Archived rule-making petitions

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either the Fish and Wildlife Commission or the Director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife or have been withdrawn by the petitioner.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

Denied

  • Petition: Changes to barbed hook rules WAC 220-331-030(2) in Marine Areas 5-13.

    Received: Oct 24, 2024

    Petitioner is asking that the Department consider allowing for any two fish taken rather than any two marked fish to help increase the survival of salmon.

    Due date: December 23, 2024

    Petition: Barbed hooks (PDF)

  • Petition: Spring Black Bear Hunting

    Received: Oct 17, 2024

    The petitioner is requesting that the Commission reconsider their decision and open rulemaking to allow for a Spring Black Bear Hunting Season. 

    Due date: 12/16/24

    Petition: Spring Black Bear (PDF)

  • 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)

  • 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)

  • 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: 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: Petition: Cougar Conflict Removal Permit (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: 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: Petition: Spring Black Bear Hunting Seasons (PDF)

  • 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.

  • 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