• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Recreation Northwest

We promote outdoor recreation and bring people together to enjoy, preserve and improve the places where we play

  • About Us
    • Our Crew
    • Finances
    • Fiscal Support
    • In the Press
    • Contact Us
    • Our History
  • Experiences
    • Custom Experiences
    • What To Bring
    • Where to Meet
    • Beer Me
    • Local Lodging
  • Fairhaven Park
    • Trail & Wetland Boardwalk Project
      • Design & Build
      • Mitigation & Monitoring
      • Recognition Rock Bench
      • Public Park Bench
      • Garden Gate
    • Native Plant Garden
    • Outdoor Classroom
    • Hundred Acre Wood
  • Parkscriptions
    • Parkscriptions Pilot Program
    • Parkscriptions Programming
  • Advocacy
  • Blog
  • Donate

Blog

Ring in the new year with First Day hikes, waterfowl, and winter wildlife 

December 31, 2020 by Todd Elsworth Leave a Comment

This from our friends at Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Recreate Responsibly. 

The start of the new year is a great time to hunt for waterfowl, fish for winter lakes, and enjoy the annual spectacle of bald eagles, snow geese, elk, and other wintering wildlife.

Be prepared for winter weather this January – it’s essential for any outdoor activity. Check the weather conditions, river conditions, and road conditions – and let people know where you’re going. Review the #RecreateResponsibly winter tips before heading out.

Check out some activities you can enjoy outdoors this new year:

  • Waterfowl hunting: Winter storms are good news – up to a point – for waterfowl hunters, who welcome the surge of ducks and geese that comes with wet, blustery weather.
  • Sturgeon: Retention fishing for white sturgeon opens Jan. 1 on the three pools of the Columbia River from Bonneville Dam upstream to McNary Dam.
  • Puget Sound squid: Winter is a great time to jig for squid in Puget Sound. Squid fishing is a fun, family-friendly activity that is easy to learn and doesn’t require a boat. Remember to keep six feet of physical distance between you and others.
  • Bird watching: Now is a great time to see congregations of wintering birds, from snow geese in the Skagit Valley to bald eagles along the Snake River.
  • Share your volunteer photos: We want to see the outstanding work you’ve done to benefit fish and wildlife! Submit your photos of volunteer time with us on our website. 

For more information about fishing, hunting, and wildlife viewing opportunities this month, see the Weekender Regional Reports. These reports are updated throughout the month to provide current information about recreational opportunities around the state.

WEEKENDER

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

January 2021

Contact: (Fish) 360-902-2700
              (Wildlife) 360-902-2515

Todd Elsworth

Todd Elsworth is one of the many “Mossy-haired lunatics roaming the dripping peninsulas”, described in “I’m Here for the Weather” by Tom Robbins. As executive director, he works to fulfill our mission to teach the health benefits of nature, promote outdoor recreation, and steward the places where we play.

Share with:

Filed Under: Recreation Northwest Tagged With: bald eagles, Bird watching, elk, Recreate Responsibly, snow geese, Squid fishing, WDFW, Weekender Regional Reports, wintering wildlife

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Sign up to stay connected via our email, The Confluence

  • Blog Categories

    • Fairhaven Park 41
    • Parkscriptions 13
    • Press Releases 29
    • Recreation Economy 63
      • Recreation Northwest EXPO 22
    • Recreation Northwest 275
    • Stewardship 29

Footer

Contact Us

Mailing Address:
Recreation Northwest
PO Box 2771
Bellingham, WA 98227

Recreation Northwest

Sign up to stay connected via our email, The Confluence

Recreation Northwest is a 501(c)3 charity. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. Our non-profit federal tax-exempt number is 46-1774882.

site by highwaters