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With increases in users and types of use on WDFW lands,
and after years of discussion and extensive public review,
the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted
new public conduct rules (Washington
Administrative Code 232-13) in December 2007
to protect fish and wildlife habitats, public safety,
and equal opportunity.
The rules only apply on the 900,000 acres of wildlife
areas and water access sites under WDFW ownership or
management.
Some of the rules are not new, but for easy reference,
all are now compiled in one new chapte.
They include long-standing prohibitions on dumping,
littering, and discharging fireworks; and regulation
of access to protect vulnerable wildlife. Others include:
- Behavior and conduct – no disorderly
conduct, including abusive language, disruptions,
obstructions; no possession of beer or malt liquor
in quantities subject to keg registration laws under RCW
66.28.210 without a permit.
- Building blinds, tree stands, camps -- no
digging pits to create waterfowl blinds; no cutting
trees or attaching wire, staples or nails to trees
to build blinds, stands, camps; all non-natural materials
used must be removed at end of hunting season; unattended
blinds are available to public on “first-come-first-serve”
basis; camp structures must be removed at end of trip.
- Camping -- 21-day camping limit within a
30-day period.
- Campfires -- campfires only up to three feet
in diameter and three feet high.
- Commerical use -- permit required for any
activity where a fee is charged or where the purpose
is the sale or barter of a good or service, regardless
of whether profit is intended, including guides for
hunting, fishing and boating/rafting; a fishing guide
license qualifies as a permit to use WDFW water access
sites.
- Groups -- permit required for any private
or public event involving more than 30 people.
- Parking -- vehicles cannot be left unattended
for more than 21 days; no mooring a houseboat, dock,
or other floating occupancy structure (except floating
waterfowl hunting blinds) without a permit.
- Pets -- hunters can use hunting dogs under
their control, but cannot let them or other pets roam
unattended; from April through July, all dogs and
other pets must be leashed on WDFW lands to protect
nesting wildlife.
- Target shooting – no use of glass,
signs, appliances, mattresses, televisions, furniture
and exploding items as targets; debris from targets,
except clay pigeons, must be removed; no discharge
of firearms within 500 feet of one of the 21 designated
campgrounds; no discharge of tracer or incendiary
ammunition.
- Removal of minerals, wood and artifacts from
department lands – it is unlawful to remove
petrified wood, minerals, fossils, wood products or
artifacts from department lands unless such removal
is authorized by a permit issued by the director.
- Domestic animals on department lands –
it is unlawful for any person to allow domesticated
animals to be unattended on, or to permit livestock
to graze upon land under the control of the department
without a written permit from the director. In addition
to other penalties provided by law, any such person
may be liable to the department for a compensatory
fee of one dollar per head of livestock per day.
- Vehicles using department lands –
it is unlawful to operate a motor driven vehicle on
a road controlled or managed by the department pursuant
to road management agreement in a manner or for a
purpose contrary to posted signs or notices except
as authorized by the director. Violation of this section
is an infraction, punishable under RCW
77.15.160.
- Field
Trial Permit - an individual or organization
wishing to conduct a field trial must obtain a permit
from the department.
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