The last evening razor-clam dig of the season will take place Saturday and Sunday 19 on three ocean beaches. After that, clam diggers can look forward to a series of digs on morning tides.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife just announced the approval of this week’s dig at Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks beaches after marine toxin tests showed clams on those beaches are safe to eat.

For this dig, the evening low tide on Saturday is at 4:13 p.m. (0 feet), and on Sunday it is at 5 p.m. (-0.2 feet).

No digging will be …

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Eatonville resident Joel Turner took second place in the professional division during the recent 2012 Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation/Leupold World Elk Calling Championships.

In the professional division, competitors are required to make specific calls such as barks, whistles and screaming bugles. The amateur-level callers have 30 seconds to mimic cow elk sounds, followed by bull sounds.

The competition was held as part of the foundation’s annual convention and expo, which ended Feb. 4 in Las Vegas.

Bryan Langley of McMinnville, Ore., won the professional division, while Corey Jacobsen of Boise took third. Turner won the event in 2008.

Winners received …

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A series of meetings to discuss salmon runs and fishing seasons will begin Feb. 28 with the release of salmon forecasts for the state.

The meetings, part of the North of Falcon process, will conclude April 1-6 when the Pacific Fishery Management Council meets in Seattle to adopts ocean fisheries regulations and state-tribal fishing plans.

At the Feb. 28 meeting, staffers from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife will release Puget Sound, coastal Washington and Columbia River salmon forecasts. They also will discuss fishery management objectives and 2012 recreational fishing opportunities.

That meeting will be 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in …

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The state is pulling the plug on a hatchery steelhead program at Snider Creek next year to establish a wild steelhead management zone in the Sol Duc River.

After next spring, no hatchery steelhead will be released into the Sol Duc River, said the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. Snider Creek is a tributary to the Sol Duc River near Forks.

The Sol Duc will be the first wild steelhead management zone formally established in the state under the department’s statewide steelhead management plan, said Ron Warren, regional fish program manager.

Wild management zones, also known as wild …

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Lake Tapps angler Brian Dennis brought home the $4,000 second prize in the ninth annual 2012 Roche Harbor Salmon Classic Invitational. Dennis was the leader after the first day with his 16.2-pound chinook salmon.

The winner was Jason King of Bellingham whose 16.6-pound fish topped the field of 293 anglers to earn the $10,000 first-place prize.

Dennis was tied for second place with David Hodges of Friday Harbor.

Rounding out the top five were Dale Nelson of Bellingham (16.1 pounds, $2,000) and Derek Floyd of Camano Island (14.2 pounds, $1,000).

Another local angler was among the winners. Christian Thomas was …

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The State Parks and Recreation Commission will consider a resolution Thursday that establishes the conditions under which it would be willing to transfer Fort Worden State Park to the Fort Worden Lifelong Learning Center Public Development Authority that would own and manage the park.

The resolution will be considered during the regular meeting, which begins at 9 a.m. Thursday, at the Labor and Industries Auditorium, 7273 Linderson Way S.W., Tumwater.

Here is the rest of the news release:

If the PDA completes a business plan showing that it can successfully fund the park and if it agrees to certain …

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Within the next month Grand Canyon National Park will eliminate the in-park sale of water packaged in individual disposable containers under a plan approved earlier this week. Free water stations are available throughout the park to allow visitors to fill reusable water bottles.

The park’s plan calls for the elimination of the sale of water packaged in individual disposable containers of less than one gallon, including plastic bottles and various types of boxes, said a park news release. The waste associated with disposable bottles comprises an estimated 20 percent of the park’s overall waste stream and 30 percent of …

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Fellow outdoor writer Craig Hill is on assignment at Paradise today and sent this image.

It should be a great weekend to go play at Mount Rainier National Park. The National Weather Service forecast calls for mostly sunny skies, with highs in the upper 30s through Monday.

Telemetry this morning puts the snowpack at 131 inches.

This morning, the park said traction tires were advised for the drive from Longmire to Paradise. All vehicles are required to carry snow chains.