Now is the time to schedule hunter education classes

It happens every year. Come late September, a father or uncle mentions hunting to a son or nephew.

It happens every year. Come late September, a father or uncle mentions hunting to a son or nephew. Then they realize it is too late to schedule a hunter education class. It is now late May. If you know of a person who wants to hunt this fall, now is the time to schedule the class.

Hunter education training is required in Washington state for all hunters who were born after Jan. 1, 1972. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife offers four distinct types of hunter education training opportunities:

The Traditional Class: This is strongly recommended. One or more instructors typically offer detailed classroom instruction, practical exercises and live-firing activities to prepare successful students.

The Paradigm Shift: A compressed class, which places the entire burden for learning on the student. This hunter education activity is only recommended for adult students.

The Student Jamborees: An intensive, three-day class, on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This class keeps both students and instructors busy in a camp-like atmosphere.

Home Study: No instructional support is offered for students enrolled in this module. This hunter education activity is only recommended for mature students.

Hunter education classes scheduled for Grant County include Electric City, June, date to be announced, contact Gary Bjorson, 509-553-1266; June 15, Quincy, Jim Kling, 509-787-2713; July 6, Moses Lake, Matt Morice, 509-765-5105; August, date to be announced, Gary Bjorson; Aug. 10, Quincy, Jim Kling; Aug. 17, Moses Lake, Matt Morice; September, date to be announced, Marlin, Tim Iksic, 509-982-2236; Sept. 14, Moses Lake, Matt Morice.

Remember, you won't have a chance to get a large buck, as Cody did, unless you complete the hunter education training.

Mandatory boat checks underway

Boaters heading to Washington waterways may encounter new mandatory stops by Fish and Wildlife to check for aquatic invasive species.

The long-planned emphasis patrol, which will take place throughout the summer, coincides with the recent seizure of a boat in Spokane contaminated with quagga mussels from Nevada's Lake Mead. A multi-state tracking effort and tips from alert citizens led to the seizure by Fish and Wildlife enforcement officers.

The 24-foot boat has been decontaminated to avoid the spread of the tiny non-native mollusks, which are prohibited in Washington to protect native fish and wildlife and water systems.

Importation of aquatic invasive species is a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to $5,000 in fines and up to a year in jail. Knowingly bringing such species into Washington is a felony and can result in even greater fines and jail time.

To avoid more close calls like this, enforcement emphasis this year will be to conduct random, mandatory road stops of people hauling any size boat. Recreational boaters and anglers should always carefully inspect and clean their boats and equipment before moving their vessels from one body of water to another.

If these species become established in the Columbia River system it could result in billions of dollars of economic damage to everything from hydro-electric dams to municipal water systems and put further strain on species that live there.

Zebra and quagga mussels are native to the Caspian Sea. They entered the Great Lakes in the mid 1980s in ship ballast water, and have since spread to more than 20 states, including California, Colorado, Nevada and Utah, and two Canadian provinces. Both zebra and quagga mussels are easily transported on boats and trailers because they can live out of water for up to a month.

Crawfish seminar

On June 16, a Tuesday, a crawfish seminar will be held at Cascade Park beginning at 6:30 p.m. under the Lioness Picnic Shelter. All of the above will be covered, plus I will go to my prize closet to see what might be available. Perhaps a Camp Chef cast iron skillet or a Dutch oven, some fishing tackle or a Wenger Swiss Army knife will be given away. Mike, of Mike's Bait and Tackle, is donating a Frabill crawfish trap.

The seminar will last until 9 p.m. or 9:30 p.m., or until all of the questions have been answered.

Water Trail

The grand opening of what is called the water trail will take place on June 13. The ribbon cutting is at 9 a.m.

The Outdoor Survival Tips for the Family seminar begins at 11:30 a.m.. During this presentation, a pair of the Motorola Talkabout radios will be given away.

Kids Fishing Day

June 13 is also Kids Fishing Day. There are still openings for several of the times. The first two times, at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., are completely booked. The first opening is at 11 a.m. However, if you plan to enter a youth in this event, do not dally. This event fills up every year.

Anglers are asked to arrive 30 minutes before their scheduled start time. The youth allowed to participate are those ages 5 through 14.

The cost is $5 for which they receive a T-shirt, Zebco fishing reel and rod. The young anglers will receive a safety talk and then they will be able to fish with a limit of two trout, although catching a fish or two is not guaranteed. Anglers will have a photo taken with their catch and the fish will be cleaned for them. All fishing gear and bait will be provided. No personal fishing gear will be allowed.

Contact Moses Lake Park and Recreation Department at 509-766-9240.