Posts Tagged ‘fish’

Gifts for Outdoor Enthusiasts Offer Months of Enjoyment (Washington)

WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/

December 8, 2009
Contact: WDFW Licensing, (360) 902-2464

Olympia, WA – Gift shopping for a fish or wildlife enthusiast? The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) offers a variety of items for outdoor buffs on any gift list.

Shoppers can purchase recreational licenses and permits online, by telephone or at independent license vendors statewide. Applications for wildlife-themed license plates also are available online.

An annual resident adult freshwater fishing license is $26; a saltwater fishing license is $24.20; a shellfish/seaweed license is $14; and a combination fishing license is $48.20.

Resident hunting licenses vary with package options, ranging from a small-game license at $38 to a deer/elk/cougar/bear combination license for $81.20. Transaction and dealer fees are included in the price.

Fishing and hunting license fees include vehicle-use permits for access to 800,000 acres of wildlife lands in 32 wildlife areas and more than 600 water-access sites throughout Washington. Vehicle-use permits for access to these areas also can be purchased separately from recreational licenses for $14.

All annual licenses and permits are valid from April 1, 2010 through March 31, 2011.

WDFW licenses and permits can be purchased on a secure Internet site at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/ , or by calling 1-866-246-9453. Recreational licenses and permits also can be bought at hundreds of license vendors throughout the state. Vendor locations are listed at http://wdfw.wa.gov/lic/vendors/vendors.htm . Shoppers will need the license holder’s WILD identification number, name and date of birth to purchase a fishing or hunting license.

Applications for wildlife-related license plate backgrounds or personalized plates for motor vehicles also are on-line at http://wdfw.wa.gov/license_plates/ . License plate background options include images of a bald eagle, killer whale, elk, mule deer or black bear. The wildlife-themed license plates cost $40.

Personalized license plate inscriptions, with a choice of up to seven letters or numbers not already in use, can be purchased for $49.75. A personalized license plate combined with any of Washington’s themed backgrounds is available for $89.75. These prices are in addition to standard vehicle-licensing fees. Proceeds from personalized and wildlife-themed license plates go to endangered-species recovery, habitat restoration and wildlife-management and protection programs.

Other WDFW products for holiday gift-giving include:

• Tickets for WDFW’s quarterly drawings for a lifetime of hunting and fishing privileges. Tickets are $7.05 for state residents and $13.59 for non-residents and are valid for all drawings within 365 days of purchase. For ordering information, see https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/
• Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary information on landscaping, supplemental feeding, nest boxes and other ways of creating year-round habitat for birds and other wildlife. The information packet costs $5. For ordering information, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/backyard/
• WDFW wildlife books-”Living with Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest,” a 392-page guide to living and dealing with a variety of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, and “Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest,” a 320-page guide including specialty gardens for butterflies and hummingbirds, ponds and waterways, nest boxes and feeders and more. Each book costs $28 (including tax, postage and handling), and can be ordered at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/books_link.htm .

Visit the WDFW News Release Archive at: http://wdfw.wa.gov/do/newreal/

Enjoy Fall at a National Wildlife Refuge

For Release on August 4, 2009

Contacts:
Vanessa Kauffman, 703-358-2138, vanessa_kauffman@fws.gov
Martha Nudel, 703-358-1858, martha_nudel@fws.gov

Enjoy Fall at a National Wildlife Refuge

A world of seasonal wonders awaits you this fall at a National Wildlife Refuge. The National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is the world?s premier system of public lands and waters
set aside to conserve America?s fish, wildlife and plants. There is a National Wildlife Refuge within an hour?s drive of most major cities.

Premier Hunting Experiences Accessible?

Where is the closest National Wildlife Refuge that offers turkey hunting for people with disabilities?

You don?t need to guess or start phoning names on a long list. A new National Wildlife Refuge System interactive Web site, Your Guide to Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges, (http://www.fws.gov/refuges/hunting) provides
hunters with an easy search mechanism to find a refuge by special interest, such as game species (i.e. deer, waterfowl, big game), zip code, youth or special needs (i.e. universally accessible), or using any combination of
topics. You can also search by a refuge name or state name.

More than 2 million hunters visit National Wildlife Refuges each year. Hunting, within specified limits, is permitted on more than 300 refuges. Of these, 43, including Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland and
Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona offer accessible turkey hunting; 97 refuges offer youth hunts.

While definitions of hunting categories vary by refuge and state, migratory bird hunting generally includes ducks and geese. Small game hunting includes animals, such as rabbit, squirrel and raccoon. Big game hunting may cover animals like elk, moose and bear.

Refuge hunts are carefully managed to give hunters a quality experience according to four guiding principles: manage wildlife populations consistent with approved management plans; promote visitor understanding and appreciation for America?s natural wildlife resources; provide quality recreational and educational experiences; and minimize conflicts with visitors participating in other wildlife-dependent recreational activities.

The instructive Web site offers additional information and includes tips to hunters, facts on archery hunting, special stories about hunting in Alaska and becoming a more effective waterfowl hunter. In addition, information on state hunting licenses is provided. For those who wish to bring the guide with them; it is available as a downloadable publication organized by state.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and
trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

Mid-Columbia National Wildlife Refuges Issue Fire Prevention Order

Contact: Chris Schulte, (509) 546-8330

Due to extremely dry conditions, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has imposed a complete ban on activities likely to start a fire on refuges in the Mid-Columbia. Included in the order are the Hanford Reach National Monument and Columbia, Cold Springs, Conboy Lake, McKay Creek, McNary, Toppenish and Umatilla National Wildlife Refuges. Building any fire, including the use of charcoal briquettes and cooking stoves, is prohibited. Also banned are fireworks, smoking outside of an enclosed vehicle, and operation of any motor without an approved and working spark arrester.

Read more…

Operation Shore Patrol, Southern Washington Coast, September 20-21, 2008

Organized by the Pacific Northwest Four Wheel Drive Association, Operation Shore Patrol is an annual cleanup of Washington’s southern coast, scheduled for the weekend of September 20-21, 2008. The goal of Operation Shore Patrol is to focus attention on litter accumulated from water and land sources on Washington’s ocean beaches.

Litter poses a threat to people, fish, and wildlife and creates an unsightly environment. Operation Shore Patrol is a major step in helping to rid Washington’s coastline of litter and debris.

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to make a meaningful difference, get great exercise, and make new friends. Contact the coordinator for your favorite area below.

Read more at Operation Shore Patrol.

New Public-Conduct Rules for Department Lands Managed by WDFW

PORT ANGELES/December 10, 2007 – At a public meeting here Friday, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission approved a package of new rules for public conduct on lands managed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and deferred action on others.

The proposed rules, developed by WDFW after an extensive public-input process, addressed dumping, camping, commercial use, fire-building, firearm use and other activities on WDFW wildlife areas and water-access sites around the state. The rules will go into effect by Jan. 31, 2008.

The nine-member commission, which sets policy for WDFW, deferred action on three rules dealing with livestock grazing, resource removal and vehicle use. The commission requested initiation of a new rule-making process to further revise those rules and gather additional public input.

In the interim, the current state regulations pertaining to livestock grazing, resource removal and vehicle use on department lands remain in effect.

The complete public-conduct rule package is available on WDFW’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wac232/.

Read more at http://wdfw.wa.gov/do/newreal/release.php?id=dec1007a

Sportsmen United for Sensible Mining

National Hunting and Fishing Day is an appropriate occasion for considering a legacy of a different kind - an unfortunate legacy that continues to negatively impact American hunting and fishing and that calls the future of our sport into question. More than a century of hard rock mining on America's public lands has left its mark on fish and wildlife populations. The TRCP is working to correct the problem, and we urge sportsmen to join in an effort to reform the 1872 Mining Law.

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Northwest Bears

t's almost daily that we see on the news that another bear has visited a suburban neighborhood. The reality is that suburbia has invaded the bears habitat. I always get a kick out of the people who never before left the city and move into the urban-wildland interface area and are amazed and even startled that wildlife such as bears, cougars and coyotes roam their neighborhoods. Well if they only knew that their garbage as well as FiFi and Fluffy make easy pickings for the neighborhood predators.

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