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2008
Turkey
Hunting Pamphlet
[PDF Format 2.20 MG]
WAC Summary
Information
This pamphlet
is a summary of the hunting regulations and seasons (chapters 232-12
and 232-28
of the Washington Administrative Code) adopted by the Washington Fish and Wildlife
Commission. This pamphlet does not contain all department regulations. Regulations
specific to the hunting seasons described in this pamphlet are found in section
232-28-341
of the Washington Administrative Code.
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2008
Wild Turkey Season
Since 1960, three subspecies of wild turkey
have been introduced in Washington: the Merriam’s, Rio Grande, and eastern.
Currently, the Merriam’s subspecies occupies portions of Ferry, Klickitat,
Pend Oreille, Skamania, Stevens, Spokane, Okanogan, Chelan, Kittitas,
and Yakima counties. Rio Grande turkeys can be found in Asotin, Columbia,
Garfield, Lincoln, Walla Walla, and Whitman counties. Turkeys of the eastern
subspecies can be found west of the Cascades in Cowlitz, Grays Harbor,
Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Thurston, and Wahkiakum counties.
2008
Turkey Raffle
Turkey
raffle tickets may only be purchased from the Washington State
Chapter of the National
Wild Turkey Federation. Money raised through
this raffle will go to support WDFW wild turkey management.
Cost: $5
per ticket. No limit on the number of tickets purchased
Winner
Receives: Three extra turkey tags that can be used in
addition to those available for purchase
Tags
are valid from April 1 through May 31 AND September 1 through December
31
Drawing
will held at the Spokane Bighorn Show on March 23, 2008.
| 2008
Spring Turkey Season |
| Area |
Dates
Open |
Restrictions
|
Bag/Possession
Limit |
| Statewide |
April
15 - May 31, 2008
Hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset during
spring seasons |
Gobblers
and Turkeys with visible beards ONLY |
A
total of three (3) turkeys in the spring season with the following
restricitions. Only two (2) turkeys may be taken in eastern
Washington and only 1 of those may be taken in Chelan, Kittitas,
and Yakima counties (combined); only one (1) turkey may be
taken in western Washington per year, except two (2) turkeys
may be taken in Klickitat County. |
|
Additional
turkey tags may be purchased at any time. In appropriate areas,
two turkeys can be harvested in one day.
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| Youth
Turkey Season |
| A
youth spring turkey season for hunters under 16 years of age
will be held on April 5-6, 2008: The youth season
is open in ALL GMUs.
Standard
hunting methods (shotgun or bow and arrow only) and all other
turkey hunting regulations apply to the youth season. |
| Fall
Turkey Season |
Fall
Season Information Coming Soon |
| Special
Regulations |
- Spring
turkey season is open for shotgun (10 gauge or under holding
3 or fewer shells or muzzleloader with shot) and bow-and-arrow
hunting only.
- A valid
hunting license and an unaltered, unnotched turkey transport
tag are required for hunting turkey.
- Immediately
after killing a turkey, hunters must validate their own
tag by completely removing notches for month and day of
kill and securely attach tag to carcass.
- It
is unlawful to use dogs, electronic decoys, or electronic
calls to hunt turkeys.
- Baiting
game birds is illegal.
- Turkey
hunters must report hunting activity (see page 5).
Advisory on
Emergency Regulations
Caution:
Emergency regulation changes may occur while the seasons described
in this pamphlet are in effect and will supersede information
contained herein. Area news media will be informed of changes
as they occur. |
| Wild
Turkey License Fees |
Resident |
Non-
Resident |
Youth * |
| Small game license** |
$32.85 |
$164.25 |
$16.43 |
| Small game, with
proof of big game package purchase |
$17.52 |
$85.60 |
$8.76 |
| Three-day small
game. |
N/A |
$54.75 |
N/A |
| Primary turkey
tag |
$15.33 |
$43.80 |
Free |
| Additional turkey
transport tags. |
$15.33 |
$65.70 |
$9.86 |
| * |
Youth hunters
are defined as under 16 when they buy a license. |
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| IMPORTANT
NOTICE: Mandatory Reporting
Hunters are Required to Report Last Years Hunting
Activity Prior to Purchasing a New License.
Turkey
hunters must report their hunting activity whether or not
they harvest an animal. Hunters not reporting by January 31
will be subject to a $10 penalty which must be paid before
they can purchase a 2008 license. One hunter report is required
for each tag acquired. Hunters can file reports two ways:
by telephone (toll free at 1-877-945-3492) or on the internet
at http://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov;
there are no longer paper harvest report cards. Hunters who
harvest an animal should file a report within 10 days of taking
the animal. Unsuccessful hunters must also report their hunting
activity, including location and days hunted. The information
will be used by WDFW to better monitor hunter effort, distribution,
harvest, and trends.
Special
note for turkey hunters: Having a spring and fall
season can make hunt reporting confusing. If you do not intend
to apply for a fall turkey permit or hunt in general fall
season, you should report spring turkey hunting activity after
May 31st. If you do intend to hunt in the fall, you should
wait to report spring activity or fall activity until after
the fall season.
You will
need the following information to file your report for turkey
hunting.
Do NOT
mail this information to WDFW; reports can ONLY be
accepted through the toll free number or internet.
1. Whether or
not you hunted turkeys.
2. For each turkey tag:
a. The number
of the GMUs you hunted in (2 most hunted GMUs).
Please refer to a Big
Game pamphlet or other source for a GMU map.
b. The number of days hunted in each GMU.
3. For each turkey
you harvest:
a. Number
of the GMU where turkey was harvested.
b. Month, day, and year of harvest.
c. Sex of the turkey.
d. Age of the turkey: adult, yearling, or juvenile (fall
season only)
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