The snow's only just begun to fly and winter steelheading, as we must now come to know, ends Thursday, Jan. 31.

Some stream angling options do remain through the middle of February though even they may close prematurely if major hatchery programs do not get their needed hatchery fish for egg takes.

APPLY FOR 2013 HUNTS

Idaho has been selling non-resident deer and elk tags since the first of December and Wyoming began accepting applications for non-resident big game controlled hunt drawings as of New Year's Day.

The Gem State also has started accepting applications for spring black bear hunt permits.

Veteran Wyoming visiting hunters should not wait for the usual booklet to arrive in the mail. Cowboy State hunt managers, as of this year, have done away with the printed application booklet and that may not be the only change in store for out-of-state hunters.

COMING SUNDAY

For more details about the last of the winter steelheading, information about planning for 2013 big game forays plus more hunting and fishing news, read Sunday's Outdoors Column.

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