Archived rule-making petitions have been decided by either the Fish and Wildlife Commission or the Director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife or have been withdrawn by the petitioner.
For information on all current petitions, visit our current rule-making petitions page.
Granted
Petition: Allow the use of air rifles to harvest bullfrogs
Received: Aug 12, 2024
The petitioner is requesting the Commission begin rulemaking that would amend WAC 220-416-120 to allow the use of air rifles to harvest bullfrogs.
Petition: Petition: Allow the use of air rifles to harvest bullfrogs (PDF)
Supporting documents
Petition: Allow the use of blowgun/blow dart fishing to harvest frogs
Received: Aug 6, 2024
The petitioner is requesting the Commission begin rulemaking that would allow the use of blowgun/blow dart fishing to harvest bullfrogs.
Petition: Petition: Use of Blowgun/Blow Dart Fishing to Harvest Bullfrogs (PDF)
Supporting documents
Petition: Amendments Fishing rules for Blue, Park and Deep Lakes
Received: Mar 21, 2024
Requesting season closer date of Park Lake, Blue Lake and Deep Lake in Grant County from September 30th to October 31.
The Commission will formally consider the petition during a hybrid meeting scheduled for April 18-20, 2024. Please see the agenda for more information.
Petition: (PDF)
Initiated rule making: Recreational Fishing in Eastern Washington Lakes
Petition: Closure Date Change for Blue, Park, and Deep Lakes
Received: Mar 19, 2024
The petitioner is requesting that the Commission consider changing the closure date on Park, Blue, and Deep Lakes in Grant County from September 30th to October 31st.
Supporting documents
Petition to change the Yellow Perch limit on Fish Lake
Received: Jan 22, 2024
The petitioner is requesting that the limit for Yellow Perch on Fish Lake be changed from 25 to no limit.
Petition: Petition to change the Yellow Perch limit on Fish Lake (PDF)
Petition: Change Yellow Perch Limit on Fish Lake in Chelan County
Received: Jan 21, 2024
Request to lift the limit on Yellow Perch at Fish Lake in Chelan County. The current limit for Yellow Perch is 25 fish.
The Commission will formally consider the petition during a hybrid meeting scheduled for March 14-16, 2024. Please see the agenda for more information.
Petition: (PDF)
Initiated rule making: Recreational Fishing in Eastern Washington Lakes
Denied
Petition: Spring Black Bear Season
Received: Sep 30, 2024
The petitioner is requesting the Commission begin rulemaking for a Spring Black Bear Hunting Season that would allow WDFW to manage human-bear conflict and other management concerns in the spring. The petitioner points out that a Spring black bear season occurs in four surrounding jurisdictions and could potentially reduce human bear conflict.
Due date: 11/29/24
Petition: Spring Black Bear Season (PDF)
Supporting documents
Petition: Black Bear Managment
Received: Aug 13, 2024
The petitioner is requesting the Commission begin rulemaking that would allow the issuance of a management-based black bear hunting permit that would allow WDFW to geographically distribute hunters as compared to the general fall black bear season. The permits would be designed to target specific areas where issues, such as timber damage, high bear/human conflicts, and where ungulate neonate survival is low due to possible bear predation occur.
Petition: Petition: Black Bear Management (PDF)
Supporting documents
Petition: Depredation Permit for Spring Black Bear Hunting Season
Received: Jun 26, 2024
The petitioner is requesting the Commission begin rulemaking for an amendment to WAC 220-440-210 that will allow the agency to issue depredation permits to licensed hunters for a management-based spring black bear season.
Petition: Petition: Depredation Permit for Spring Black Bear Hunting Season (PDF)
Petition: Transfer of Unused Bonus Points
Received: Jun 18, 2024
The petitioner is requesting the Commission begin rulemaking to allow hunters to make use of their unused bonus points when they age out of the youth category and allow them to transfer their points to a category of their choosing.
Petition: Petition: Transfer of Bonus Points (PDF)
Petition: Reduced Senior Hunting License Fees
Received: May 22, 2024
The petitioner is requesting that the Commission begin rulemaking that would reduce the cost of hunting licenses for seniors.
Petition: Petition: Reduced Senior Hunting License Fees (PDF)
Petition: Spring Bear Huning Tags in Specific GMUs in Western Washington
Received: May 15, 2024
The petitioner is requesting the Commission begin rulemaking to amend WAC 220-145 to allow for over-the-counter Spring Bear hunting tags in three GMUs in Western Washington, specifically in Sakgit, Whatcom, and Grays Harbor Counties.
Petition: Petition: Spring Bear Hunting Tags in Specific GMUs in Western WA (PDF)
Petition: Public Safety Cougar Removal Permit
Received: May 15, 2024
The petitioner is requesting the Commission begin rulemaking to amend WAC 220-440-030 to authorize the Director to issue public safety removal permits to hunters statewide for the purpose of removing cougars from an area where they pose a public risk.
Petition: FWC Commissioners following staff recommendations and investigation reporting
Received: May 10, 2024
The petitioner is requesting the Commission begin rulemaking requiring Fish and Wildlife Commission members to work with department staff for a minimum of 16 hours to better understand the issues involved with any proposed rule change or petition if they don't follow staff recommendations for those rule changes or petitions, and to require any Commissioner to report a fellow Commissioner allegedly not following the statutory mandate, to the Governor for Investigation.
Petition: Petition - FWC Commissioners following staff recommendations and investigation reporting (PDF)
Petition: Spring Black Bear Hunting Season
Received: Mar 17, 2024
The petitioner is requesting that the Commission begin rulemaking for the return of the Recreational Spring Black Bear Hunting Seasons.
Petition: Cougar Management & Public Safety Hunting Seasons
Received: Mar 17, 2024
The petitioner is requesting that the Commission begin rulemaking for the Cougar Management & Public Safety Hunting Seasons separate from the Cougar rulemaking that is currently underway.
Petition: Petition: Cougar Management & Public Safety Hunting Seasons (PDF)
Petition: Antler Restriction Standardization
Received: Mar 1, 2024
The petitioner is requesting that the Commission change regulations that would standardize the antler restriction to a three-point minimum in District 1 within Region 1 for White-Tailed Deer.
Petition: Petition: Antler Restriction Standardization (PDF)
Petitions: Use of Battery Powered or Other Electronic Decoys & Calls
Received: Feb 20, 2024
Petitioners are requesting that the Commission change regulations to allow the use or aid of battery powered or other electronic devices as decoys when hunting waterfowl, turkey, snow geese, ross geese, or deer. The Petitioner seeks to amend hunting regulations to allow the use of electric power to directly or indirectly cause rotation of decoy wings or blades that simulate wings from the third Saturday in November through the end of all waterfowl seasons.
Supporting documents
Petition to begin rulemaking to Create Eastside and Westside Deer Tags
Received: Jan 29, 2024
The petitioner is requesting the Commission begin rulemaking to create Eastside and Westside deer tags, requiring deer hunters to choose between the Eastside and Westside of the state, just like elk tags are sold.
Petition: Petition to begin Rulemaking to Create Eastside and Westside Deer Tags (PDF)
Petition: Steelhead Bait Ban and Date Changes
Received: Jan 16, 2024
Petitioners are requesting that the Commission change regulations to ban the use of bait in all rivers and tributaries in the Puget Sound and delay the opening of the fishing season until mid-June in Puget Sound Rivers.
Petition: Petition: Steelhead Bait Ban and Date Changes (PDF)
Withdrawn
Petition: Establish Standards for the Observation of Non-Tribal Commercial Fisheries in the Mainstream Lower Columbia River
Received: Jul 16, 2024
The petitioner is requesting the Commission begin rulemaking for an amendment to WAC 220-358-010 that would establish minimum standards for observation of non-tribal commercial fisheries in the mainstream lower Columbia River.
Petition: Public Notice Standards & Transparency for Meetings Related to the Columbia River Compact
Received: Jul 16, 2024
The petitioner is requesting the Commission begin rulemaking that would establish standards for public notice and transparency for meetings related to the Columbia River Compact.
Petition: Reduction of Non-Tribal Gillnetting on the Columbia River
Received: Jul 16, 2024
The petitioner is requesting the Commission begin rulemaking that would reduce the non-tribal Columbia River gillnetting, so that it is consistent with the $14.4 million voluntary gillnet buyback funded by the Washington Legislature.
Petition: Petition: Reduction of Non-Tribal Gillnetting on the Columbia River (PDF)
Petition to amend the Wildlife Control Operator Certification Program
Received: Jan 16, 2024
The petitioner is requesting the Commission amend the Wildlife Control Operator (WCO) certification program to include additional training and another level of certification that will allow WCOs to respond to wildlife conflicts involving ungulates and predators.
Petition: Petition: Amend Wildlife Control Operator Certification Program (PDF)