Regulations & Seasons

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2012-2014 Hunting Season Setting Process

NOTICE: Due to the Governor’s rule-making moratorium this year we will be limiting the scope of the three-year package.

The process for developing the 2012-14 hunting seasons is underway. Major changes to objectives and season structures are generally set on a three-year cycle with minor adjustments made during the off years. The process for developing a three-year hunting season package is an expanded version of the annual season-setting process. The exception is the migratory bird hunting seasons, which are all set on an annual cycle to coincide with federal season-setting processes. Establishment of all hunting seasons is guided by goals, objectives, and strategies contained in the 2009-2015 Game Management Plan.

In August, the Department asked for your help identifying the major issues that are important to you for the next three-year hunting season package. Over 3,000 people participated in the online scoping survey. We are currently reviewing the comments received and are preparing to develop the recommendations that will be presented to the Fish and Wildlife Commission.

Watch this website for updates on the season-setting process. We will also be communicating via email throughout this process to hunters that have purchased a license within the last three years. If you have not recently purchased a hunting license, but would like to receive email notifications of upcoming events we encourage you to subscribe online to “WDFW Regulation Updates”

Season Setting Timeline:

Phase 1 - Issue Scoping: April 2011 – September 2011

Public Comment Period (now over): August 15 – September 20

• Issue Scoping Guidelines
• Issue Scoping Survey Results (Summary)
• Issue Specific Write-in Comments:
• Issue 1: Increasing spring black bear harvest in northeastern Washington
• Issue 2: Adding spring bear hunts in western Washington to address timber damage
• Issue 3: Modifying cougar hunting seasons for areas where harvest is ABOVE objective
• Issue 4: Modifying cougar hunting seasons for areas where harvest is BELOW objective
• Issue 5: No longer requiring elk special permit applications to be consistent with the geographical designation on a hunter’s elk transport tag (east/west)
• Issue 6: Increasing fall turkey hunting participation

2011 Public Meetings:

• August 22 – Federal Way
• August 23 – Centralia
• August 24 – Spokane
• August 25 – Yakima

Phase 2 - Developing Recommendations: October 2011 – April 2012

After the public meetings are held, Department staff will review the comments received and develop hunting season recommendations for consideration by the Fish and Wildlife Commission. These recommendations will be based on biological needs and information collected during the public meetings.

• Follow-up Surveys on Select Issues: November 2011
• Public Comment Period on Specific Rule Proposals:  The written public comment period for the 2012-2014 Hunting Season rule proposals is now closed.

Commission Meetings:

• March 9-10, 2012 (public input accepted)
  Moses Lake Civic Center
  401 S. Balsam
  Moses Lake, WA  98837
• April 13-14,  2012 (Fish and Wildlife Commission decides on and adopts rule proposals)
  Natural Resources Building
  1111 Washington Street SE
  Olympia, WA  98501