LEE HORTON’S OUTDOORS: Late-season deer hunt begins

MODERN FIREARM HUNTERS get another shot at deer starting Thursday.

The late-season black-tailed deer hunt is open through Sunday.

Any deer with visible antlers may be taken.

A lack of rain put a damper on the early season deer hunt, which ended Oct. 31, but the North Olympic Peninsula has become a wet place since that ended.

Then again, the increase of rain didn’t do much for the elk hunt that closed Wednesday.

“There was very little success on elk,” Brian Menkal of Brian’s Sporting Goods and More (360-683-1950) in Sequim said.

“I heard lots of reports of no shots and nobody seeing anything.

“The elk fared very well.”

Details of duck hunting

Ward Norden, a fishing tackle wholesaler and former fishery biologist, reports taking some widgeons last week, “which is a sure sign some of the northern birds are starting to arrive.”

Norden recommends preparing smart for your duck hunts.

“From my experience, decoy setups on our Oregon and Washington coastal estuaries is almost an art form, with great attention needing to be paid to detail,” he said.

“You don’t need a lot of decoys either, just have a few of the right species positioned properly.

“Same is true with calling — quality not quantity.”

Razor clam digs approved

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife has approved a six-day razor dig after marine toxin tests showed the clams on the four participating beaches to be safe to eat.

The dig kicks off Friday.

Here are the tentative dates, beaches and low tides:

■ Friday, Nov. 15: 5:01 p.m.; -0.3 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks.

■ Saturday, Nov. 16: 5:42 p.m.; -0.6 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks

■ Sunday, Nov. 17: 6:20 p.m.; -0.7 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks.

■ Monday, Nov. 18: 6:57 p.m.; -0.6 feet; Twin Harbors.

■ Tuesday, Nov. 19: 7:33 p.m.; -0.4 feet; Twin Harbors.

■ Wednesday, Nov. 20: 8:09 p.m.; -0.2 feet; Twin Harbors.

No digging is allowed before noon, and lanterns are recommended for evening digs.

Those who like to plan ahead can find the state’s proposed razor clam dig schedule through the end of the year online at www.tinyurl.com/pdnClamDigs.

Ski bus program

Sign-ups for the Kiwanis Club of Port Townsend’s annual youth snow sports program is Saturday at the Port Townsend Rec Center on Tyler and Clay streets from 9 a.m. to noon.

The program will be making six bus trips to Stevens Pass — the first on Saturday, Jan. 11.

This year, Quilcene students will be joining the Port Townsend and Chimacum students.

Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Contact Stevens Pass directly for lift ticket prices. Transportation cost is $130.

For further information, please contact Michelle West, Kiwanis snow sports program director, at evergreenfitness@qwestoffice.net (email preferred) or 360-302-1132.

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Sports Editor Lee Horton appears here Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at 360-417-3525 or at lhorton@peninsuladailynews.com.