on the breaks and turn right over them. Not everyone is going to be that open minded... Some will just tell you off and continue to practice “finders keepers�
I fish better with a lit cigar; some people fish better with talent.
IP: 24.18.128.97
Dipsnort
Bucketmouth [201 - 300]
Joined: January 30 2004
Location: WA - King Co.
Online Status: Gone Fishin!
Casts: 262
Posted: November 19 2007 at 1:42pm
I killed my first buck in Wyoming years ago and a private land owner let me cross his land to get the buck out, making my job a lot easier. I thanked him and sent a box of Sees candies when I got home from the trip.
Too bad breathing isn't considered an exercise, 'cause man, would I be buff!
IP: 130.76.32.16
jabba
Contributing Members
2005 Contributing Member!
Joined: February 16 2004
Location: WA - Spokane Co.
Online Status: Online
Casts: 9153
Posted: November 19 2007 at 2:54pm
the scouts have a saying for the issue. 'Leave it better than you found it' referring to the quality of any given trail, camp area. etc. h Park, according to a report on Tweeters birding website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/ ). Glaucous gulls are rare winter visitors to the lowlands of western Washington. At 28 inches long, an adult glaucous gull has a white body, pearl-gray wings and a yellow bill. It is distinct from a glaucous-winged gull, which is more common in Washington.
South Sound/Olympic Peninsula
Fishing: January is typically the best month for catching hatchery steelhead , but high water, steady rain and even some snow put a damper on fishing the first week of the new year. Less weather-dependent, a four-day razor-clam dig is tentatively scheduled to get under way Jan. 18 if toxin tests show the clams are safe to eat.
Provided test results are favorable, Twin Harbors will open for late-afternoon digs Jan. 18-21, while Long Beach and Copalis are scheduled to open Jan. 19 and 20. Digging on those beaches will be restricted to the hours between noon and midnight. Low tides are at 2:56 p.m. Jan. 18, 3:58 p.m. Jan. 19, 4:53 p.m. Jan. 20 and 5:44 p.m. Jan. 21.
Mocrocks will remain closed to digging in January to make sure enough clams are available for harvest in April, when the tides allow for morning digs, said Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager. Kalaloch will remain closed for the 2008 season.
"The clams are out there and hopefully, the weather and surf will cooperate," said Ayres. "The good news is that these digs are scheduled for mid-afternoon and people can start digging before dark."
A license is required for anyone age 15 or older. Any 2007 annual shellfish/seaweed license or combination 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 .
Ayres also reminds diggers who drive on the beach that state highway road rules apply to Washington's beaches. Under the law:
* Seatbelts must be worn at all times.
* The speed limit on the beach is 25 MPH.
* Pedestrians have the right of way and vehicles must yield at all times.
Visitors should not park on approaches to the beach in order to provide clear passage for vehicles that are entering or exiting.
High water hasn't been the only factor affecting steelhead fishing on the Olympic Peninsula in recent days. In the Quillayute system - which includes the Bogachiel, Calawah, Dickey and Sol Duc rivers - anglers are also finding fewer hatchery fish, said David Low, a WDFW fish biologist. "Last year was pretty decent, but so far we're seeing lower returns," Low said. "That, together with harsh weather, has made fishing tough for the average angler."
Anglers have had some success catching winter steelhead on the upper Wynoochee River and on the east fork of the Satsop River in Grays Harbor, said Scott Barbour, WDFW fish biologist. "Most rivers have been out of shape but - once they drop back in - there's usually a bunch of fresh fish waiting to move upriver."
Barbour cautioned anglers that wild steelhead are making up a growing percentage of the fish moving into area rivers. "So it's important to take a close look at them if you plan to keep them," he said. As most anglers know, wild steelhead can be distinguished from hatchery fish by their intact adipose and ventral fins. Retention rules for wild steelhead are outlined on page 33 of the Fishing in Washington rule pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm ).
Anglers should also be aware that several area rivers - including the Humptulips, Copalis, Nisqually, lower Wynoochee and lower Chehalis (below Porter Bridge) - will close to salmon fishing Jan. 31. Salmon fishing in Marine Areas 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island) and 12 (Hood Canal) is now closed but will reopen Feb 16. Marine Area 13 (South Puget Sound) remains open to salmon fishing.
With Puget Sound now closed to recreational crab fishing, all crabbers licensed to fish in those waters are required to report their winter catch to WDFW by Jan. 15. Reports are due for the season running Sept. 4 to Jan. 2, whether or not crabbers actually fished or caught Dungeness crab. Sport crabbers who file their catch reports by the Jan. 15 deadline will be entered in a drawing for one of 10 free 2008 combination fishing licenses, which allow the holder to fish for a variety of freshwater and saltwater species.
To submit their catch reports, crabbers may either send their catch record card to WDFW by mail, or file their report on a special webpage on the department's licensing website. Catch record cards may be mailed to WDFW CRC Unit, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA 98501-1091. The online reporting system will be available Jan. 2-15 at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/wdfw/puget_ ... catch.html .
Hunting: The duck and geese season remains open seven days a week through Jan. 27 in all parts of the region except Pacific County (Goose Management Area 2B), which is open Wednesdays and Saturdays only through Jan. 12.
Meanwhile, big-game hunters around the state are receiving reminders - by postcard and email - that midnight Jan. 31 is the deadline for reporting their success in hunting deer, elk, bear and turkey . By law, hunters are required to report on every license tag purchased in 2007, regardless of whether they took an animal on those tags.
To submit their reports, hunters may either complete a form online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/ or they can call the toll-free telephone number 1-877-945-3492. Those who have a special hunting permit for a season extending beyond Jan. 31 have 10 days from the season closure to submit their annual report.
Big game hunters should also be aware that WDFW is accepting applications for spring black bear hunting permits through March 13. To be eligible for a permit, hunters must purchase a special permit application and a 2008 hunting license that includes bear as a species option. A drawing will be held in mid-March for 295 permits in western Washington and 235 permits on the east side of the state. Successful applicants will be notified by March 31.
Hunting licenses, bear transport tags and bear permit applications may be purchased online (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/ ), by phone (866-246-9453) or at any license vendor in the state. Applications, which require a correct hunt choice number, may be submitted online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/ or by calling (877) 945-3492.
Wildlife viewing: As birders venture out to see what winter has to offer, many are starting their yearly bird list. Keeping a list of birds seen throughout each year is a common practice among birders, veterans and novices alike.
"Birders keep daily checklists, yard lists, state and county lists and, dear to the heart of many birders, is their life list - the cumulative list of all those species they have encountered since they started birding," says well-known birder Pete Dunne. "Some people put a geographic boundary on their list. Others maintain a world-wide list."
There are a number of ways to keep a list, from writing in journals to commercial, ready-made lists to computer software programs. Some birders keep track in their field guides where and when they saw each species.
The Washington Ornithological Society (WOS) offers a wealth of information on birds and birding, including a checklist available at http://www.wos.org/ .
To learn what birds have been spotted throughout the state, people often visit Tweeters, the birding website http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/TWET.html , where many enthusiasts record their recent sightings.
For those wishing to start a list, or merely wanting to get outside with some binoculars, a one-day trip from Elma to Ocean Shores may offer numerous finds such as those recorded recently on Tweeters. One birder wrote that he started off the year by adding more than 50 species to his list.
Southwest Washington
Fishing: The early run of winter steelhead appears to have peaked, but anglers are still picking up some nice hatchery fish in rivers from the Grays to the Washougal in the lower Columbia River Basin. Anglers can also look forward to a return of late-run hatchery steelhead to the Cowlitz and Kalama rivers beginning in late January, not to mention the prospect of catching broodstock rainbows weighing up to 10 pounds in several area lakes.
"This is sort of a transition period between runs, but that doesn't mean there aren't fish to catch," said Joe Hymer, WDFW fish biologist. "If steelhead fishing slows down or the rivers are out of shape, I'd recommend that anglers go after one of those 6- to 10-pound rainbows."
Three lakes have been stocked with excess broodstock rainbows in recent weeks, and two more were planted with half-pound catchables :
* Lake Sacajawea in Longview received 125 broodstock rainbows Jan. 2 averaging 6¼ pounds each and 40 ten-pounders.
* Rowland Lake near Lyle received 83 broodstock rainbows Dec. 31 averaging 6¼ pounds each an
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