WAC 232-28-291
Special hunting season permits. The
commission may establish special hunting seasons limited to
species and/or weapon type.
1. Deer, elk, cougar, or black bear special hunting
season permit applications:
A. To apply for special hunting season permits for deer,
elk, cougar, or black bear applicants must have a valid
Washington big game hunting license and a valid transport tag
for the appropriate species. To apply for a particular hunt,
each applicant for deer or elk must have the proper transport
tag as identified in the special deer or elk permit
regulations.
B. Multiple season deer and elk permit applications may
be purchased without additional licenses or tags. The
purchase of the application will result in entry into the
drawing. Persons who are successfully drawn must purchase a
multiple season permit for deer or elk and may also apply for
archery, muzzleloader, or modern firearm special hunting
season permits for the species drawn.
2. Mountain goat, moose, and bighorn sheep special
hunting season permit applications:
A. Persons who have previously harvested a mountain goat,
bighorn sheep, or moose in Washington are ineligible to apply
for a special hunting season permit for that species. This
lifetime harvest restriction does not apply to individuals who
harvested a mountain goat before 1999, raffle or auction hunt
authorizations, or antlerless-only moose hunts.
B. Successful applicants under this section must purchase
the appropriate hunting license within fifteen days of the
published notification deadline by the department. Failure to
purchase forfeits the permit to an alternate applicant.
3. Wild turkey special hunting season permit applications
A. To apply for wild turkey special hunting season
permits, each applicant must have a valid small game hunting
license.
B. Early fall wild turkey special hunting season permit
holders must have a valid turkey transport tag in possession
to hunt turkeys in the early fall special hunting season.
C. Late fall wild turkey special hunting season permit
holders must have a valid turkey transport tag in possession
to hunt turkeys in the late fall special hunting season.
4. Special hunting season permit applications:
A. Maximum group sizes are determined for each category. If a group application is drawn, all hunters in the group will
receive a special hunting season permit and each hunter in the
group can take an animal.
i. Maximum group size for deer is 12.
ii. Maximum group size for elk is 12.
iii. Maximum group size for bear is 2.
iv. Maximum group size for cougar is 2.
v. Maximum group size for mountain goat is 2.
vi. Maximum group size for bighorn sheep is 2.
vii. Maximum group size for early fall turkey is 4.
viii. Maximum group size for late fall turkey is 4.
ix. Maximum group size for moose is 2.
x. Maximum group size for multiple season deer is 1.
xi. Maximum group size for multiple season elk is 1.
B. An applicant may purchase only one application for a
special hunting season permit for each category.
C. Permits will be drawn by computer selection using a
weighted point selection system.
D. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
E. If an applicant makes a mistake, applies for the wrong
hunt, and is successfully drawn, the special hunting season
permit can be returned to the department of fish and wildlife
Olympia headquarters before the opening day of the special
hunting season or the opening day of the general hunting
season, whichever comes first. The applicant's points will be
restored to the level prior to the permit drawing.
F. Anyone may apply for a special hunting season permit
for deer, elk, bear, cougar, and wild turkey.
5. In addition to requirements for special hunting season
permit applications, following are application requirements
for:
A. Special hunting seasons for persons of disability:
Only applicants with a Washington disabled hunter permit are
eligible to apply for any special hunting season permits for
persons of disability.
B. Special hunting seasons for youth: Only persons who
are eligible to lawfully purchase a youth hunting license are
eligible to apply for special hunting season permits for
youth.
C. Special hunting seasons for hunters age 65 and older:
Only applicants sixty-five years of age or older on or before
March 31 of the current license year will be eligible to apply
for special hunting season permits for hunters age 65 and
older.
D. Special hunting seasons for master hunter program graduates: Only persons who hold a
valid certificate from the Washington department of fish and
wildlife's master hunter program are eligible to apply for special hunting season
permits for master hunters.
6. Citizen reward for reporting violations - bonus
points: A person who provides information which contributes
substantially to the arrest of another person for illegally
hunting or killing big game or an endangered species as
defined by Title 77 RCW is eligible to receive ten bonus
points toward the special hunting permit drawing for deer or
elk special hunting season permits.
A. Only ten bonus points can be awarded for providing
information for each person charged regardless of the number
of violations involved.
B. Selection of bonus points is in lieu of application
for a cash award.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047, 77.12.020, 77.12.570,
77.12.210. 08-09-090 (Order 08-78), § 232-28-291, filed
4/18/08, effective 5/19/08. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047. 06-11-032 (Order 06-92), § 232-28-291, filed
5/8/06, effective 6/8/06; 05-02-046 (Order 04-327), §
232-28-291, filed 1/3/05, effective 2/3/05; 03-16-087 (Order
03-175), § 232-28-291, filed 8/5/03, effective 9/5/03;
03-13-047 (Order 03-129), § 232-28-291, filed 6/12/03,
effective 7/13/03; 03-02-005 (Order 02-301), § 232-28-291,
filed 12/20/02, effective 1/20/03. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.040, 77.12.020, 77.32.070, 77.32.530. 01-10-048 (Order
01-69), § 232-28-291, filed 4/26/01, effective 5/27/01.]