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Washington State Register, Issue 13-12 WSR 13-11-078 WSR 13-11-078 WAC 232-28-334 Game management units (GMUs) PERMANENT RULES boundary descriptions—Region four. DEPARTMENT OF Agency reason for adoption: This proposal changes the FISH AND WILDLIFE management area designation of the Puget Sound Islands [Order 13-94—Filed May 16, 2013, 3:30 p.m., effective June 16, 2013] from deer areas to game management units (GMUs). The proposed amendments will allow the department to better Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. track harvest removals specific to the islands. Purpose: WAC 232-12-021 Importation and retention WAC 232-28-336 Game management units (GMUs) of dead nonresident wildlife. boundary descriptions—Region six. Agency reason for adoption: The amendment reduces Agency reason for adoption: The purpose of the amend- the risk of CWD being imported into Washington state via ment is to designate Anderson Island as a GMU rather than a carcasses of animals harvested in other states. Reducing dis- deer area. The proposed language will allow the department ease risk helps in sustaining deer, elk, and moose hunting to better track harvest removals specific to the island, rather opportunities in Washington. than having those removals lumped with a mainland GMU. WAC 232-12-054 Archery requirements—Archery spe- WAC 232-28-337 Elk area descriptions. cial use permits. Agency reason for adoption: The purpose of the amend- Agency reason for adoption: This amendment is ment is to separate elk area descriptions from deer area intended to further the discussion on allowing illuminated descriptions. The proposal also removes one elk area that is nocks for archery equipment, including discussion of new no longer needed and adjusts the boundary of two other elk technologies and consideration of acceptable fair chase and areas to make them more effective in dealing with wildlife ethical standards for hunting. conflict. Some of the language modifications in this pro- posed amendment are part of the effort to streamline, reorga- WAC 232-28-248 Special closures and firearm restriction nize, and update rules in the WAC overhaul project currently areas. underway. Agency reason for adoption: This proposed amendment is part of the effort to streamline, reorganize, and update rules WAC 232-28-342 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15 Small game in the WAC overhaul project currently underway. Antici- and other wildlife seasons and regulations. pated effects are minimal; this project involves merely Agency reason for adoption: The purpose of amending rewording and clarifying a rule already in existence. the 2013-2015 small game seasons is to add GMU 145 to the late fall turkey season, modify the fall turkey bag-limit lan- WAC 232-28-273 2012-2014 Moose seasons, permit quo- guage, and remove the Washington Dungeness pheasant tas, and areas. release site reference. GMU 145 was inadvertently omitted Agency reason for adoption: This amendment clarifies during the three-year season-setting process. The bag-limit that the exemption from the once-in-a-lifetime moose restric- language pertaining to fall turkey permit seasons was modi- tion is also applicable if the hunter applies in the future for a fied to clarify that hunters who kill a turkey during the permit hunt in the permit categories of antlerless moose, raffle, auc- seasons may still participate in the other fall seasons open to tion, or master hunter. Additionally, this amendment reduces all hunters. the number of master-hunter moose permits and reflects the References to the western Washington Dungeness expected number of hunters needed in 2013 and beyond, pheasant release site are also removed under the western based on the experience of recent years. Washington pheasant seasons, as the landowner has decided WAC 232-28-286 2013, 2014, and 2015 Spring black bear to no longer allow use of the area for upland bird hunting. seasons and regulations. WAC 232-28-357 2012-2014 Deer general seasons and Agency reason for adoption: The purpose for amending definitions. the 2013-15 spring black bear hunting seasons is to expand Agency reason for adoption: The purpose of this amend- opportunity in the north Puget Sound. Spring bear hunting ment is to retain general-season deer hunting opportunity, helps address commercial tree damage issues and provides providing recreational deer hunting opportunities, and pro- recreational hunting opportunity. The spring black bear sea- tecting deer from overharvest. The purpose is also to balance son allows recreational hunters to better target the areas the hunting opportunity between user groups; increase oppor- receiving damage and allows hunters rather than contractors tunity when deer populations allow; and reduce opportunity to harvest bears. when declining deer numbers warrant a change. WAC 232-28-296 Landowner hunting permits. WAC 232-28-358 2012-2014 Elk general seasons and def- Agency reason for adoption: The purpose of this amend- initions. ment is to expand the number of special hunting opportuni- Agency reason for adoption: The purpose of this amend- ties available on private lands for hunters and to maintain the ment is to retain general-season elk hunting opportunity. The number of cooperating landowners. This program encour- purpose is also to balance the hunting opportunity between ages landowners to provide opportunity to the general hunter user groups; increase opportunity when elk populations in exchange for customized hunting seasons and the ability to allow; and reduce opportunity when declining elk numbers generate funding to offset the cost of providing public access. warrant a change. [ 1 ] Permanent WSR 13-11-078 Washington State Register, Issue 13-12 WAC 232-28-359 2013 Deer special permits. • Several technical amendments were made through- Agency reason for adoption: The purpose of this amend- out this section to improve the clarity and accuracy ment is to retain special-permit deer hunting opportunity. of the rule. The purpose is also to balance the hunting opportunity • In the first sentence of subsection (2), the term between user groups; increase opportunity when deer popula- "mountain sheep" was changed to "bighorn sheep" tions allow; and reduce opportunity when declining deer to clarify the intended species, Ovis canadensis, numbers warrant a change. commonly known as bighorn sheep. • Due to detection of CWD in 3 deer from two coun- WAC 232-28-360 2013 Elk special permits. ties, Pennsylvania was added to the list of states Agency reason for adoption: The purpose of this amend- with importation restrictions for harvested deer, ment is to retain special-permit elk hunting opportunity. The moose, elk or parts thereof. purpose is also to balance the hunting opportunity between user groups; increase opportunity when elk populations WAC 232-12-054 Archery requirements—Archery spe- allow; and reduce opportunity when declining elk numbers cial use permits. warrant a change. Changes, if any, from the text of the proposed rule and reasons for difference: WAC 232-28-622 2012-2014 Bighorn sheep seasons and permit quotas. • Several technical amendments were made through- out this section to improve the clarity and accuracy Agency reason for adoption: This is a new section of of the rule. rule that used to exist in WAC 232-28-273. In this new rule, the hunting permits for the Blue Mountain area were reduced WAC 232-28-248 Special closures and firearm restriction to decrease pressure on a herd that is experiencing a disease areas. problem, and increase the chances for a high quality ram, Changes, if any, from the text of the proposed rule and taken from this herd by the winner of the Rocky Mountain reasons for difference: bighorn sheep raffle. • Several technical amendments were made through- WAC 232-28-623 2012-2014 Mountain goat seasons and out this section to improve the clarity and accuracy permit quotas. of the rule. Agency reason for adoption: This is a new section of a • The first sentence in subsection (3)(b) was altered to rule that used to exist in WAC 232-28-273. In this new rule, read as follows: "Except for special permits issued the language was changed to reduce ambiguity regarding by the department for nonendangered deer and elk, who may apply for a mountain goat permit; remove inconsis- this area is closed to all deer and elk hunting to pro- tency between the WAC, pamphlet, and instructional letters tect the Columbian whitetailed deer." sent to permit holders; and clarify hunting unit boundaries for This exception was added because the department is mountain goats in the Mt. Baker area. required to issue damage permits to mitigate agri- cultural damage and also the proper terminology for WAC 232-28-624 Deer area descriptions. Columbian whitetailed deer should be used. Agency reason for adoption: This is a new section of a • Subsection (3)(c) was eliminated. Subsection (3)(c) rule that used to exist in WAC 232-28-337. This new section specifies certain areas of a federal wildlife refuge separates deer area descriptions from elk area descriptions to that were not open to big game hunting. This infor- improve the clarity of these rules. The proposal also removes mation is now obsolete. The areas that will be open the Puget Sound islands that were previously described as on the refuge in the future will vary from year to deer areas. The department is proposing that those islands be year. Rather than attempt to codify these future clo- described as GMUs in the future. Some of the language mod- sures, over which the fish and wildlife commission ifications in this proposed amendment are part of the effort to has no purview, the department will direct hunters to streamline, reorganize, and update rules in the WAC over- contact the wildlife refuge directly to get the most haul project currently underway.