Raffle hunt results are now available

Those who purchased raffle tickets for the many raffle hunts can check the results on the Fish and Wildlife website. Once on the site, click on hunting, then special permits and raffles, then, on the right side of the page, click on check my raffle results. You will need to enter a Wild ID number and your results will appear.

The results include the ranking of your tickets. For example: My four mule deer tickets ranked numbers 157, 440, 898 and 2103. So...I'll try again next year.

From Washington Department of Natural Resourses:

Grant County fire danger: High. Remarks: "In an effort to reduce human-caused wildfires, DNR has issued a statewide burn ban on all lands under DNR protection, effective through September 30. The ban applies to all forestlands in Washington State, except federal lands, and prohibits campfires in all state, local and private campgrounds."

After researching various websites, I could not find a fire restriction on federal lands. But I would not build a campfire anywhere in Washington State during this high fire period. Just don't do it.

From Fish and Wildlife:

Fishing

The Wenatchee River hatchery summer chinook salmon fishery is now open, as of Aug. 1 from the mouth to 400 feet below Dryden Dam. On Sept. 1 the fishery extends to the Icicle River Road Bridge (Hwy. 2 at Leavenworth) and runs through Sept. 30.

Meanwhile, sockeye salmon fishing has picked up considerably in the Columbia River near Brewster. Effort has been good with catch rates of one to two fish per angler. Chinook salmon are also being caught, but in much smaller numbers.

The section of the Columbia River from Wells Dam upstream to the Hwy. 173 Bridge in Brewster has been open to salmon fishing since July 16. Anglers are required to release any sockeye or chinook with a colored anchor (floy) tag located just below the dorsal fin.

Most of the sockeye are running smaller this year, in the 1- to 3-pound range with some larger adults up to 5 pounds, according to Fish and Wildlife. The chinook are averaging 10 to 15 pounds.

Hunting

General hunting seasons for black bear opened Aug. 1 in the East Cascades and Columbia Basin zones, and Aug. 15 in the Okanogan zone.

Bear hunters will share the field with other big-game hunters scouting early-season hunts for deer, elk and cougar in September.

Meanwhile, hunters have until Aug. 15 at midnight to apply for an opportunity to hunt deer this fall on the 6,000-acre Charles and Mary Eder unit of the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area in northeastern Okanogan County. Eighteen applicants will be chosen during a random drawing to participate in the "limited-entry" deer hunt for bow hunters (Sept. 1-28), muzzleloaders (Sept. 29-Oct. 7) and hunters using modern firearms (Oct. 13-21).

Commission to consider waterfowl seasons

The Fish and Wildlife Commission will consider adopting 2013-14 hunting seasons for migratory waterfowl and additional protective measures for giant Pacific octopuses in Puget Sound during a public meeting Aug. 2-3 in Olympia.

A public hearing is also scheduled to discuss several proposals to amend state wildlife interaction rules to incorporate measures from Washington's Wolf Conservation and Management Plan and implement 2013 legislation.

The commission, a citizen panel appointed by the governor to set policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), will convene in Room 172 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. S.E. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Aug. 2 and 8:30 a.m. Aug. 3.

State waterfowl seasons proposed by Fish and Wildlife are similar to those adopted last year. The general duck season would be open for 107 days - from Oct. 12-16 and from Oct. 19-Jan. 26. A special youth hunting weekend is also proposed for Sept. 21-22.

As in previous years, goose hunting seasons will vary by management areas across the state, but most would open in mid-October and run through late January.