A seasonal lethargy envelopes the world around us. It appears no creatures are free from the numbing touch and escape seems so obviously impossible that no one cares to try.
That is to say, the Pacific Northwest winter is by no means harsh. Instead, it is a slog of repetitive banality that threatens to render the senses dumb, and useless anyhow.
Unless you strike out to the mountain tops there is no snow to pinch cold hands and sting rosy noses. Unless the ghost of Columbus blows hard off the coast there is little wind to sing through the trees. Even when it rains, which it undoubtedly does a lot, most of the downfall comes in fits of showers rather than aggressive sloshes from an overflowing water trough.
There was a time when I would delight in nature’s onslaught by watching five-gallon buckets fill up with golf ball sized raindrops on my farm in the middle of the western Olympic Peninsula rainforest. That type of rain really makes a person feel alive. Here, it’s just sort of annoying, like trying to chew pudding.
In the rivers the salmon are biding their time before one more winter run and bears are tucked away happily in their dens, swilling stolen honey stores and napping the dull days away. In the meadows and along roadsides deer laze about carefree and nibble the tips off of sparse stocks. The rut is over and they know that their hunted season is over.
Even ducks and geese, who still find themselves in the crosshairs, are incapable of turning down the allure of a leisurely midday bath. In soggy sourdough hay and cornfields the far flung waterfowl wade in the shallows where they wile the day away amongst their fine feathered friends. With nothing better to do they are unbridled by concern for any 12-gauge dangers, real or implied.
Green grasses have all yellowed and gone into a meditative state. Their roots all curled up and opaque, they have long since ceased to grow. The long limbs of evergreens sag sorrowfully under the weight of expectations. A fickle sun flirts on occasion and their needles nearly stand on end before a bumbling cloud ruins the moment.
Ten thousand shades of gray drape the outside world in an impenetrable cloak of indifference. Asphalt looks like mud and bricks look like bark. The sky looks like a puddle, and an aimless puddle reflects the same rudderless sky back upon itself.
Someday, maybe soon, a false spring will momentarily break the spell. Without warning the clouds will part and a bluebird sky will fill up the dreary heavens. Goldenrod sunbeams will cast life in all directions, lifting the dead eyed masses from their seasonal sedentary sleepwalk.
Brought back to life by the momentary wave of warmth a fleet of honeybees will gorge themselves on sparse honey stores in order to fuel their flights and then they unleash from the hive. Setting off in all directions the scouts will search for hours on end for new stores of nectar and pollen in the countryside.
The day will seem glorious. The return of the sun and the magnificent work of the bees will inspire overzealous thoughts of catfish jumping and knee-high corn.
But the search will prove fruitless, and fateful, since no wildflowers yet bloom around here. With empty stomachs the fastidious honeybees will return to the hive carrying only the leaden weight of failure’s ugly offspring; Shame.
Clustering together to conserve their strength they can not stave off the inevitable end. When the final hunger pangs toll they dive into their hexagonal tombs to lick and scrape at waxen walls that hold no sustenance. The dark of the hive becomes the irreversible black tar of death as the colony is undone by their unflinching drive to propagate and thrive.
FISHIN’
Another round of mild weather had the rivers rounding into decent shape early this week but an impending onslaught of wind and rain is threatening to wash the fishing out in advance of the weekend. Heavy rains were expected to begin arriving Wednesday night with coastal gusts as high as 45 miles per hour. That mix of rain and wind debris will turn many watersheds turbid for a time but forecasts are also calling for things to dry off over the weekend, so prospects may yet improve.
On the Chehalis River the steelhead are rumored to be biting as far upriver as Independence outside of Rochester. Those steelhead don’t seem to mind high water in particular but when the river gets chunky they have a tendency to hunker down tight and closer their lips. As a general rule during these times of frequent deluge, the closer you can get to the headwaters the clearer the river will be.
With the quick silver run all wrapped up on the Cowlitz River anglers are anxiously anticipating the arrival of winter steelhead. Sampling numbers provided by the WDFW on the Cowlitz River indicate that the big midwinter wait is still grinding on. The reality is that since the WDFW no longer stocks the winter steelhead run this year’s run may not ever show up in significant numbers. Last week five bank rods downstream of the I-5 Bridge showed no catch while five bank rods upstream caught and released four cutthroat trout. There were no numbers provided from the salmon hatchery separator. River flow at Mayfield Dam on Wednesday was reported at 10,300 cubic feet per second.
Most other tributaries to the lower Columbia have been quiet lately as well, except for the Elochoman River, which has been fishing hot for steelhead going on a month now. The WDFW reported no effort for steelhead between Bonneville Dam and McNary dams, however, the first spring Chinook of the season was reported at Bonneville Dam on Jan. 2.
Sturgeon fishing at Bonneville was slow last week with only about 10 percent of boat anglers catching a legal size fish, even when including fish released. Fishing from the bank was even slower. In The Dalles boat anglers averaged one legal sturgeon per 7.7 rods. Catch and release fishing for sturgeon is an option in the lower Columbia River.
HUNTIN’
Hunters who have an opinion and like to wield it (see: All hunters) are encouraged to submit comment to the WDFW on proposed rule changes for the 2018-20 hunting seasons. The only catch is that the proposals are not available for review until Jan. 24 and the comments are due by Feb. 14.
In a press release Anis Aoude, a WDFW game manager, noted that the proposals are based off of objectives and strategies laid out in the 2015-21 Game Management Plan.
“We appreciate the input we’ve received over the past months and encourage everyone interested in the 2018-20 hunting seasons to review and comment on the proposed rules before final action is taken,” said Aoude in the release.
Written comments will be accepted through Valentine’s day and must be submitted online. Visit the WDFW’s website, at wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations/seasonsetting/, beginning Jan. 24 to review and comment on the proposals.
The policy making Fish and Wildlife Commission will also accept public comment in person during their March 16-17 meetings at the Red Lion Hotel in Wenatchee. Final action is expected to be taken in April. The 2015-21 Game Management Plan is available for review online at wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01676/.
Here in the first fortnight of the new year waterfowl hunters are still making hay while the sun shines. Well, technically they’re winging ducks while the fields are flooded but it’s the same difference.
Most duck and goose seasons will continue through Jan. 28, except for Goose Management Area 2 (Pacific County), which is limited to Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays only and set to close on Jan. 14. Area 2 will then reopen Feb. 10 through March 10 for an extended season. In the meantime, a 10-day brant hunting season in Pacific County will continue on Jan. 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20 and 21.
Local waterfowl hunters have been having success along the Chehalis River from Satsop to Pe Ell and along many of its swollen tributaries. The old Centralia Mine is another favorite area for bird hunters. Thurston County draws bird hunters from all over to a few prime locations as well. First and foremost bird hunters enjoy stalking the marshlands near the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge. Similarly, the tidal flats around Henderson, Budd, and Eld inlets are also known to provide plentiful targets. In Pacific and Grays Harbor counties the duck and goose hunting opportunities are largely concentrated around the Willapa and Chehalis river valleys as well as their careening cast of tributaries. Of course, Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor themselves each host their own sizable gaggles and flocks as well.
Cougar hunting will continue in most units through April 30, although hunters should be sure to check for closures in units with harvest guidelines. Additionally, hunts for snowshoe hare, cottontail rabbits, bobcat, fox and raccoon will all continue through the Ides of March. Seasonal snow is particularly helpful for those cougar, bobcat, fox and hare hunts, and of course, the sun never sets on coyote season.
Looking back, hunters have through Jan. 31 to report their hunting results from 2017. Reports are required for each special permit and every elk, deer, bear, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat and turkey tag purchased, even if no animal was taken. Failure to do so results in a $10 penalty the next time a hunter goes to purchase a license. Anyone who reported by Jan. 10 will be entered into a drawing for a special incentive permit. Hunting reports may be filed by phone at 877-945-3492 or at wdfw.wa.gov.
Looking to the future, hunters who hope to grab a spring bear can begin the process of applying for permits. The application process will continue through the end of February.
CLAMMIN’
Back in December the WDFW announced tentative plans for clam digging openings later this month that would stretch into February. Those proposed digs are currently awaiting approval pending marine toxin testing that is typically conducted about a week and a half before the tides.
Those proposed razor clam digging dates, times, tides and beaches include:
• Jan. 28, Sunday, 4:06 p.m.; -0.4 feet; Mocrocks
• Jan. 29, Monday, 4:59 p.m.; -1.0 feet; Copalis
• Jan. 30, Tuesday, 5:47 p.m.; -1.5 feet; Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Jan. 31, Wednesday, 6:33 p.m.; -1.6 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
• Feb. 1, Thursday, 7:17 p.m.; -1.5 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Feb. 2, Friday, 8:00 p.m.; -1.0 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
• Feb. 3, Saturday, 8:42 p.m.; -0.4; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
State law allows each digger to keep up to 15 clams so long as they keep the first 15 they dig. Diggers age 15 and up are required to have a license and all diggers must carry their own clams in their own container. Best digging results are typically had about one or two hours prior to low tide.
SNOWIN’
Wet weather in the lowlands over the next few days will mean fresh pow-pow up in the hinterlands. The snow level was expected to settle in at about 3,500 feet from Wednesday night through Friday with a steady conveyor of moisture coming in from offshore.
At White Pass Ski Area on Wednesday light snow was reported from the base to the summit with a total pack of 29 inches down low and 64 inches at the top. Those totals included four new inches of powder at the summit and two inches at the base. Temperatures ranged from 21-26 degrees, which was helping to keep the snow in good condition in advance of the weekend.
White Pass is currently open daily from 8:45 a.m. until 4 p.m. with their surface lifts, Far East, Great White, Basin, and Couloir in operation. Additionally, the tubing track is now open on weekends and holidays and the Nordic cross country terrain is open Thursday through Sunday, as well as holidays.
Up at Mount Rainier National Park and Hurricane Ridge rangers are offering guided snowshoe tours through April 1. Those guided treks at Mount Rainier’s Paradise are offered Saturdays and Sundays and at Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park the snowshoe walks are offered on weekends and holiday Mondays. The walks typically last about 90 minutes.
COMMENTIN’
The WDFW is soliciting public comment on a set of nine proposed land conservation projects.
Those projects include the preservation of 248 acres of habitat for Oregon spotted frogs in Thurston County. Other projects include protecting western gray squirrels in Klickitat County and ensuring angler access to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
“We have a responsibility to safeguard the future of fish and wildlife, while also providing for outdoor recreation in our state,” said Cynthia Wilkerson, WDFW lands division manager, in a press release. “With suitable habitat for many species and lands available for public recreation declining year after year, acquiring and managing land is one tool we have to provide these public benefits.”
All nine proposals are available at wdfw.wa.gov/lands/acquisitions/, and written comments will be accepted through Feb. 2.
The 248 acre Thurston County project is split between two sites just north of the Lewis County line. The first area is located near the Glacial Heritage site northwest of Rochester while the second site is located along the Black River near Littlerock. The proposal would permit the WDFW to purchase or otherwise attain conservation easements on two properties in order to protect nesting areas. Funding for the project was approved in 2016 for seven other properties in the area in an effort to help protect the species, which is listed as endangered by the state and as threatened under federal law.
“This is an opportunity to comment on these proposals in the early stages of our strategic thinking,” said Wilkerson in the release. “We want to know what the public thinks about these projects before we move forward.”
After the public review and comment period WDFW lands staff will need to obtain approval from the WDFW director Jim Unsworth before seeking funding for the projects. Final approval will be determined by the Fish and Wildlife Commission.
The WDFW currently owns or manages approximately one million acres in 33 wildlife areas and 700 public water access sites.
