Hunters can start planning their vacation time for the upcoming fall and winter waterfowl seasons.

The statewide duck hunting season will be open Oct. 15-19 and Oct. 22-Jan. 29, which is similar to last year's season.

The pintail population have increased, and are included in the 107-day hunting season. Canvasback hunting will be allowed from Dec. 1-Jan. 29, due to a population decline.

Scaup populations are also down slightly so the daily bag will be three and a possession limit of six.

Goose hunting seasons vary by management areas across the state, but most open Oct. 15 and run into January. Adjustments due to population changes include reductions in cackling goose and Pacific brant bag limits, and increases in snow geese bag limits.

The one day per week extension of the southwest Washington Canada goose season was made possible by legislative funding sponsored by Rep. Brian Blake to cover the cost of check stations required to monitor dusky goose harvest.

Also approved was an amendment to nontoxic shot requirements to reflect federal allowances for new nontoxic shot types, and updated boundary descriptions for waterfowl reserves and closures.

Another hunting rule established is a $10 penalty for failure to file the required deer, elk, bear and turkey hunting activity report.

"The penalty is aimed at improving compliance with reporting requirements," said Dave Ware, a state Fish and Wildlife game division manager

Ware said less than 65 percent of hunters currently file the required report, while over 90 percent compliance is needed to accurately manage the game species.

The penalty will start this hunting season and those who fail to report their activity by Jan. 31, 2006 will be required to pay the $10 penalty prior to purchasing their 2006 big game licenses and tags.

The statewide forest grouse hunting season begins Sept. 1. In eastern, north-central and south-central Washington the mourning dove hunting season begins Sept. 1, but the summer heat wave and lack of rain near watering holes could mean a slow start to hunting.

Notes

• The Puget Sound Anglers Eastside Chapter meeting is 7 p.m. Aug. 17 at the North Bellevue Community Center, 4063 148th Ave. N.E. Kent Alger from Three Rivers Marine will discuss coho and pink fishing techniques. Details: 425-883-6405.

• The DASANI Blue Bikes program is 3 p.m.-7 p.m. Aug. 17 at Marymoor Park, 6046 W. Lake Sammamish Parkway N.E. in Redmond. The program offers bikers free use of 20 brand-new Trek Cruiser Classic bicycles along the 11-mile Sammamish River Trail.

To celebrate the program's arrival, King County Executive Ron Sims will lead cyclists on a half-mile ride at 4 p.m. Other activities are bike safety demonstrations; free food and live music by Top Three; and free samples of DASANI bottled water. Details: www.dasani.com.

• The Seattle Poggie Fishing Club fishing tackle swap meet ad meeting is 7 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Aug. 17 at the Seattle City Light Building, 97th Ave. North and Stone Ave. North. Guests are Dick Streater and Jim Lone Jr., who are collectors of old and unique fishing tackle. Details: 425-742-7948 or www.seattlepoggies.com.

• The Ruffed Grouse Society Field Day is 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Aug. 27 at the Renton Fish and Game Club. There will be a presentation on first aid for hunting dogs by Casey Kime, D.V.M., Puyallup Valley Veterinary Clinic, and skeet and trap shooting. Details: 206-667-8211 or 206-232-0603.

• Olympic Park Institute is offering a workshop on fly-fishing on Lake Crescent with expert fly-fisher Ron Link. Learn trout catch-and-release techniques. Tuition includes weekend gear, meals and lodging Aug. 19-21. Details: 800-775-3720 or www.OlympicParkInstitute.org.

• The Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs Convention is Aug. 26-28 at the Menucha Conference and Retreat Center on Columbia River Gorge in Corbett, Oregon.

This year's convention will honor the Lewis and Clark expedition and is titled: Lewis and Clark: Their Legacy, Our Challenge. Activities include a hike, discussions, seminars and workshops on protecting water on Columbia River and salmon recovery. Details: www.federationofwesternoutdoorclubs.org.

• BIKEMANIA is noon-3 p.m. Aug. 17 at Magnuson Park, Hangar 30, 6344 N.E. 74th Street near Sand Point. The free event is for kids ages 5 to 19, and includes BMX and unicycle stunt demos, bike parade, Tour de Magnuson, games, bike safety rodeo, bike boot camp and more. Details: 206-684-7026.

• Meet and geet mountain climbers Ed Viesturs and Veikka Gustafsson 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 7 at REI Store, 222 Yale Avenue North in Seattle.

Both climbers recently summited Annapura, capping Ed's Project Endeavor 8000 to become the first American and only the sixth person in the world to summit all 14 8,000-meter peaks without oxygen.

Later that evening at 7 p.m., Ed will host a presentation at Seattle Town Hall, 8th Avenue and Seneca. Cost is $15, and tickets are available at all REI stores. Details: 206-223-1944.

• Safety issues have prompted the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Ranger District to close the Ranger Creek area (including the airstrip) to off-highway vehicles (OHVs), which is located west of Highway 410, about 28 miles southeast of Enumclaw in Pierce County.

The closure was necessary to prevent accidents or personal injuries between light aircraft and all motorized vehicles and OHVs around the 2,700-foot airstrip. A safety fence will soon be built around the runway to control vehicle access.

Vehicles have been using the runway to drag race and the aircraft parking area has been damaged. Those violating the closure could receive up to a $5,000 fine.

Campers will still be allowed in street legal motorized vehicles on designated access roads to campsites in the Ranger Creek area. Access will remain open to the Sun Top recreation area.

Alternate off-road riding areas include the Evans Creek area south of Wilkeson, and the Carbon River area. More off-road vehicle areas are located by Highway 410 east in the Wenatchee National Forest. Details: www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee/.

• Huckleberries are in full bloom in the Cascade and Olympic mountain high country now through September.

Look for the juicy purple berries along bushes in open meadows, lakesides or former lake beds above the 2,000-foot elevation. Sunny slopes with southern exposures are ideal places to find them.

Wildlife are also known to congregate in droves around huckleberry patches, and hikers and campers are advised to keep your eyes open for black bears.

Good berry spots recommended by the Washington Trails Association include: Tonga Ridge trail in Alpine Lakes Wilderness off Highway 2 just past Skykomish; Windy Pass along Pacific Crest Trail south of Snoqualmie Pass; Kendall Katwalk on Pacific Crest Trail north of Snoqualmie Pass; Mount Dickerman (a 8.5-mile roundtrip trail) in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest off Mountain Loop Highway; Park Butte/Schriebers Meadow in Mount Baker National Recreation Area; Juniper Ridge in Gifford Pinchot National Forest; Bird Mountain (a 10-mile) Loop in Indian Heaven Wilderness of Gifford Pinchot National Forest; and Shredroof Divide in Salmo Priest Wilderness of Colville National Forest.

• Olympic National Park has adopted a ban on all open fires until further notice in the wilderness backcountry to prevent forest fires. Campfires will be permitted only in established fire grates at front-country campgrounds.

Along the coastal area of the park, campfires will be permitted only along the beach, below the high tide line, except between Yellow Banks and Wedding Rocks, where all campfires are prohibited.

Camp stoves may still be used in the park's wilderness backcountry, but should be kept a good distance away from flammable vegetation and forest litter. To report abandoned campfires or smoke within the park, call 360-565-3000.

• The Washington Butterfly Association is taking a field trip to Mt. Townsend near Quilcene in Jefferson County on Aug. 20. Guests are welcome but must sign up in advance. Cost is $5, plus carpooling fees. Details: 253-858-6727 or www.naba.org/chapters/nabaws/.

• The Northwest Fly Casting Expo is 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Tacoma Elks Club. Basic registration is $35 for adults and $10 for youth. There will also be beginning to advance fly casting and fishing classes for $25.

A youth program for kids ages 8-16 will provide a fun introduction to fly fishing and casting.

Sponsors of the event include Sage, G-Loomis, Scientific Anglers, Temple For, Orvis, Rio Washington Fly Fishing Club and Puget Sound Fly Fishers. Details: 253-380-1168 or www. washingtoncouncilfff.org.

• The Lake Stevens Rowing Club Try Rowing workshop is 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Aug. 30 at Lake Steven's North Cove. The event is open for anyone age 13 and older, and no experience is necessary. Cost is $10. Details: 425-335-5948 or www.lakestevensrowing.com.

• State Fish and Wildlife is hosting a wildlife-viewing tourism conference Sept. 28-29 at the San Juan Island Yacht Club, 237 Front St., in Friday Harbor.

The conference theme is titled: "Byways and Watchable Wildlife — Making the Connection." The state's wildlife-viewing tourism industry is the seventh largest in the nation.

Presentations will be made by John Herron, director of conservation programs for the Texas chapter of The Nature Conservancy, and Judy Walden, president of Walden Mills Group and a specialist in rural tourism development.

There will be a reception at The Whale Museum in Friday Harbor, and field trips will be available before and after the conference.

Other hosts include the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development, Department of Transportation and San Juan Island Visitors Bureau. Details: 360-725-4181 or 360-902-2377.

• The Scottish Lakes High Camp is offering a fly-fishing weekend clinic Sept. 10 in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness at Lake Julius. Bring your own spinning rod and reel, plus a $10 fee for local flies and other gear. Gerry Erickson co-author of the High Lakes Fishing Guide book will be the instructor. Details: 425-844-2000 or www.scottishlakes.com.

• The Tacoma Nature Center at 1919 South Tyler in Tacoma is offering a family event titled: Twilight Tales for Families, 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m., Aug. 24-26. Learn about local wild critters, make crafts, games and take part in search for signs of critters along nature trails. Cost is $12 family of four, and $5 each additional adult and child. Details: 253-591-6439.

• The People For Puget Sound is offering a presentation titled: Sea Otters, Abalone and Urchins — What Do You Do When One Threatened Species Eats Another? 7 p.m. Sept. 1 at REI Store, 222 Yale Avenue North in Seattle. Cost is $8 in advance, and $10 at the door.

Dr. Joe Gaydos, SeaDoc Society Regional Director and Chief Scientist. Dr. Gaydos' are the speakers. Details: 206-382-7007.

• The Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group seeks volunteers to help with the summer chum project on the Union River in Belfair. The Union summer chum is listed under the Endangered Species Act, and there has been an ongoing supplementation project since 2000. Volunteers will collect data and release the salmon and other wildlife species caught in the trap. Four-hour and overnight shifts with accommodations are available daily from Aug. 15 to Oct. 15. Details: 360-275-3575.

• Bats Northwest offers a free bat walk and talk 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 22 at the Green Lake Bathhouse. Details: 206-300-8172 or www.batsnorthwest.org.

• A free discussion about the Elwha River and restoration efforts is 7 p.m. Aug. 24 at the REI Store, 222 Yale Ave. N. in Seattle. Ross Freeman with American Rivers; Tom O'Keefe, a researcher and river kayaker; and LaTrisha Suggs and Rob Elofson with Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe will discuss current information and history of the Elwha River. Details: 206-213-0330 or www.americanrivers.org.

• The Lake Washington Rowing Club's Try Rowing Bash is 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. Aug. 20 at 910 N. Northlake Way in Fremont. Cost is $30. Details: 206-547-1583 or email lwrcmanager@yahoo.com.

• A free talk and discussion about the Elwha River and restoration efforts is 7 p.m. Aug. 24 at REI Store, 222 Yale Avenue North in Seattle.

Ross Freeman with American Rivers; Tom O'Keefe a researcher and river kayaker; and LaTrisha Suggs and Rob Elofson with Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe will discuss current information and history of the Elwha River. Details: 206-213-0330 or www.americanrivers.org.

• The Northwest Trek Run Wild fun runs are 8:30 a.m. Sept. 24, at Northwest Trek in Eatonville. Events include 5K and 8K runs, a 5K walk and a kid's dash. Cost is $20 run, $15 walk and kids dash is free with paying adult. Details: 360-832-6117 or www.nwtrek.org.

• The Coastal Cutthroat Trout Symposium is Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at Fort Worden State Park near Port Townsend. Objectives: Update information and activities since the 1995 symposium; enhance knowledge of life history and ecology; provide current assessment of the status of populations; and develop a coastwide conservation plan. Details: 541-753-0442 or www.orafs.org/cutthroat.html.

• The Washington Outdoor Women's workshop, hosted by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, is Sept. 16-18 at Camp Waskowitz Environmental Learning Center near North Bend.

The women's workshop offers tips on archery, basic fishing, fly fishing and fly tying, canoeing, preparing fish and shellfish, big-game hunting basics, map- and compass reading, practical wilderness medicine, survival skills, wildlife identification and other outdoor skills.

Participants must be 18 or older, and must possess a state recreational fishing license to take part in fishing activities. Cost is $190, and includes lodging, meals and the use of gear. Details: 425-455-1986 or www.washingtonoutdoorwomen.org.

• The Queen City Yacht Club is hosting a five-day junior boating camp in several sessions through Aug. 22. The camp is open for youth ages 8 to 18, and includes small boat handling, boat safety, knot tying, rowing, sailing and essential skill development.

The program is run by U.S. Sailing certified instructors. Cost is $250 per week. Details: 206-709-2000.

• The Tacoma Nature Center offers free activities throughout the summer. Discovery walks are offered 10-11:30 a.m. on the third Saturday of each month; nature story times are 10:30 a.m.-noon on the last Monday of each month; and open trail days at Morse Wildlife Preserve in Graham are noon-4 p.m. on the second Sunday of each month. Details: 253-591-6439.

• The Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge summer lecture series begins next month. The theme of this year's series is "Nature at Work," featuring a variety of talks on environmental topics from local experts.

All lectures begin at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.), and will be held at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center auditorium.

Dates, topics and speakers: Aug. 10, "When East Meets West: Zen and the Art of Western Gray Squirrel" with Mary Linders; Aug. 17, "Nisqually Flats: 150 Years at the River's End" with Tim Ransom; and Aug. 24, "Prairies and Oak Woodlands: Endangered Habitats of Puget Sound" with Rod Gilbert. Details: 360-753-9467.

• The Pacific Northwest Salmon Center will hold a fundraising art auction 4 p.m. Aug. 19 at the Alderbrook Resort and Spa in Union on Hood Canal. Cost is $25 per person. Details: 360-275-4212.

• Alki Kayak Tours has begun operating out of the Seacrest Boathouse at 1660 Harbor Ave. S.W. in West Seattle. The company provides sea kayak tours focusing on the natural and human history of Puget Sound. Owners Greg and Kara Whittaker, both expert kayakers and naturalists, will offer two basic tours for all skill levels: the Alki Lighthouse Paddle, which is $39 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and sunset paddles for $25 that launch two hours before sunset. Overnight trips to Blake Island and two-hour introduction to sea kayaking classes are planned for this summer. The tours will be in a brand-new fleet of Northwest Kayaks. Details: 206-953-0237 or www.kayakalki.com.

• The DevineRIDEÔ mountain-bike women camp is Sept. 16-18 at Red Mountain Resort's Bikepark in Rossland, British Columbia.

The camp's focus on skills instruction, lift-access rides or ride/shuttle access, and technical seminars. There are trails for all abilities and a skill-development area.

Cost is $165 (U.S. currency) plus tax without lift tickets, and $293 with lift tickets. Details: 877-969-7669 or www.kirstyexner.com or www.devineride.com.

• The Whistler-Blackcomb Resort in British Columbia has opened its Whistler Mountain Bike Park, which offers a wide variety of trails for all skill levels. The park is open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

New this year is a another lift-accessed park at the base of Blackcomb "The Magic Park," specifically designed for beginners and families. Also new this year and accessible the Garbanzo chair is the 2,200 vertical foot, 8-kilometer long Freight Train trail, and the Kona Jump Farm will be introduced this summer as the world's first lift-accessed dirt jump facility.

Spring skiing and snowboarding also continues until June 5 on Whistler Mountain. Cost of lift ticket is $45 Canadian, and can be used for skiing/snowboarding and mountain biking within the same day. Details: 800-766-0449 or www.whistlerblackcomb.com.

• Friends of Seattle's Olmstead Parks has created a new bicycle map that are geared toward recreational riders, and cover four quadrants of the city.

The maps list mileage, bathrooms, parking and food locations. They also describe historic and modern points of interest. The maps are available on the Web site at www.seattleolmsted.org.

• The Hike-A-Thon, a benefit for the Washington Trails Association, is a fun and healthy way to support hiking trails this spring and summer.

Participants collect pledges then log their miles hiked in August. The funds raised support trail maintenance and protection efforts. There is no fee to register. Details: 206-625-1367 or www.wta.org.

• The North Cascades Institute catalog features 40 pages of natural history seminars, summer youth adventures and an all new Family Getaways. The institute is a provider of field-based environmental education, focusing on natural and cultural history. Details: www.ncascades.org or 360-856-5700.

• The Emerald Sea Dive Club offers year-round activities, including weekly and monthly dives. The club meets on the first Wednesday of every month, 7-9 p.m. at Alfy's Pizza, 4820 196th St. S.W. in Lynnwood. Details: 425-775-2410 or www.emeraldseadiveclub.org.

• The state Fish and Wildlife hunter education classes are Aug. 26-28 at the Cascade Boy Scout Reservation Complex near Snohomish. The classes offer comprehensive safety training that fulfills state hunter-education certification requirements for those born after 1971. Each student must achieve a passing score on a written examination and an outdoor field course that simulates actual hunting conditions. Each participant must also safely handle and fire a .22 rifle under the supervision of instructors. The June class is not recommended for children under age 12 or anyone who has difficulty with reading. Details: 360-568-2065 or 360-902-8115 or 360-480-4881.

• The Gifford Pinchot National Forest has recently dropped day-use fees at 11 recreation sites. The area will continue to charge fees at 34 day-use sites, including trailheads, interpretive sites and picnic areas operated by the Forest Service.

There is also a new color map of Mount Adams, Indian Heaven and Trapper Creek Wilderness for sale. The maps display information on the wilderness trails system, camp sites, leave-no-trace wilderness use, horse camps, fishing, hunting, picnicking and other points of interest. The map is printed on rain-proof paper and costs $5. Details: 360-891-5001 or www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/.

• Nature lovers who enjoy finding the fruits of the wild should head to northeast Washington, where huckleberry picking is in full swing. With plenty of spring rain, many are saying this could be one of the best huckleberry years in the past decade. That also means to keep your eyes peeled out for black bears who will join in on the berry feast. Keep your distance from bears, especially from protective mother bears with cubs. If you make a lot of noise, most bears will stay away. For details, http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/blkbear/blkbear.htm.

Mark Yuasa: 206-464-8780 or myuasa@seattletimes.com