The Eastern Washington modern firearm elk hunting season that opens Oct. 31 does not include the West Bar Game Management Unit (GMU) 330 in the northeast corner of Kittitas County.

The state just sent out a note about the error 2009 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations pamphlet. The unit is mistakenly listed under the Oct. 31 - Nov. 8 season for true spike bulls.

"The West Bar unit is available for early archery and special permit elk hunting only," said Ted Clausing, WDFW regional wildlife program manager, in a news release. "Over 20 years ago when it was included during the general season, too much hunting pressure on West Bar caused elk to cross the Columbia River and enter the agricultural and residential areas of Grant County, leading to some unethical and unsafe hunting activities."

WDFW staff are posting signs at access points to the unit and distributing notices to hunting groups and license vendors to alert hunters to the error.

The Idaho Fish and Game agency released this report on the first day of its wolf hunting season, which was Monday:

Idaho’s first wolf hunts began Monday with few hunters afield and reports of three wolves taken.

Wolf hunters are required to report kills within 24 hours and show the skull and pelt to Idaho Fish and Game authorities within five days.

Deputy director Jim Unsworth noted that the successful hunters followed the rules and that the system for reporting harvest worked smoothly.

Idaho began selling wolf hunting tags for the first time Aug. 24 but no glitches in the licensing system were reported despite a one-week volume of more than 11,200 tags sold.

Conservation officers in the field for the first day of the hunt reported no violations and a light turnout of hunters, according to Chief of Enforcement Jon Heggen.

So far, two wolf harvest reports have come from the Lolo wolf hunting zone and one from the Sawtooth zone. These are the only zones of the 12 Idaho wolf zones to open Monday and are the zones where the impact of wolves on elk herds are documented to be particularly severe. Two other zones open Sept. 15 and the rest on Oct. 1. A harvest limit of 220 wolves has been set for Idaho.

The state Fish and Wildlife Commission plans to select a new director for the Department of Fish and Wildlife when it meets Sept. 11-12 in Olympia.

The commission, after interviewing six candidates Wednesday and Thursday, after narrowed the field to two finalists, a commission news release said.

The finalists' references and backgrounds will be checked over the next couple of weeks, according to commission chairwoman Miranda Wecker.

Former director Jeff Koenings resigned last December after serving for a decade. Since then, Phil Anderson has served as interim director.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife plans to hold public meetings next week to discuss green-dot road management on several central Washington wildlife areas. Since the meetings will take place before the next Adventure section prints, I posted the info here:

Green-dot road systems are those where only roads marked by circular green reflectors are open to motor vehicles.

Department wildlife area managers Condi Confer, Shana Winegeart and Pete Lopushinksy are seeking input on proposals to change the number of green-dot roads on the Wenas and Colockum wildlife areas, and on acreage in the Skookumchuck and Parke Creek areas of the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area.

Wildlife area citizen advisory groups and several sportsmen's organizations have been reviewing the proposals that will be discussed in the public meetings.

The meetings, which all begin at 6 p.m., will take place:

Tuesday: In Ellensburg, at the Hal Holmes Center, 209 N. Ruby Street
Wednesday: In Selah, at the Selah Civic Center, 216 S. First St.
Thursday: In Wenatchee, at the Campus Theater in Wells Hall on the Wenatchee Valley College Campus, 1300 Fifth St.

Final green-dot road plans and maps will be completed in time for roads to be posted for the beginning of hunting seasons.

The state Fish and Wildlife Commission is schedule to interview Wednesday and Thursday candidates for the department director position.

There are six candidates being interviewed. The candidate names and personal information are confidential, according to a commission spokeswoman.

The six were recommended by the state Department of Personnel as the top qualifiers based on the job recruitment announcement and job description approved by the commission a few months ago.

According to the notice from the commission’s office, the public is not permitted to attend the interviews, which will be conducted during executive session.

The public portions of this meeting will be recorded and the audio will be posted on the Internet by the day after adjournment. To listen to the audio afterwards, visit www.wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings.html.

The commission began its search for a new director earlier this summer, after the Legislature met and finalized budgets. Phil Anderson has been serving as the interim director since Jeff Koenings stepped down last December.

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission met earlier today and set harvest limits for that state's first public wolf hunting season to begin later this fall.

I know a lot of South Sound residents like to hunt in Idaho, so I thought I would pass along the news release that was just sent out:

Fish and Game models indicate Idaho now has at least 1,000 wolves. The population increases at a rate of about 20 percent a year, without hunting.

The commissioners adopted a strategy that would help meet the state’s wolf population objective, as outlined in the 2008 Idaho Wolf Population Management Plan.

Hunters will be allowed to take up to 220 wolves this fall and winter. Wolf tags go on sale at 10 a.m. Aug. 24, at all license vendors. A resident tag costs $11.75, and a nonresident tag costs $186.

One of the commission’s top considerations is retaining state management of Idaho’s growing wolf population. Idaho has an approved wolf management plan, developed with public involvement. The plan was approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and found acceptable by a federal judge.

The commissioners’ decision is consistent with the population goals set out in the plan.

In 1995 and 1996, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service introduced 35 wolves to central Idaho. Since then they have increased in numbers and expanded their distribution.

Fish and Game has a responsibility to manage those wolves in balance with their prey and their habitat – just as the agency manages other fish and wildlife species. As with other species, hunting seasons on wolves would be part of managing the population.

A wolf hunting season gives Idaho Fish and Game an opportunity to learn how public hunting fits into managing wolves. As Fish and Game learns how effective regulated hunting is, seasons can be adjusted in areas where wolves are causing unacceptable problems for big game herds or domestic livestock.

Wolf managers will use the harvest limits the same way already used effectively with other species that Fish and Game manages. When limits are reached, the season ends.

The commissioners set harvest limits for each of the state’s 12 wolf management zones. When the limit is reached in a zone, the season would close in that zone.

Commissioners want to manage the wolf population toward the 2005 level of 520 wolves through regulated hunting (five-times higher than the federal recovery goal). The 2005 wolf population figure was used as a target number because wolf conflicts both with wildlife and livestock increased significantly that year.

Wolves in Idaho and Montana were removed from the endangered species list in May and have been managed under state law since then. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s rule delisting wolves, however, faces challenges in federal court. The outcome of those challenges could affect Idaho wolf hunting season.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced its proposal to continue liberal hunting seasons for the upcoming 2009-2010 late waterfowl seasons.

Duck hunting season lengths would be 60 days in both the Atlantic and
Mississippi Flyways, 74 days in the Central Flyway, and 107 days in the Pacific Flyway, according to a news release.

Among the highlights area a proposed full season on pintails with a two-bird daily bag limit in the Pacific Flyway and a full season on canvasbacks with a one bird daily bag limit offered nation-wide. Additionally, the framework calls for a bag limit of three scaup in the Pacific Flyway for 86 days.

States select their season and earliest season beginning and latest ending dates from within the frameworks which establish the maximum season length and bag limits.

Here are the highlights of the proposed late-season frameworks for the
Pacific Flyway which includes Washington, Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and portions of Colorado, Montana, New Mexico and Wyoming:

Ducks: Under the proposal, states are allowed a 107-day general duck season between Sept. 26 and Jan. 31. The proposed daily bag limit is seven ducks, including no more than two mallard hens, two redheads, one canvasback and two pintails. In addition, an 86-day season for scaup can be chosen with a daily bag limit of three.

Geese: 100-day seasons are proposed for the Pacific Flyway between Sept. 26 and March 10. Proposed basic daily bag limits are up to 10 light geese and four dark geese. In Washington, the dark goose limit does not include brant. For brant, the proposed season lengths are 16 days in Washington, with a two-bird daily limit.

Click here to find the proposed late season waterfowl frameworks, scheduled to be posted in a mid-August edition of the Federal Register for public comment.

Click here to see the "Status of Waterfowl" report and video as well as last year's harvest figures.

Jeff and I teamed up to write a story about our favorite food stops after a day in the outdoors.

No fine dining here. Just fine burgers, fries, shakes and cherry pie a la mode (Twede's famous pie pictured to the right).

Check it out and see if your favorite was included. If not let us know about your favorite. We'd love to check it out.

(Picture by Drew Perine)

Folks like to complain about EPSN having an East Coast bias. It’s a valid issue in my mind, having lived in the Midwest and West.

I’m beginning to wonder if Field & Stream might not have a similar bias.

The magazine just released the list of contenders for its 2009 Total Outdoorsman Challenge.

The list includes last year’s top three finishers – including defending champion and three-time challenge winner Paul Thompson – and 12 other sportsmen who finished in the top three positions in one of four regional qualifier events earlier this month. The field will be rounded out by a “wildcard” pick selected by editors from online entries.

Here is the list:
Tom Boatwright, Perdido, Ala.
William Bond, Fort Gibson, Okla.
Justin Brown, Memphis, Ind.
Thomas Cooprider, Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Brian Cramer, Bedford, Texas
James Crawford, Sumner, Texas
Randy Hendrix, Clemmons, N.C.
Scot Marcin, Cottontown, Tenn. (2008 second-place winner)
Jay Moore, Millbrook, N.Y.
Peter Mosby, Aurora, Colo. (2008 third-place winner)
Chris Reed, Thompson Station, Tenn.
John Sappington, Branson, Mo.
John Stanley, Bedias, Texas
Ryan Straley, Olathe, Kan.
Paul Thompson, Marion, N.C. (2008 defending champion and three-time Total Outdoorsman Challenge winner)

What struck me, and bugs me, is no one is from west of the Rocky Mountains is in the event. Only one competitor is from a Western state, but he is from the Denver area, on the east side of the Rockies.

I just find it hard to believe no one from our neck of the woods is qualified to compete in the seven skill challenges: flyfishing, bass fishing, rifle, shotgun, endurance, archery and ATV handling.

One issue may be the qualifying process. Interested outdoorsmen had to first take part in a qualified at one of 49 Bass Pro Shops nationwide. The closest store to Washington is actually in Rocky View, Alberta, Canada. The nearest location in the U.S. is Mateca, Calif., south of Stockton. From those folks, 200 were invited to regional events which were held in Grapevine, Texas; Nashville, Tenn.; Independence, Mo.; and Harrisburg, Pa.

That’s a lot of traveling for anyone from Washington interested in competing.

I just got this press release from the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance:

Companion bills, introduced yesterday in Congress, protect the rights of sportsmen to hunt on federal land while also recognizing hunting’s importance to all conservation.

The Hunting Heritage Protection Act, is made up of Senate bill 1348, sponsored by Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and H.R. 3046, sponsored by Representative Denny Rehberg (R-MT).

Both pieces of legislation require that federal land be managed in a way that supports, promotes, and enhances access for hunting and mandates that an annual report be submitted to Congress detailing any limitations that are imposed on hunting federal lands. It also will require a written notification be given to Congress prior to any agency action that limits hunting on large parcels of federal land consisting of 5,000 or more acres.

I was out of the office when the announcement was made Friday. Gov. Chris Gregoire has named David Jennings, Rollie Schmitten and Dr. Brad Smith to the Fish and Wildlife Commission.

Here is the news release:

“I am pleased to welcome these exceptional members to the Fish and Wildlife Commission,” Gregoire said. “I know each brings the specialized knowledge necessary to best protect our natural habitat and wildlife. I am also confident that these commissioners will work diligently to select the most qualified person to lead the department.”

Jennings lives in Olympia and has been active in fish and wildlife management issues for almost 20 years. He attended the University of Georgia, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in forest resources. He also earned a master’s degree in public health from the University of Oklahoma. Jennings works at the Washington State Department of Health in the division of environmental health. He was also the water protection program manager at DOH. Jennings is the past president of the Gifford Pinchot Task Force and the Black Hills Audubon Society. In 2006, the Black Hills Audubon Society named him conservationist of the year.

Schmitten, of Lake Chelan, attended Washington State University, where he earned a degree in forest management with an emphasis on fish and wildlife. Schmitten is a former Cashmere City councilman, Chelan County Port commissioner and state representative. He was appointed the director of the Washington State Department of Fisheries. He also served as the director of the Northwest Region for National Marine Fisheries Service, a department of the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, before being named national director of NMFS. In 1999, Schmitten was promoted to NOAA Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Affairs, working directly under the U.S. Department of Commerce. In that role, Schmitten participated in negotiations of international agreements on several environmental issues.

Smith, a resident of Bellingham, is dean of the Huxley College of Environmental Studies at Western Washington University. Prior to that appointment, Smith served as the first director of the Office of Environmental Education for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Smith, who has extensive international experience on environmental issues, serves on the International Scholars Program for the U.S. Information Agency. He was a Fulbright Scholar to Great Britain and worked as a research fellow for Environment Canada and the Canadian Fish and Wildlife Service.

All three were appointed to a term ending Dec. 31, 2014.

The Fish and Wildlife Commission’s primary role is to establish policies and regulations designed to preserve and protect our state’s fish and wildlife, as well as our natural habitat. The commission is also charged with monitoring the Department of Fish and Wildlife as it implements the goals, policies and objectives established by the commission. The commission also classifies wildlife and establishes the basic rules governing the time, place and method used to harvest fish and wildlife.

The state issued this release late on Friday.

Hunters who submitted applications for 2009 special-hunt permits can check the results of this year’s drawing on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Web site.

Click here for the results of the random, computerized drawing.

The results were verified Tuesday and were posted Friday.

At hunters’ request, this year’s drawing was conducted nearly a month earlier than in past years, said Dave Ware, state game manager.

"Hunters told us they wanted us to conduct the drawing earlier so they would have more time to make their hunting plans," Ware said. "That made sense, and we’ve done everything we could to expedite the process."

More than 61,500 hunters submitted 138,900 applications for this year's special hunts for deer, elk, mountain goat, moose, bighorn sheep and turkey. The number of applications was up by about 4,000 from last year, Ware said.

Holders of the special permits can hunt at times and locations beyond those authorized by a general hunting license.

WDFW will notify applicants about the results of the drawing by email and postal mail in addition to posting the results on its website. Successful applicants will receive their special hunt permits via postal mail.

For more information on special hunt permits.