Fish and Wildlife offers a number of hunts each year by raffle. There is no limit on the number of tickets a person may purchase. The deer, elk, moose and mountain goat tickets are $6 each. Bighorn sheep tickets are $11.50 and Multi-species tickets are $17 per ticket for three-species raffles and $22.50 for four-species raffles. The deadline for purchasing tickets is June 15.

The tickets are no longer available online or by telephone, but must be purchased in person at a license dealer.

The winners will be notified by mid-August. One winner and two alternates will be drawn for each hunt. Any legal weapon may be used during the hunt.

Most of the seasons are Sept. 1 through Dec. 31.

Me? Every year I purchase a few tickets to support the various big game species. This year the purchases may be a few for the mule deer raffle and a few for the moose raffle. Haven't decided about the whitetail and elk raffle yet.

Special permit drawing results

The special permit drawing results are supposed to be online by the end of June for deer, elk, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, moose and turkey.

This is an exciting time for my hunting buddies and me every year. The anticipation builds and we are seldom disappointed.

While Fish and Wildlife indicates the end of June as the notification time, the results are usually available before then. Most of the notifications will be made by the e-mail indicated when applying for the permit.

Good luck to all.

From Fish and Wildlife: Columbia River salmon fishing limit increased

Starting June 3, the catch limit for spring chinook salmon increased to two adult fish per day for Columbia River anglers fishing from the estuary to a point 300 miles upstream.