Washington’s 2015 Big Game Hunting Seasons & Regulations Effective April 1, 2015 - March 31, 2016 Photo by Joe Lind May 20, 2015 Special Permit Application Deadline: 2015 BIG GAME SEASONS AND REGULATIONS PAMPHLET CORRECTIONS AS OF DEC. 2, 2015 Page 6 (added Oct. 28) The definition for Military Personnel incorrectly states that dependents must establish a 90-day residency. Dependents do not have to establish this 90-day requirement. Page 19 (added May 5) Under the High Buck Hunts, the page number for the U.S. Forest Service maps should be 99. Page 21 (added May 5) Under the High Buck Hunts, the page number for the U.S. Forest Service maps should be 99. Page 32 (added May 14) Hunt choices 1530 – 1540 (GMUs 411-417, 419-422) within the Youth Deer category are supposed to also be for a Second Deer tag. Since these hunts were placed in the wrong category, selected applicants have the choice to either purchase a second deer tag and participate in the hunt, or return the permit and have their points restored within the Youth Deer category. Page 33 (added May 14) Hunt choices 1573 – 1583 (GMUs 411-417, 419-422) within the Youth Deer category are supposed to also be for a Second Deer tag. Since these hunts were placed in the wrong category, selected applicants have the choice to either purchase a second deer tag and participate in the hunt, or return the permit and have their points restored within the Youth Deer category. Page 35 (added May 14) Hunt choices 1621 – 1631 (GMUs 411-417, 419-422) within the Deer Hunters 65 and Over category are supposed to also be for a Second Deer tag. Since these hunts were placed in the wrong category, selected applicants have the choice to either purchase a second deer tag and participate in the hunt, or return the permit and have their points restored within the Deer Hunters 65 and Over category. Page 36 (added May 14) Hunt choices 1655 – 1667 (GMUs 411-417, 419-422) within the Deer Hunters 65 and Over category are supposed to also be for a Second Deer tag. Since these hunts were placed in the wrong category, selected applicants have the choice to either purchase a second deer tag and participate in the hunt, or return the permit and have their points restored within the Deer Hunters 65 and Over category. Page 38 (added May 14) Hunt choices 1754 – 1764 (GMUs 411-417, 419-422) within the Deer Hunters with Disabilities category are supposed to also be for a Second Deer tag. Since these hunts were placed in the wrong category, selected applicants have the choice to either purchase a second deer tag and participate in the hunt, or return the permit and have their points restored within the Deer Hunters with Disabilities category. Page 38 (added May 14) The Deer Hunters with Disabilities hunt choice, 1760 – Cypress, will not be included in the special permit drawing because it does not provide adequate access to hunters with disabilities. Page 39 (added May 14) Hunt choices 1776 – 1786 (GMUs 411-417, 419-422) within the Deer Hunters with Disabilities category are supposed to also be for a Second Deer tag. Since these hunts were placed in the wrong category, selected applicants have the choice to either purchase a second deer tag and participate in the hunt, or return the permit and have their points restored within the Deer Hunters with Disabilities category. Page 39 (added May 14) The Deer Hunters with Disabilities hunt choice, 1782 - Cypress, will not be included in the special permit drawing because it does not provide adequate access to hunters with disabilities. Page 41 (added June 22) Deer hunt note “F” incorrectly states that the hunter needs to contact the USAF Survival School. This is not accurate. The USAF Survival School will contact hunters drawn for this area. Page 50 (added April 17) The elk eastern Washington modern firearm season, Oct. 31 – Nov. 15, should include GMUs 284, 290. Page 60 (added April 30) Hunt choice 2424, Nooksack, should have hunt note “H” added, which states hunters must wear hunter orange. Page 61 (added April 30) Hunt choice 2516, Nooksack, should have hunt note “H” added, which states hunters must wear hunter orange. Page 62 (added April 29) Hunt choices 2609 – 2612, and 2617 should have hunt note “H” added, which states hunters must wear hunter orange. Page 67 (added December 2) The state of Michigan has been added to the list of states where Washington requires additional and specific processing of deer, elk, and moose carcasses before those harvested animals can be brought into the state. An emergency rule has been filed to include Michigan because chronic wasting disease (CWD) was detected in a wild, free-ranging deer after Washington’s hunting rules were adopted and the hunting regulations were published. Page 84 (added April 30) Bail forfeiture (payment of a fine on a citation) will not count towards a suspension. The pamphlet incorrectly states that the law treats bail forfeiture as a conviction that will be counted. Page 84 (added October 28) Under the “Firearm Laws” section, RCW 9.41.170 is incorrect. The pertaining RCWs are: 9.41.040, 9.41.173, and 9.41.175 Page 96 (added April 28) The landowner access fee programs are known to impact access to areas in the following GMUs: 418, 437, 448, 501, 506, 520, 524, 550, 556, 564, 568, 574, 578, 602, 603, 612, 615, 638, 642, 648, 651,653, 654, 658, 660, 667, 672, 673, and 681. Page 103 (added August 31) In the second line of the area description for Elk Area 5066 Norway Pass, USFS Trail 320 should actually be listed as USFS Trail 230. (The trail is referenced twice in the description, but the first reference is not correct.) 2015 Washington State Big Game Hunting Pamphlet Table of Contents INFORMATION General Information Deer Seasons and Permits GENERAL Department of Fish and Wildlife Offices 3 Hunting Requirements and General Definitions 18 License Fees and Requirements 4-5 Modern Firearm General 19 Age Requirements 5 Archery General 20 Hunter Orange 5 Muzzleloader General 21 Definitions 6 Deer Special Permits 22-41 Mandatory Hunter Reporting 7 Elk Seasons and Permits DEER Multiple Season Permits 8 Raffle Permit Hunts 10-11 Elk Tag Areas 48 Special Hunting Season Permit Application Instructions 12-13 General Information and Definitions 49 Special Hunting Permit Category Table 14 Modern Firearm General 50 Disease 66-67 Archery General 51 Reporting Violations 81 Muzzleloader General 52 ELK Hunting Hours 83 Elk Special Permits 53-64 Violations and Penalties 84 Cougar Equipment and Hunting Methods 85-86 Tribal Hunting 86 General Season 68 Prohibited Hunting Methods 87 Harvest Guideline System 68 COUGAR Tagging and Transporting 88 Hide Sealing Requirements 68 Hunting Access and Closures 89 Black Bear Firearm Restriction Areas 90 Public Conduct Rules for WDFW Lands 91 Black Bear General Seasons 69 Persons with Disabilities 91 Spring Black Bear Special Permits 70 BEAR BLACK Hunter’s Code of Conduct 92 Goat, Moose, Bighorn Sheep Vehicle Access Pass/Discover Pass 5, 92 Hunter Education 94 Moose Special Permits 71-72 Cooperative Road Management Areas 95 Mountain Goat Special Permits 74 WDFW Private Lands Program 96 Bighorn Sheep Permits 76-77 BIGHORN SHEEP BIGHORN GOAT, MOOSE, GOAT, Maps Other Seasons Deer Areas 42-43 Bobcat, Coyote, Fox, Grouse, Crow 79 Game Management Units (Western) 44 Raccoon, Rabbit and Hare 79 Game Management Units (Eastern) 45 Wild Turkey General Seasons and Special Permits 80 Elk Areas 46-47 Moose Areas 73 Significant changes are red. & SMALL GAME Mountain Goat Areas 75 TURKEY Bighorn Sheep Units 78 Noteworthy information is blue. Other Map Sources 99 Legal Descriptions WAC Summary Information This pamphlet is a summary of the hunting regulations and seasons adopted by Moose Areas 100 the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission This pamphlet does not contain DESCRIPTIONS Bighorn Sheep Units 100 nor is it intended to contain all Department regulations Regulations specific to Mountain Goat Areas 100-101 the hunting seasons described in this pamphlet are found in Sections 232-28-248 AREA Elk Areas 101-103 through 232-28-516, and 232-12-001 through 232-12-840, of the Washington Deer Areas 103-104 Administrative Code Game Management Units 104-117 This program receives Federal assistance from the U S Fish and Wildlife Service Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the U S Department of the Interior and its bureaus prohibit discrimination on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability and sex (in educational programs) If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity or facility, please contact the WDFW ADA Program Manager at P O Box 43139, Olympia WA 98504 or write to: U S Fish and Wildlife Service, Chief, Public Civil Rights Division, Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240 1 Report your hunting activity by Jan. 31, 2016 for Big Game & Turkey by calling toll-free at 1-877-945-3492 or going online at wdfw.wa.gov/hunting. 2015 Washington State Big Game Hunting Pamphlet Message from WDFW Hunters shape new • More antlerless whitetail hunting in northeast: Antlerless deer opportunities in opportunities in the field northeastern Washington were dramatically reduced in recent years by the effects of Welcome to another year of big game hunting some hard winters Many of those hunting in Washington Both of us are new to our opportunities are being