Out and About: Washington announces fall razor clam digs

Shellfish managers for Washington have published a list of proposed razor clam digs for ocean beaches in October, November and December. Unlike last year, there are ample dates for Long beach, starting with three September digs.

All scheduled openings will receive final approval after marine toxin tests show the clams are safe to consume. Announcements about the tests are generally published about a week before any dig is approved.

“Abundant razor clam populations on all beaches, except Kalaloch, are allowing for more digging opportunity this year,” said Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager. “But it is important that razor clam diggers be sure to only dig where it is allowed.”

Maps of the different beaches are available at: WDFW’s website.

The proposed razor clam digs for Long Beach in September include:

• Sept. 27, , 5:52 a.m. -0.9 feet.

• Sept. 28, Saturday, 6:36 a.m. -0.8 feet.

• Sept. 29, Sunday, 7:19 am -0.6 feet.

No digging is allowed after noon for the late September digs where low tide occurs in the morning. No digging is allowed before noon during digs in October, November and December where low tide occurs in the afternoon or evening.

A list of all proposed digs for the remainder of 2019 is available at: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfishing-regulations/razor-clams

More information can be found on WDFW’s razor clam webpage at https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/razorclams/.

Youth pheasant hunts to be held September 20-21

Youth hunters will get the first crack at planted pheasants this season at the Shillapoo Wildlife Area and Vancouver Lake on September 21 and 22. The youth hunts are organized by the Vancouver Wildlife League, and will be held at two locations: La Frambois Rd (new pavilion) and the Caterpillar Boat Launch.

The league is looking for experienced bird hunters, with dogs or without, to volunteer to mentor the youngsters as they hunt. Please contact Bill Fields if you are interested: 360-560-6104

Sign up begins at 7 a.m., and hunting will begin at 8 a.m. There will be a safety session before the hunt. There will be coffee and doughnuts for hunters and volunteers, and hot dogs and chips will be served for lunch.

Youth hunters must possess a hunter education card, wear 400 square inches of blaze orange, and only non-toxic shot is allowed.

Waterfowl club to host clean-up at Ridgefield NWR September 21

The Washington Waterfowl Association (WWA) will be hosting the annual blind opening and brush-up this Saturday September 21 at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge.

Volunteers will meet at 8:00AM at the hunter check in station on the River S Unit. Bring waders, gloves, buckets and loppers if you have them. The club will brush up the blinds and get them ready for the opener. If you have a favorite blind, it is a great opportunity to hide it. For hunters new to the refuge it is a great way to see the blinds in the daylight and familiarize yourself with the hunt area.

WWA will provide a BBQ lunch to all volunteers. Call Doug Hargin at 360-903-6951 for more information.

WWA fundraiser event Sept. 28

The WWA will hold its annual fundraising banquet on Saturday, September 28, at Club Green Meadows in Vancouver. Doors open at 5 pm. there will be live and silent auctions and raffles. The price is 440 and includes a salmon and prime rib dinner. For more information, contact Doug Hargin at 360-903-6951.

Mayfield Lake draw-down scheduled for September 15 to 30

Mayfield Lake will be lowered to 415 feet of elevation from September 15-30 to repair and extend the Mayfield Lake Park boat launch. The elevation will fluctuate about a foot during the process.

The lake usually operates from 421 to 425 feet.

The planned timeline is:

Sept 13: Remove the docks from the boat launch

Sept. 15: Close the boat launch in the morning and begin lowering the lake

Sept. 18-27: Perform work on the boat launch

Sept. 27-30: Refill the lake

All lake boat launches will be unusable and the shoreline will be closed during the drawdown.

WDFW webinars to cover post-recovery wolf management

In an effort to discuss management of a recovered wolf population after they are removed from the endangered species lists, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has scheduled three online, interactive webinars this September and October.

“We know that wolves are a huge topic of interest to the public and we want to hear everyone’s input, in a respectful and productive way, on how to manage them,” said WDFW Director Kelly Susewind in a news release. “These digital open houses will allow anyone who is interested to learn about Washington’s wolves, ask questions, and find out how to provide feedback on the topic.”

The goal is to educate the public about wolves and share ways that people can voice their opinions on the matter to WDFW. This input will help guide the State Environmental Policy Act process. It will be used to develop a post-recovery wolf plan.

The dates and times for the webinars are:

Tuesday, September 17, 6-7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, September 25, 12-1 p.m.

Tuesday, October 15, 6-7 p.m.

Everyone is welcome to take part in these webinars. They can be accessed by going to the home page of the WDFW website at wdfw.wa.gov and clicking on the links there.

There are other ways to participate. Comments will be taken online at: online survey, online commenting, and in writing by mailing to Lisa Wood, WDFW – Wolf Post-Recovery Plan Scoping, PO Box 43200, Olympia WA 98504-3200.

The public scoping comment period remains open until Nov. 1.

More information on wolves in Washington can be found at wdfw.wa.gov/wolves-post-recovery.