08-08-2008, 11:10 AM
But We All Have to Look Out for One Another
With summer nearing the halfway point, Washingtonians are scrambling to make the most of their time outdoors. For some, the choice about where to go and what to do is clear.
Many anglers have their sights set on the popular "Buoy 10" salmon fishery at the mouth of the Columbia River, where they can catch and keep chinook salmon through Labor Day. Others are making a beeline to Lake Wenatchee, where sockeye fishing is open for the first time in four years.
Then there are the campers, hikers and birdwatchers, who are also spending time outdoors, making the most of the summer weather. Mount Rainier, alone, attracts 1.3 million visitors per year, most of them in summer.
"We're nearing the high point of the summer recreation season, and we all have to do our best to accommodate one another," said Jeff Koenings, director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). "As the state's population grows and the use of outdoor recreational areas increases, we must be sure we're doing everything we can to protect all users."
With that in mind, Koenings has called for an examination of hunter-education practices and other possible safety improvements after a recent incident in which a Skagit County hiker was accidentally shot by a 14-year-old bear hunter on federal land. It was the first hunting-related fatality in Washington involving a non-hunter in at least a quarter century.
"A fatal hunting accident involving non-hunters is extremely rare, but that doesn't make it any less tragic," Koenings said. "Anything we can do to reduce the risk of another such incident is well worth pursuing."
For their part, hunters are trained - and expected to know - their targets before pulling the trigger, he said. Non-hunters can also help avoid an accident by knowing state hunting seasons, wearing brightly colored clothing and making hunters aware of their presence if they hear shooting, he said.
Hunting seasons are posted at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm on WDFW's website.
"The safety of all outdoor recreationalists is our primary concern," Koenings said.
For more information about hunting, fishing and wildlife-watching opportunities currently available around the state, see the regional reports below.
With summer nearing the halfway point, Washingtonians are scrambling to make the most of their time outdoors. For some, the choice about where to go and what to do is clear.
Many anglers have their sights set on the popular "Buoy 10" salmon fishery at the mouth of the Columbia River, where they can catch and keep chinook salmon through Labor Day. Others are making a beeline to Lake Wenatchee, where sockeye fishing is open for the first time in four years.
Then there are the campers, hikers and birdwatchers, who are also spending time outdoors, making the most of the summer weather. Mount Rainier, alone, attracts 1.3 million visitors per year, most of them in summer.
"We're nearing the high point of the summer recreation season, and we all have to do our best to accommodate one another," said Jeff Koenings, director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). "As the state's population grows and the use of outdoor recreational areas increases, we must be sure we're doing everything we can to protect all users."
With that in mind, Koenings has called for an examination of hunter-education practices and other possible safety improvements after a recent incident in which a Skagit County hiker was accidentally shot by a 14-year-old bear hunter on federal land. It was the first hunting-related fatality in Washington involving a non-hunter in at least a quarter century.
"A fatal hunting accident involving non-hunters is extremely rare, but that doesn't make it any less tragic," Koenings said. "Anything we can do to reduce the risk of another such incident is well worth pursuing."
For their part, hunters are trained - and expected to know - their targets before pulling the trigger, he said. Non-hunters can also help avoid an accident by knowing state hunting seasons, wearing brightly colored clothing and making hunters aware of their presence if they hear shooting, he said.
Hunting seasons are posted at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm on WDFW's website.
"The safety of all outdoor recreationalists is our primary concern," Koenings said.
For more information about hunting, fishing and wildlife-watching opportunities currently available around the state, see the regional reports below.