Discover recreational opportunities in Eastern, North Central, South Central, North Puget Sound, Southwest, and Coastal Washington.
November treats and tips for trips
With the emphasis on food in November, put a wild turkey on your table this Thanksgiving, or try something a little different like pheasant, duck, or goose. November offers an array of natural fare and outdoor activities.
And, when you’re tired of eating, try fishing! This fall, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will stock 26 lakes throughout Washington with rainbow trout in advance of WDFW’s annual Black Friday Fishing event. Check MyWDFW for a list of participating lakes. If you’d rather bring a bigger fillet to the dinner table, many rivers across the state remain open for coho salmon and hatchery steelhead, just check the Fish Washington mobile app or emergency rules before hitting the water.
Interested in watching or hunting birds? We have tips for sharing WDFW-managed lands and opportunities to learn more about WDFW Wildlife Areas. Check the hunting regulations for more detail including hunting seasons.
November is prime time for fish, wildlife, or bird viewing too. The first flocks of snow geese, green-winged teal and pintail ducks, dunlins, and other migratory birds are arriving at WDFW-managed wildlife areas across the state. Depending on your region, sites such as the Johns River Wildlife Area including the Ocean Shores Airport and Oyhut wildlife area units near Grays Harbor, and Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area near Spokane offer exceptional birding and chances to see other wildlife, too.
Popular outdoor opportunities in November
Late season deer hunting
Late season opportunities are available this month for black-tailed deer in many Western Washington units as well as white-tailed deer in several Eastern Washington units. Your chance of success hunting deer ramps up this month as the rut (mating season for deer) gets underway. If you haven’t already identified where you will hunt this late season, review this year’s Washington Hunting Prospects for guidance and hunting information for each district.
Out of state hunters: Bringing bones into Washington is illegal
If you live in Washington but hunt in other states or Canada, a reminder that there are restrictions on bringing deer, elk, moose, or caribou carcasses into Washington, to prevent the spread of chronic wasting disease. The same restrictions apply if you hunt in 100 series game management units (GMUs) in Eastern Washington and plan to take a harvested deer, elk, or moose to another part of the state. Only deboned meat, cleaned skulls, antlers, hides, and specific tissues for research or taxidermy are allowed to be transported.
Razor clam digging
There are 14 potential days of razor clamming at four coastal beaches—Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks, and Copalis—during November. Information about razor clam digging opportunities, including future tentative dates, is available online.
Fall river and stream fishing
As river levels increase from rain and water temps decrease, salmon, trout, and steelhead become more active. The Upper Columbia and Methow rivers are open for hatchery steelhead fishing for the first time in nearly a decade. Fall fishing for these summer-run steelhead is also heating up on the Snake River and its tributaries, including the Grande Ronde. Many rivers flowing into Grays Harbor, Willapa Bay, the Washington Coast, the lower Columbia, and North Puget Sound’s Skagit River are renowned for big fall-run coho that return through the end of the year. Fishing for chum salmon is also available in certain rivers such as the Green. For trout anglers, eastside rivers like the Yakima, Naches, Kettle, and Spokane fish well as native west slope cutthroat and redband rainbows feed in preparation for winter.
Black Friday fishing
Holidays are for spending with family and friends, so forget the mall this Black Friday and hit the lake with the people you love instead. WDFW stocked many lakes statewide in anticipation of this annual event. Access our blog for trout fishing tips to help you enjoy a successful day on the water. For information about recently stocked lakes near you, visit the link below.
Outreach events this month
When not in the field or on the water, we invite you to connect with WDFW in November at events near you! Check out WDFW’s Event Calendar for more details.
- Davis Creek Mentored Pheasant Hunt – Nov. 2, Oakville
- Crow Watch Event – Nov. 19, Bothell
Additional outdoor opportunities include:
Visit WDFW lands for fall adventures
It may be getting wetter outside, but there’s still plenty of outdoor adventures to be had on WDFW-managed lands across Washington. One of our most popular wildlife areas, the Skagit Headquarters Unit, recently reopened to the public after being closed for more than a year due to construction and habitat restoration. Located just minutes from I-5 in the lower Skagit Valley, this newly improved area includes more than a mile of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-accessible dike-top walking trails, an updated wildlife-viewing blind, and a concrete boat launch with ADA-accessible loading ramp. The site is a favorite for birders or for taking visitors to see abundant waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors, and marsh and estuary habitats on Skagit Bay.
Waterfowl season takes flight
Statewide waterfowl hunting seasons started in October but improve in November as the weather cools. Tens of millions of ducks and geese use the Pacific Flyway, and Washington is routinely ranked among the best states in the U.S. for waterfowl hunting, with diverse species and opportunities from coastal bays and marshes to farm fields, pothole lakes, and big rivers.
Chronic wasting disease in Eastern Washington
Hunters can find many hunter check stations and drop-off kiosks during the fall hunting seasons in WDFW’s Region 1. You can find a web map with locations on WDFW’s website. With chronic wasting disease having been confirmed in the state, it is more important than ever (and required in GMUs 124, 127, and 130) to stop at a check station to have your harvested deer, elk, or moose tested for CWD. Even if your hunt wasn’t successful, we appreciate hunters stopping to share with staff what they are seeing in the field.
Saltwater fishing continues
Several areas remain open for coho and chum salmon, including eastern Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay (Marine Areas 2-2 and 2-1), and central and south-central Puget Sound (Marine Areas 10 and 11 are open through Nov. 15). South Puget Sound (Marine Area 13) is open for hatchery Chinook and coho. Hood Canal (Marine Area 12) is open for chum from Nov. 1-30. The Westport Boat Basin and Ocean Shores Boat Basin are open for coho. Be sure to watch the weather and water conditions and bring adequate clothing and safety equipment when heading out this time of year. Sea run coastal cutthroat fishing in South Puget Sound and Hood Canal can also be exceptional this time of year as waters cool.
New cougar regulations
A reminder for cougar hunters that, under new rules, GMUs may be closed to hunting when the harvest cap is reached. As of late October 2024, GMUs 124, 127, 130, and 564 are closed to hunting. Hunters can verify if the season is open or closed online or by calling the toll-free Cougar Hotline at 1-866-364-4868 (press 2 after greeting).
New bobcat submission requirements
Washington small game hunters and trappers are now required to submit the lower jaw of any bobcat they harvest, as part of the mandatory pelt sealing process. Information and a video on how to do this is on WDFW’s website.
Watchable Wildlife
The snow geese and swans have returned to the Skagit Wildlife Area from their summers spent in the Arctic. The skies are filling with a flurry of white feathers and a cacophony of cackles and honks as thousands of birds take flight. These birds and many others at the Wildlife Area provide an excellent viewing opportunity and a photographer’s delight.
Wild Washington youth education
Early season snows reveal animal tracks, hidey-holes, and other wildlife findings that might not be seen on bare ground. Additionally, seasonal changes in foliage can help youth hone observation skills. Observation and sensory activities help children make sense of how the world works and encourage critical thinking skills. For ideas, check out the activities on our website.
Habitat at Home
Leave the leaves, our friends need these! That’s right, the leaves that fall on the ground are crucial to wildlife surviving the winter. Ground-nesting pollinators and insects nest in them; amphibians and reptiles find cozy shelter in the warm, moist leaves; songbirds and small mammals use them for nest; and small mammals use the leaves to keep them warm through the winter. Can’t leave the leaves? Create small leaf piles around your yard – these mini hideaways make a big difference.
Watch: Snagging fish is illegal
Fishing legally and ethically helps to ensure an enjoyable time for everyone. We would like to remind all anglers that snagging is illegal throughout Washington. Snagging is defined as “an effort to take fish with a hook and line in a manner that the fish does not take the hook or hooks voluntarily in its mouth.” Although more commonly witnessed during times of low flow, snagging occurs year-round. Violators are subject to fines or prosecution. Check out our short video to learn more and help spread the word about protecting our state’s fish resources. More information on fishing rules is available online.
#LifeOutdoors
The outdoors fits into everyone’s life in unique and personal ways. We want to help people connect with nature wherever they are. Check out our Life Outdoors resources to plan your next adventure, whether it be birding in your neighborhood or camping across the state. We hope to see you in the field and on the water enjoying Life Outdoors!
Join the WDFW team
If you’d enjoy preserving, protecting, and perpetuating the state’s fish, wildlife, and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities, then check out some of our current job openings or sign up for job alerts. From fish hatchery specialists to environmental engineers and budget analysts to wildlife biologists, a career with WDFW makes a difference.
Volunteer with WDFW
WDFW welcomes volunteers of all abilities who want to contribute to conservation of fish, wildlife, and habitat. Diverse volunteer opportunities are available, including projects on state wildlife areas and water access areas, habitat restoration projects, Hunter Education instruction, and assisting at outreach events. To get started as a volunteer, register at the link below and view upcoming volunteer opportunities around the state. Adding interest groups to your profile allows staff to reach out to you based on your choices.