Canada geese lounge in All-American cornfields chomping kernels that the more elegant trumpeter swans have unearthed and then graciously left behind. Across the fence line a lazy quintet of deer lope around the pasture. The grass is greening just a bit and they seem to pose for photographers in passing cars. They certainly seem to know that hunters are on hiatus.
Writhing earthworms work their way through the soggy crust and bathe in the glow of an unfamiliar sunrise. Wind blown ripples reflect opulent skies near a puddle’s edge as the night rains fade and the waggle of worms begin to wiggle their way back beneath the surface. But one worm remains, mesmerised by daylight and contemplating leaving a life underground behind for good.
A punctual rooster makes his morning crow and goes about his daily routine. He harbors no delusions of ever leading a different life and always strives to be the first to greet the sun. He is the proverbial early bird, and he does not suffer dawdling nightcrawlers lightly. Today, like so many days before, he gets his worm.
Bears are still hiding away and surviving on the last of their gains from last summer. They know when the season’s are set to change. When the leave regain their luster, the trees sprout their bloom, and the salmon begin to run. Even more importantly they understand where salmon, whose name is derived from the latin word for “jump” (salire), are required to do just that. Some salmon species are known to jump upward of 12 feet in order to clear obstacles like waterfalls. For an observant bear those impressive leaps of faith can make for a fat and happy belly, so long as they can manage to catch slippery silver scaled fish with their mouth.
In the slow waning days of another Pacific ‘Northwet’ Winter it’s easy to grow anxious and aspire to something greater than the grayscale doldrums of our collective realities. After all, we all aspire to have our moment in the sun.
But lIke good ol’ Christopher Robin in the hundred acre wood, I’m going to take a few ques from a bear and practice just a wee bit more patience. In the meantime, if we can figure out how to chase all these clouds from the sky, soon there may even be honey beginning to flow inside area beehives.
We’ll just have to wait and see.
FISHIN’
While we reel away the weeks until the spring salmon fisheries really beings to hit their stride there’s plenty of forecasts and newly established fishery dates to review.
Actually, a few springers have been reported on the lower Columbia River so far, but all has been quiet on the Cowlitz front. On the Chehalis River a few late winter steelhead were hauled in last week near Independence out Rochester way by patient plunkers. And, during the snow break a few stocking capped anglers tried their odds near Borst Park but the action was stubbornly slow.
Looking backward to look ahead, last week state fishery managers from Washington and Oregon set fishing season on the Columbia River for the impending spring salmon run. The fishery is already open downriver from the Interstate 5 Bridge but the main thrust of the run doesn't typically arrive until March.
The preseason forecast is calling for around 248,500 springers to return to the Columbia this year, which would represent a 20 percent increase over last year. That projection includes approximately 166,700 springers headed above Bonneville Dam and another 81,820 Chinook salmon expected to return to tributaries on the lower river.
That forecast is better news for mainstem and upriver anglers, rather than those that prefer to ply the waters of the Cowlitz, Kalama, or Coweeman. According to Bill Tweit, a special assistant for Columbia RIver fisheries at the WDFW, the upriver run is anticipated to represent an increase of 44 percent over last year, but will still likely be at least 10 percent below the average over the last decade.
“This year’s fishery appears to be shaping up as a fairly normal season,” Tweit said with an optimistic spin in a press release. “Even so, we always have to take a conservative approach in setting fishing seasons until we can determine how many fish are actually moving past Bonneville Dam.”
Below Bonneville the spring Chinook catch guideline has been set at 6,680 upriver Chinook during a 38-day fishing season that will run from March 1 through April 7. That fishery is open to boat and bank anglers between Buoy 10 and Beacon Rock, while bank anglers are allowed to creep all the way up to the dam deadline. Above Bonneville the fishery will run from March 16 through May 7 with a catch guideline of 900 upriver springers. The daily catch limit in both areas is two adult salmon, of which one may be an adult hatchery Chinook. Anglers are required to use barbless hooks and must release any salmon or steelhead with an intact adipose fin.
According to Tweit those initial catch guidelines were calculated with a 30 percent “buffer” in order to prevent overhavest. He said that if returns meet or exceed expectations, additional fish could be made available for harvest.
The springer run on the mighty Columbia is not the only regional salmon run expected to have gaps in its profile. According to fishery managers poor returns are expected to result in shortened fishing seasons all over Western Washington. According to Kyle Adicks, salmon policy lead for WDFW, several of this year’s salmon runs are expected to come in lower than last year, and those depressed returns are expected to include important, and imperilled, Chinook and coho stocks. Even the Queets River, which is protected within the Olympic National Park on the western edge of the Olympic Peninsula, is expected to suffer from a dearth of silver salmon this year.
“We will definitely have to be creative in developing salmon fisheries this year,” Adicks said, in a press release. “I encourage people to get involved and provide input on what they see as the priorities for this season’s fisheries.”
Looking back at the Columbia River, some 236,500 upriver coho are expected to return above Bonneville, which would be more than a 50 percent decrease over the recent ten-year average. Overall, about 286,200 coho are forecast to return to the big river this year, which is a decline of 100,000 silvers over last year’s projections. Even then, last year’s actual return wound up coming in more than 100,000 fish shy of that forecast.
The silver return to Puget Sound is expected to be down just six percent from the ten year-average, with roughly 557,150 coho projecte to return. However, certain areas are forecast to suffer extreme shortages of coho, including the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Snohomish River. Additionally, while the 227,400 hatchery Chinook projected to return to Puget Sounds this year would represent a 38 percent increase over last year, several rivers are expected to have shorter seasons due to extremely low returns.
As in year’s past, poor ocean conditions are receiving the lion’s share of the blame from the WDFW.
“We’ll have a better idea of how restrictive Puget Sound salmon fisheries will be this year when NOAA provides its guidance in March,” Adicks said.
HUNTIN’
Just over one week remains for waterfowl hunters to wing their final birds of the season in Area 2. That month-long extended season is set to close on March 10. After that it will officially be time to start counting down the days to spring turkey season.
A statewide youth-only turkey hunt will take place on April 7-8 with the general season open on both sides of the mountains from April 15 through May 31. For those hunts the combined limit is three birds for the season, of which only two may be taken from Eastern Washington, with the exception of Chelan, Kittitas, and Yakima counties where only one gobbler may be killed per person. A one turkey limit is also applicable in Western Washington, although two turkeys may be taken in Klickitat County. Only male turkeys, or those with visible beards, are legal for hunting.
Of course, some small game hunting opportunities just continue to keep on keeping on even as the seasons get ready to roll over once again.
Cougar hunts will continue in most units until April 30, but hunters should check for closures in units with harvest limits before bagging a big cat. In the brush and prairies snowshoe hare, cottontail rabbits, bobcat, fox and raccoon are all legal fodder for another two weeks. And, as always, there are no time constraints on the wily coyote season.
SHOOTIN’
On Tuesday, March 6 the WDFW will be hosting a public meeting on proposed changes to the popular Wenas target shooting area. The WDFW will be in attendance at the meeting in Selah in order to meet with the Wenas Wildlife Area Target Shooting Advisory Committee about recommendations to reduce fire risks and other alleged use conflicts at the 115,000 acre recreation area.
Last December the advisory committee submitted a report to the WDFW that included 17 recommendations for changes for the wildlife area, which is located in Yakima and Kittitas counties between Yakima and Ellensburg. The WDFW has blamed that increased use in recent years for any uptick public safety issues at the site.
A press release noted that, “The 17 advisory committee members represent diverse recreational and conservation interests, including affected landowners, hunters, target shooters, horseback riders, mountain-bike riders, hikers, wildlife watchers, bird-dog trainers, and users of motorized vehicles.”
The meeting is scheduled to take place at the Selah Civic Center, 216 1st St, Selah, from 6-8:30 p.m. There will be time designated for public comment.
CLAMMIN’
The WDFW has given finally issued approval for a pair of clam digs at Mocrocks that are set to begin on Friday. That decision was made after marine toxin tests at coastal beaches confirmed that the succulent bivalves are safe for human consumption.
"Friday and Saturday digs are very popular," said Dan Ayres, WDFW’s coastal shellfish manager, in a press release. "There's no better way to start your weekend than to get out and enjoy digging a meal of fresh razor clams."
Upcoming digs are scheduled on the following dates, beaches and low tides:
· March 2, Friday, 6:54 p.m.; -0.8 feet; Mocrocks
· March 3, Saturday, 7:34 p.m.; -0.3 feet; Mocrocks
As Ayres is always sure to remind prospective diggers, the best results are typically had about one or two hours prior to low tide, depending on conditions. However, no digging is currently allowed prior to noon.
Mocrocks is located between the Copalis River and the southern boundary of the Quinault Indian Reservation, just south of the Moclips River. The area includes Iron Springs, Roosevelt Beach, Seabrook, Pacific Beach, and Moclips.
State law allows diggers to keep up to 15 clams per person. Law also dictates that diggers are required to keep the first 15 clams that they dig regardless of size or conditions. All diggers must keep their own clams in a personal container and all diggers age 15 and older are required to have a license.
SEARCHIN’
After their former boss was pressured to resign amid a mounting wall of scandals and plain old quagmires, the WDFW has begun working the recruiting circuit for a new director.
Hiring of the position will ultimately be conducted by the Fish and Wildlife Commission, which is a citizen panel appointed by the governor to set policy for the WDFW. The position is expected to be filled this summer with the new director beginning work in August.
A detailed job announcement can be found online at wdfw.wa.gov/commission/. In order to be considered for the job a candidate must submit their application prior to 5 p.m. on March 30. However, a press release also noted that the job will remain open until filled.
According to Dr. Brad Smith, chair of the commission, the public can participate by recommending candidates and providing relevant input describing what qualities they believe the new director should exhibit.
“The director of WDFW is certainly a challenging job,” Smith said, in a press release. “Successfully carrying out a dual mission of preserving, protecting and perpetuating fish and wildlife while at the same time providing sustainable recreational and commercial opportunities is no easy task – especially in a diverse and unique state such as Washington.”
Former WDFW director Jim Unsworth announced his resignation in late January and officially stepped down in early February after three tumultuous years at the helm. The WDFW’s longtime deputy director, Joe Stohr, is currently serving as interim director.
The WDFW director is in charge of overseeing 1,800 staff members and a biennial operating budget of about $437 million. For executing those responsibilities the director is slated to be compensated $170, 352 per year.
Comments and recommendations can be submitted at commission@dfw.wa.gov.
SNOWIN’
According to statistics compiled by the National Weather Services in Seattle as much as 2 feet of fresh snow fell in the Cascade Mountains near White Pass last weekend, That powder dump, along with continued spats of snowfall this week, has helped put powder heads in high spirits.
As of Wednesday night White Pass was reporting around a foot of new snow over the previous 72 hours, including five new inches on hump day alone. Checking the mercury, temperature at the mountain hovered around the low to mid 20s. Heading into Thursday the slopes had 68 inches of snowpack at the base ane 120 inches at the summit.
According to Art Gaebel, from the NWS, similar accumulations of snow piled up at Mount Rainier near Paradise over the weekend. The largest dump of snow in the Cascade Mountain range over the weekend was measured at Stevens Pass, where approximately 32 inches of snow fell between Friday night and Sunday night.
“It was pretty close to the same amount actually,” said Gaebel, who noted that the snow level hovered around 1,000 feet across the mountain range for most of the weekend.
A surprising bout of lowland snow has turned all to rain now but that precipitation is still falling as snow between 1,000 and 2,000 feet.
“The mountains will pick up a good shot of 4 to 8 inches, somewhere in that neighborhood,” said Gaebel.
