Fishing and hunting options reach their maximum with the turn of October's calendar page.

For the rod and reel set, coho and king salmon are in area rivers and with the summer season winding down trout lake fishing perks up as fall temperatures drop.

On the hunting side, early archery deer and elk opportunities roll directly into opening stanzas for blackpowder enthusiasts, while bird hunting gets into full swing in both upland and wetland venues.

Modern rifleers also are getting ready for the second Saturday start of the main general deer season.

FIRST RAZOR DIGS SET

Even before the dust settles on the public comment period, the first round of 2012-13 personal use digging begins Oct. 13 with a six-day set involving four of the five razor clam management sectors on the coast.

Of those four only the Twin Harbors zone will be available all six days. The Long Beach, Copalis and Mocrocks beaches will be open for shorter stints.

Digging each day on designated beaches is allowed between noon and midnight and of course these digs hinge on marine toxin tests done the week prior to the opening.

COMING SUNDAY

For a round-up of October hunting and fishing options here and elsewhere, additional details about coming razor clam digs plus more fishing and hunting news, read the Outdoors Column in the Sunday Herald.

Doug Huddle, the Bellingham Herald's outdoors correspondent since 1983, has written a weekly fishing and hunting column that now appears Sundays. Read his blog and contact him at http://pblogs.bellinghamherald.com/outdoors.