Hunters must file success reports by Jan. 31 for each tag purchased

Hunters face report filing deadline

Hunters are reminded their reports are required by Tuesday for all deer, elk, bear, moose, sheep, goat and turkey tags purchased. Reports are required, whether you hunted or not and whether you were successful or not.

Officials with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife also are reminding hunters to allow additional time to file the report because they will be using a new system.

The agency has switched to a more secure system after a breach last year. The new system requires creating an account with a username and password.

Online Reports can be filed at fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov. A detailed step-by-step guide on how to file a report is included on the website under the Customer Support tab.

Hunters also can report by phone at 877-945-3492, but they need to be ready with their Washington Interactive Licensing Database identification number and the number of the game management units.

Filing hunting reports before the deadline will allow hunters to avoid the $10 penalty when they buy next season’s license.

Students can enter bird drawing contest

Young artists in Pierce County are urged to enter the Youth Bird Drawing Contest sponsored by Tahoma Audubon Society and the Tacoma Nature Center. The free contest is open to youths in grades 1-8 to encourage field observation and artistic expression.

This year, the contest features three birds common to Pierce County backyards: American robin, red-breasted nuthatch and spotted towhee.

Entrants can draw one of these three birds in their natural habitat using any medium of their choice.

Awards and prizes will be given by grade categories 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 and 7-8 at a contest reception on May 24 at the Nature Center. Selected artwork will be framed and displayed at the center from May 24-Aug. 31.

Submissions are due by April 30. They must be accompanied by a submission form, which can be found at tahomaaudubon.org/contest. Submissions can be mailed to Tahoma Audubon Soceity, 2917 Morrison Road W., University Place, WA 98466, or dropped off at the Nature Center at 1919 S. Tyler St, Tacoma.

Group sets annual meeting

The South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group will holds its 26th annual meeting Feb. 9 in Lacey.

The guest speaker at this year’s meeting will be journalist and author Lynda Mapes, who will talk about the status of Puget Sound and the Elwha River restoration project. There also will be a presentation about the projects being done by the enhancement group.

One of more than a dozen such organizations, the South Sound enhancement group works to restore salmon habitat in Pierce, Thurston, King, Kitsap and Mason counties.

People attending the meeting also will be able to try some Taylor Shellfish appetizers, as well as beer and wine. Music will be provided by Greg Ruby.

The meeting will be 5:30-8:15 p.m. at the Lacey Community Center, 6729 Pacific Ave. SE, Lacey.

For more information, go to facebook.com/SPSSEG.

This story was originally published January 28, 2017 at 6:01 AM with the headline "Hunters must file success reports by Jan. 31 for each tag purchased."