GARNET WILSON

Lowland lakes fishing season opens tomorrow

The big opening each year is called the lowland lakes opener. This includes Blue, Park, Deep lakes in the Sun Lakes area, plus a few others scattered around the Columbia Basin. The big day is tomorrow, April 28.

Crab Creek Riders mini-clinic next Saturday

Calling all members and prospective members of the Crab Creek Riders; the first event of the year is not far away. Read on.

April 1 opener results continued

Now is the time to purchase a new fishing license

The Washington fishing license anglers had last Saturday is out of date. They expired at midnight March 31. In order to continue fishing legally, anglers 15 years of age and older must purchase a 2012-13 license. Licenses and permits are available online, by phone, at 1-866-246-9453, and from sporting goods stores and other retail license dealers around the state.

Youth turkey season next weekend

Sandhill Crane Festival continues through Sunday

The Greater Othello Chamber of Commerce and the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge have teamed up to bring us another Othello Sandhill Crane Festival, centered at the Othello High School. As in years past, the festival will offer a series of tours to view the birds and lectures to participants about the cranes and the unique landscape of the refuge and Othello area.

Spring turkey opener one month away

The 2012 Wild Turkey Spring Season pamphlet is now available in sporting goods stores. The spring season dates are April 15 through May 31. The hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

Yamamoto wins big at Burke Lake Fishing Derby

Information is sketchy from the Quincy area about the trout derby held at nearby Burke Lake last Saturday. The big winner was Calvin Yamamoto, a Quincy resident, who caught a tagged fish worth $2,000.

Burke Lake tournament scheduled for tomorrow

We would have brought this to your attention in early February, but just learned about it ourselves. The 2012 Quincy Valley Trout Derby is scheduled to begin tomorrow morning at sunrise and continue until 1 p.m.

Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting two weeks away

As much as we hate going to meetings, this one may be of interest to all outdoor-minded people, especially those who hunt and fish, but also those who are interested in the wolf situation.

Today is first day of the Great Backyard Bird Count

The 2012 Great Backyard Bird Count begins today. The count will last for four days with the last day on Monday, Feb. 20. This count is a big deal in our book. It is a chance to participate in an international event and the rules only require a participant to count the birds in their backyard for 15 minutes.

Great backyard bird count only one week away

MOSES LAKE - Mark your calendar: Friday, Feb. 17 through Monday, Feb. 20. These are the dates of the 15th annual Great Backyard Bird Count. The event is a joint effort lead by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. Other partners include Bird Studies Canada and Wild

Wildlife viewing, upcoming bird count makes for family-oriented fun

We beat the drum for wildlife viewing often. The activity is interesting and fun, plus it is suitable for a young family. The upcoming Backyard bird count is also a fun time and lasts for four days. Read on.

Duck, goose hunting ends this Sunday

The bird hunting seasons are coming to an end, but other seasons continue for a few more days to a couple of months. Read on.

Public meetings to discuss northeast elk plan

Fish and Wildlife has scheduled three meetings to discuss and take public comment on the draft northeast Washington elk management plan. The plan which has been revised and is subject to additional revision in response to hunter input regarding elk numbers.

U.S. Forest Service offers fee waiver days

We are blessed to have a series of National Forests across our great nation, seven to eight in Washington alone. Mostly there are no fees associated with a visit to the forests, but this is not always true.

Master Hunter application period now open

The Master Hunter Permit Program application period is now open and will continue through Feb. 15. All requirements of the program must be completed by Nov. 15 of this year. Look for complete MHPP details in next week's outdoors column.

Jan. 2 is last day for hatchery steelhead, whitefish angling

MOSES LAKE - Impact on wild steelhead is given as the reason for the closures of hatchery steelhead and whitefish fishing on the upper Columbia River and several tributaries. The last day for these fisheries will be Jan. 2 from Rock Island Dam to Chief Joseph Dam, as well as steelhead fisheries on the Wenatchee, Icicle, Entiat and Methow rivers.

Payne or Paine found, lost again

The story last week, about Dave Helms finding a sit of shooting sticks at the Boyd Mordhorst Shooting Range, was productive. Payne or Paine called me. He did tell me several of his friends have contacted him about the story in this column last week and he was, indeed, the person in question.

Use caution when on the ice

Ice fishing can be fun. Erect a shelter of some sort and spend the day fishing for trout, walleye, bass, perch, burbot and any other finned creature available in Columbia Basin waters.

Plan now for wildlife viewing, Christmas Bird Count

A favorite family-oriented outdoor activity is wildlife watching. A favorite annual trip for my wife, Garnet, and me is a trip to Steamboat Rock State Park for this very reason.

Master Hunter Program

What is the Master Hunter Permit Program? As stated by Fish and Wildlife: "The Master Hunter Permit Program is designed to promote responsible hunting. In addition to training, the program emphasizes safe, lawful and ethical hunting priorities while upholding the highest standards. The program offers an opportunity for conscientious, committed hunters who care about the future of hunting to assume a leadership role among their peers. Through their knowledge and conduct in the field, Master Hunters play a key role in improving relationships with landowners, thus ensuring continued hunter access to private lands."

Master Hunter Advisory Group seeks members

Fish and Wildlife is accepting letters of interest through Dec. 18 for membership on the department's Master Hunter Advisory Group.

Discover Pass volunteer projects continue to be elusive

The rules state: Volunteers who work 24 hours or more on approved projects are eligible for a complimentary Discover Pass.

Northern birds still absent in the Columbia Basin

Latest waterfowl news to reach this desk indicates waterfowl hunters are still waiting for the northern birds to reach the Columbia Basin. This means the ducks are on the way, but the bulk have not arrived.

Upcoming hunting seasons

Youth Outdoors Auction pays off big dividends

All of us want to assist our youth learn about the Great Outdoors. Sometimes several people combine efforts with the results benefiting several youth. Such an effort is explained below. Read on.

Success great, depending upon location

From local biologists about the opening weekend, Oct. 15 and 16

Comments requested about upcoming sportfishing season

Fish and Wildlife is requesting written public comments through Dec. 30 on rule proposals for the 2012-13 sportfishing season in Washington. Besides written comments, public meetings have been scheduled to discuss the rule proposals and accept comments.

Coho salmon fishery continues

The coho salmon fisheries, which opened Oct. 5, continue on the Wenatchee, Methow and Icicle rivers through a scheduled closure of Oct. 31.

Triploid escapees potential hazard to steelhead

The Fish and Wildlife press release sounded a bit desperate. "A 17-mile stretch of the Columbia River between Bridgeport and Brewster, Washington, is about to become a hotspot for triploid trout fishing."

Raffle Permit Hunt deadline a week away

Yes, we hammered this last week, but this is the last week, as we want to make sure readers don't miss out on this opportunity.

Deadline for Raffle Permit Hunts is in two weeks

Yes, we hammered this last week and we will again next week, but we want to make sure readers don't miss out on this opportunity.

Raffle Permit Hunts deadline three weeks away

MOSES LAKE - The Washington State Raffle Permit Hunts deadline is July 22. Our way of thinking about this opportunity is to consider it a gamble, yes, but one where we can spend as much money as we want. Another way of thinking is to consider it a tax where a taxpayer spends as much as he wants.

Special hunt drawing results now available online

Hunters who are waiting for the results of the special hunt drawing need wait no more. The 2011 special-hunt permits drawing results are available on line at the Fish and Wildlife website.

Flooding may cause changes in camping plans

It seems we have been talking about droughts in the past few years, but this year is different; the word flooding has been mentioned more than once and not just back in the eastern part of this great nation. A call to the Fish and Wildlife Region Two office in Ephrata confirms there are no current flooding restrictions of Fish and Wildlife areas in the Columbia Basin. Remember to have fun, but be careful out there. Read on.

Wind River

Wind River

Fishing remains good in the Columbia Basin

Grab your rod, pick a fishing spot and enjoy a day on the water. Reports from various sources indicate fishing remains good to hot, depending upon the weather, of course.

Wolves remain protected in Washington State

Wolves have been removed from federal Endangered Species Act protection in the eastern third of Washington State, but they remain protected as a state endangered species throughout Washington.

And another reciting report from Drano Lake

The daily limit at Drano Lake has increased for hatchery spring chinook salmon. Up to six hatchery spring chinook may be retained. Up to four may be adult chinook. The limit increase is in effect from yesterday through July 31.

Fish and Wildlife

Special hunt permits for fall animals due next week

It is difficult to think about the fall hunting season when the spring weather is just beginning to show signs of warming, but hunters need to pay attention.

Pygmy rabbit recovery effort renewed in Basin

Renewed field efforts to recover endangered Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits are under way this spring in eastern Washington shrub-steppe habitat.

The rest of the opening day fishing reports

We didn't have room for all of the opening day fishing reports, so we will present them today. Some of the information is for lakes outside the Columbia Basin, but destination of interest of Basin residents.

Where the fish are: 2011 fishing prospects

The most constant factor in any opening day of fishing is the weather.

Lowland lake fishing opener a week from tomorrow

The main fishing opener in the Columbia Basin will open a week from tomorrow. Called the lowland lake fishing opener will include lakes such as Blue, Park, Deep, Warden and many more. Look for the Spring Hook & Bullet, which will highlight the prospects for the opener, to be published in the Herald in the next few days.

Birding trip reveals seven golden eagles

Birding

Second fishing opener begins today; Spring Turkeys in sight; 2011 Halibut forecast

Fish and Wildlife District Fish Biologist Chad Jackson predicts

Crane Festival begins today, goes through Sunday

The 14th Annual Othello Sandhill Crane Festival begins today,

Spring turkey in sights of youth

Spring turkey season begins two weeks from tomorrow for youth under 16 years of age and runs for two days, April 2 and 3. The youth season is open in all game management units. Standard hunting methods (shotgun or bow and arrow only) and all other turkey hunting regulations apply to the youth season.