ACCORDING TO Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officials, hunting success rates should continue to improve as more northern birds move into the region.
Bird watchers and hunters are making like birds of a feather and flocking to the brush of the high hills and swamp grasses of lowland marshes in order to pay homage to the annual avian pilgrimage.
Some of the devoted parishioners simply note their encounters in weathered old journals, while others reverently blast away with .12 gauge salutes. Other avian enthusiasts prefer to shoot with a Cannon, the photographer’s variety, so that their shot may be preserved for the historical record.
This feather-capped conglomeration of these seemingly disparate factions into one congregation may seem farfetched to some, but there is little doubt that these two groups are honoring these birds just the same.
The un-maligned sincerity of the camera and notepad toting set are indisputable. They admire the gravity defying creatures, with their hollow bones, feathered insulation, aerodynamic construct, and V-shaped communal persistence.
Because their aim is to kill and consume their idol, the sanctity of the hunter’s intention is not nearly as obvious, but it is by no means less authentic. Let’s use Thanksgiving for comparison. The undisputed centerpiece and distinguished guest of honor is nearly always the turkey. Although it was sacrificed against its earthly will and understanding, the bird continues to foster vitality long after its physical death.
First and foremost, the idea of the traditional turkey pulls families together, helping to re-forge familial ties and bridge the gap between distances both literal and contrived. The feast is an excuse to practice forgiveness and to rekindle relationships that may have turned sour or stale over time. With the extended family unit back together, seated side-by-side at a long host table, the sacrificed turkey at the center provides sustenance to those that consume its flesh. The savory communion allows for collective moments of thankfulness as the human heart and hearth overflow with bounty. When imbued with plentiful helpings of wine, thanksgiving can easily become a quasi-religious experience.
The turkey has become such an important and honored part of our national culture that one of the ungainly birds is popularly pardoned by the president each year as a sign our appreciation of the collective sacrifices of its kin, and perhaps an apology for our original pilgrim sins.
Although not all bird-centric meals are as heavily cloaked in tradition as our day of thanksgiving, a hunter and his flock most certainly experience similar twangs of gratitude each time they nourish their body and soul on the bounty provided from the heavens.
It makes no matter if your preference is to shoot with a point and snap camera or pump action shotgun, December is one of the best months in Washington to get out and commune with the birds in nature.
“Waterfowl hunting usually picks up around the middle of the month (November), when the wet and windy weather starts pushing more migrating birds into the area from the north,” said Don Kraege, waterfowl manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, in a press release. “That’s good news for waterfowl hunters from Skagit Valley to the Columbia Basin.
“During high wind events, ducks using north Puget Sound bays typically look for new resting and feeding locations on inland lakes, ponds, and flooded fields until the storm passes,” added Kraege. “This leads to better conditions for hunters able to take advantage of these situations.”
Statewide duck, coot, and snipe seasons run through Jan. 25. Numbers provided by the WDFW indicate an increase in migratory duck breeding activity in Canada and Alaska, which should translate in to prime hunting opportunities all over western Washington and some of the best duck hunting in the state can be found in Grays Harbor County.
In Clark County, the fringes of the National Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge continuously reward bird hunters on the right side of the line.
Goose hunting will also continue through Jan. 25 in most areas. However, there are five separate goose management areas, each with their own set of rules and closures. In goose management area 2B for example, hunting is allowed only on Saturdays and Wednesdays.
Forest grouse are another option for the discerning bird hunter. Grouse of the Blue, Ruffed, or Spruce species may be hunted statewide through the end of the year. Situated at the top of the Olympic Peninsula, Clallam County (District 16) is on par with the best grouse hunting grounds in western Washington. The Skokomish Valley and Olympic National Forest in District 15 are also popular destinations for grouse hunters.
Although the late-season pheasant hunt ended on Nov. 30 in western Washington, an extended hunt is scheduled in select areas. Earlier this fall a total of 1,900 pheasants were released at the Skookumchuck wildlife unit in District 11, while another 3,900 birds were released at the Scatter Creek Wildlife unit. The special extended pheasant season will run from Dec. 1-15 at Skookumchuck, Fort Lewis, Kosmos, Scatter Creek, Belfair, Whidbey Island (except Bayview) and Lincoln Creek release sites. Hunting is allowed from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. each day. On the east side of the Cascades, pheasant season will remain open through Jan. 11, 2015.
Additionally, an alternating set of brant hunts are scheduled in Skagit and Pacific counties in January.
Plenty of Christmas feasts are sure to feature sacrificial turkeys as the hunt continues over in eastern Washington. That late fall turkey hunt will continue through Dec. 15 in GMUs 105-154 and 162-186. The WDFW notes that, “The big birds are abundant throughout the region.” One turkey of either sex may be harvested each day.
If watching birds whistling their song is your preferred method of avian communion you are sure to be blessed as well. In south Puget Sound, the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge is currently teeming with activity. Songbirds are singing the chorus of the heavens as northern shrikes, various thrushes, and yellow rumped warblers join in a cappella harmonies. The wet and frigid weather of late has brought in more waterfowl as well, while peregrine falcons and other raptors have begun settling in for the winter.
Migrating waterfowl are building toward peak levels in southwest Washington, providing prime viewing opportunities for people throughout the region. Swans, geese, ducks and other waterfowl of all descriptions are on display throughout the Vancouver Lowlands and other areas of southwest Washington.
Snow geese are more abundant in the upper reaches of the Olympic Peninsula and Puget Sound regions. In total, the WDFW says thousands of snow geese overwinter in Washington each year. The densest congregations of geese are found in Skagit Valley.
Across the big mountain range a vast litany of varied avian visitors can be found. Waterfowl and shorebirds are known to frequent the Reardan Audubon Lake Wildlife Area just west of Spokane in Lincoln County, while greater yellowlegs, western sandpiper, tundra swan, northern shoveler, Canada geese, wigeon, gadwalls, teal, scaup, redheads, canvasbacks and mallards have been noted by birders across the region. Rough-legged hawks have been spotted in Douglas County.
Wherever you chose to do your bird noting, it is important to keep safety in mind. Many birdwatchers grapple with the choice to wear “hunter’s orange” while out in the field.
According to Bill Tweit, WDFW policy analyst and an avid birder, “It’s not a requirement for bird watchers (to wear orange). But it only makes sense to make every effort to let hunters know where you are when you’re sharing the same area.”
With those tips out of the way it is important to note that the Audubon society is preparing for its 115th Christmas Bird Count. The nationwide tally conducted and compiled by “tens of thousands” of backyard birders will run from Dec. 14 through Jan. 5, 2015. More information is available on the Audubon website.
