- Are there any circumstances when a landowner can legally set his/her own hunting seasons and regulations on private property in Washington?
Generally the answer is no. The Fish and Wildlife Commission is responsible for setting all formal hunting seasons and regulations. WDFW has created several landowner programs that benefit landowners and hunters alike. The following examples are exceptions with special circumstances and limitat ...
- Is game farming legal in Washington?
Game farms licensed on or before January 1, 1992 may continue to operate under the license—see RCW 77.12.570; WAC 232-12-027. After January 1, 1992, WDFW is licensing only game farming of game birds—see WAC 232-12-027. WDFW does license game farms to raise and sell game birds includi ...
- Can I tag a deer or an elk I find dead in the woods during open season if I didn't shoot it?
No. You cannot possess wildlife or parts thereof, that you did not legally harvest, unless the person who legally harvested the animal provides you with a written statement showing their name, address, license, permit, or tag number, the number and kind of animal provided, the date killed, coun ...
- Does a designated harvester or hunter companion need to have a Washington license to harvest for or assist a disabled person in Washington?
No. According to WAC 232-12-828(8), a designated hunter companion must have a valid hunting license from Washington or another state. The hunter companion or designated harvester must have their licenses with them. And the disabled person who is being assisted must have the appropriate Washingt ...
- Is it illegal to harvest mule deer or black-tailed deer crosses during the Westside general deer season for black-tailed deer?
No, they are not illegal to harvest. The definition of black-tailed deer is that it occurs west of the Pacific Crest Trail and Klickitat River. However, it is illegal to harvest a white-tailed deer during the Westside general deer season since the Columbian white-tailed deer is federally protected.
- Can an individual legally harvest a cow moose and still apply for permit-controlled moose hunts in future years?
Yes. An individual may harvest only one moose during his/her lifetime, EXCEPT that this restriction is waived for hunters who have harvested a moose in an antlerless-only moose hunt or won raffle or auction hunts for moose.
- Is it legal to use pellet guns, air guns, or sling shots to harvest game birds?
No. In Washington it is against the law to hunt game birds and game animals using anything other than a firearm (rifle, shotgun, handgun, muzzleloading firearm), a bow and arrow, crossbow, or by falconry.
- What are the rules for bringing harvested big game into Washington from other states or provinces regarding chronic wasting disease (CWD)?
Refer to the chronic wasting disease section of the Big Game Hunting Regulation pamphlet. This section lists the states and provinces from which the importation of meat and trophies are now regulated. These areas currently include: New Mexico, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, Kansas, Colorado, Nebr ...
- Do I need a hunting license if I'm just helping my child or others to hunt?
It depends. If you are only watching or guiding, you do not need a hunting license. However, if you are directly assisting and participating (such as driving game or packing hunting weapons), you will need the appropriate hunting license.
- If someone gives me a legally harvested grouse, pheasant, or duck they harvested does it count towards my daily bag limit and possession limit or theirs?
It counts towards the daily bag and possession limit of the person who harvested the game. You should get a written statement from the person that harvested the game that includes name, address, license, permit or tag number, the number and kind of animal provided to you, the date killed, count ...
- What is the difference between the daily bag limit and the possession limit for game animals?
For upland birds and waterfowl, the daily bag limit is the maximum number of birds that can be harvested in a single day. In some cases the bag limit can be an aggregate of species, but other times it is limited by species and sex. The appropriate Hunting Regulation Pamphlets should be consulte ...
- Can I use two-way radios while hunting?
Yes. There is currently no prohibition on using two-way radios to hunt in Washington. However, if radios are used for location of or herding of game there may be a question of ethics involved. It is illegal to use radio-telemetry equipment to locate and hunt wildlife with transmitters attached ...
- Can I clean my waterfowl and upland birds before I take them back to my residence?
Yes. But the feathered heads of all game birds, as evidence of species, must be attached to the carcass when they are in your possession in the field or are being transported.
- Why isn't the definition of a 3-point buck and 3-point bull the same?
The typical antler structure of elk and deer are quite different.
- How long does a spike elk antler need to be in order to be legal in a spike-only hunting area?
To qualify as a point, an antler point must be at least one inch in length, measured on the longest side. Thus, a spike elk antler only needs to be one inch long as measured from the point of attachment (pedicle) to be legal.
- Does a hunting license allow a person to discharge a firearm or hunt anywhere in the state?
No. Most hunting seasons are restricted by area. Many portions of the state, such as the Interstate 5 corridor in western Washington and in urban areas throughout the state, have No Shooting Zones or Firearm Restriction Zones established by local governments. Special rules apply inside state pa ...
- Are all Department of Natural Resource roads open to public access?
In many cases, a state agency such as the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) may have management easements across private land, as opposed to public easements. In such situations, the right-of-way is not a publicly maintained road but a private road, and it cannot be used to access public la ...
