Hunters should be optimistic

Published 9:00 pm Saturday, October 8, 2005

Granted, fall hunting previews are almost always clouded these days by the specter of increasing numbers of humans and decreasing wildlife habitat. But except for those general caveats, it’s hard not to be optimistic while taking a look at upcoming 2005 hunts, almost across the board.

Deer are up, pheasants – pen-raised and wild – are up, snow geese look very good, waterfowl populations remain strong, elk numbers are stable and healthy and, hey, it doesn’t get much more positive than that.

According to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists, hunting organizations, and outfitters around the state, here’s a thumbnail look at this autumn’s prospects:

Pheasant: The Western Washington pheasant season has been open since Sept. 24 at all the same release sites in use last year, requiring a small game license ($32.85) and Western Washington pheasant permit ($39.42 for adults and $18 for youth under 16), with no limit on the number of permits a hunter may purchase per year. Only non-toxic shot is allowed on all pheasant sites.

Two of the most popular local areas include five release sites – three on the Snoqualmie Wildlife Area and two on the Skagit Wildlife Area (see accompanying map). Both areas are managed by John Garrett (360-445-4441), who says he’s been allocated 3,900 birds this year for the Skagit, and 4,200 for the Snoqualmie. That’s an increase of somewhere between 600 and 1,000 pheasant, for each area, over last season, Garrett said. The planting program generally runs through the Thanksgiving weekend, with a few extra birds always saved for that holiday.

The two release sites on the Skagit WA are the “headquarters” site, on Fir Island, west of Conway, and the “Smith Farm” site (also known as Leque Island), just across the bridge and west of Stanwood. The planting schedule for those two sites has birds being put out Tuesday, Friday and Saturday evenings for hunting Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Hunting days on the Snoqualmie are Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

For more information on the pheasant release program on both sides of the Cascades, with maps of all the state’s release sites, go to www.wdfw.wa.gov, click on hunting, then on either WW pheasant release program, or EW pheasant enhancement program.

For information on popular release sites on the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, call the base’s Environmental Affairs Department at 360-257-1009, or the base hunting coordinator at 360-257-0363.

Wild pheasant populations in the Columbia Basin have been below historic levels for a long time, because of changes in agriculture, but state biologist Matt Monda at the agency’s Ephrata office (509-754-4624) said this fall looks relatively solid in Grant and Adams counties, perhaps up from the past two or three years. They will be enhanced by pen-raised birds at published released sites during the general season.

A relatively good, but not outstanding, fall is also expected in the Yakima Valley, according to biologist Ted Clausing in Yakima (509-575-2740). The Yakama reservation is the valley’s prime pheasant habitat, Clausing said, and tribal hunt permits are available at sporting goods stores in the area. Enhancement birds are planted throughout the season at various spots, including the popular Sunnyside Wildlife Area.

Farmers and ranchers in the Royal slope area, west of Potholes Reservoir in Grant County, band together each year to sell hunting access to thousands of acres of prime land for a relatively low fee, which goes to Royal High School for academic and athletic programs. Call MarDon Resort for information, at 1-800-416-2736, or 509-765-5061.

Pheasants Forever (www.pheasantsforever.org) ranks Washington in the top two dozen pheasant-producing states, with a harvest of about 100,000 birds annually. Best counties are Whitman, Grant and Yakima. Top states last year were Iowa (750,000 birds), Kansas (685,000), Minnesota (500,000), Nebraska (406,000), and North Dakota (588,000).

Gray partridge (Huns): Try WDFW Hunter Access Program lands in central Adams County.

Quail: A true bright spot on the hunting scene, continued increases in California quail populations over the past several years are providing lots of opportunity for scattergunners in the willows and brush along eastside streams, rivers, and drains. Quail Forever (www.quailforever.org or 1-866-457-8245) said 2003 and ‘04 were the two biggest quail harvest years in the last 20 for Washington hunters (190,000 birds in ‘03, and 162,000 in ‘04), and that this fall should be comparable. Yakima County is the best producer by far (35,000 birds annually), followed by Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan counties.

Waterfowl: Garrett said populations of locally produced ducks on Port Susan, Skagit and Samish bays look about average for this time of year, but that for the first time in four or five years he’s been able to bring off a crop of corn and/or barley on all four of his farmed Skagit Wildlife Area units: Samish, 280 acres; Headquarters, 80 acres; Island Segment, 165 acres; and Leque Island, (Stanwood) 215 acres. The grain should hold birds in the area for a longer period of time, and should provide top hunting opportunity, Garrett said. He also warned that the City of Everett is doing substantial maintenance work on the road to Spencer Island, a popular WDFW duck hunting spot on the Snohomish River delta, and that access would probably be closed through about the end of this month. Boaters can still access the area, however, he said.

Ducks Unlimited waterfowl surveys throughout the Pacific Flyway’s breeding areas in Alaska, British Columbia and Alberta showed duck populations similar to last year, with mallards perhaps down a little, and pintails up. Canada geese again look good throughout the west, and WDFW waterfowl manager Don Kraege said Wrangle Island snow geese had a near-record breeding spring and that there should be a whole bunch of snows wintering on and around the Skagit delta this season.

Local ducks and geese will offer the usual good shooting on opening weekend in the Columbia Basin, according to biologists, then there will be a gap before northern ducks start filtering down. The quality of the state’s waterfowl hunting is largely a factor of weather conditions, and duck hunters are hoping for much worse weather than last year’s long line of generally bluebird days.

Deer: It’s been roughly 10 years since the last substantial deer-killing winter east of the Cascades, and with a lack of major fires this summer, biologists say that, in general, mule and whitetail range is holding maximum populations. Through the use of more liberal seasons and permits this year, in fact, they’re attempting to start “harvesting down” some herds before the next tough winter hits.

Southwest Washington offers the best blacktail hunting west of the Cascades, and biologist Jack Smith at the Montesano WDFW office (360-249-4628) said the Skookumchuck unit (Vail Tree Farm) is almost always the top producer. To the west, hunters will find several good, low-elevation coastal units, including Wynoochee, Satsop, Capitol Peak, and Fall River, all open during rifle seasons.

There are lots of deer in his venue this fall, Smith said, and regulations in most units require only visible antlers during buck hunts.

In the Yakima region, biologist Clausing (above) said the north part of the Kittitas Valley, such as the Teanaway unit, should be a good bet.

Chelan County rates an “excellent hunting” prediction from biologists, with steady herd population increases, high fawn survival, and good buck escapement for the past four or five years.

In the Okanogan, biologist Monda looks for a season similar to, or a little better than, last year. Best hunting opportunity will come late in the season on ridges leading from the backcountry to winter range in the Methow and Okanogan river watersheds.

Elk: The state’s elk herds are generally stable and in good condition, with a couple of exceptions. Biologist Clausing said Bethel is the old reliable producer among Yakima-area elk units, and the center of elk hunting in his district. Rimrock and Manastash units are also good but, being lower, they’re more dependant on snow in the high country. The Colockum herd has problems, Clausing said.

Elk hunting in southwest Washington and on the Olympic Peninsula provides two kinds of hunts, depending on your preference: high, more open, tough hunting; and low, brushy, tough hunting. Biologist Smith recommended low units in Pacific County – Willapa Hills, Williams Creek, Bear River and North River as top prospects for those willing to beat the brush. Higher-elevation units on the Peninsula such as Sol Duc, Clearwater, Matheny and Quinault Ridge don’t hold as many animals, but the chance for a really big bull is better.

Important new rule: Deer, elk, black bear and turkey hunters who do not report harvest by January 31 of next year will be required to pay an extra $10 for their 2006 hunting licenses.