View WDFW rulemaking website for 2025 Hunting Regulations:

WACs that are changed by this rulemaking project are listed below. Each listed WAC below has a comment box. 

1. WAC 220-412-070  
2. WAC 220-412-090  
3. WAC 220-413-180  
4. WAC 220-415-010  
5. WAC 220-415-030  
6. WAC 220-415-050 
7. WAC 220-415-060 
8. WAC 220-415-070  
9. WAC 220-415-120  
10. WAC 220-415-130  
11. WAC 220-416-060  

1. WAC 220-412-070 Big game and wild turkey auction, raffle, and special incentive permits.

The rule changes proposed for this WAC are to remove any spring bear hunting dates from the Auction Permits, and to correct the fall dates for bear hunting under these permits to the general season dates of August 1 – November 15. 

The reasons for this rule change, if adopted, will make sure that our auction, raffle, and special incentive permits are aligned with the Commission’s motion to not allow recreational spring bear harvest. It also aligns the fall bear season dates with our current general season regulations for consistent black bear management.

2. WAC 220-412-090 Multi-season deer and elk tags.

The purpose of this proposal, if adopted, is to create a pool of 60 deer and 30 elk multi-season tags for issuance to members of federally recognized tribes that have an agreement with WDFW to sell licenses. The anticipated effect of this proposal is an availability of deer and elk multi-season tags for tribal hunter use per WDFW agreements.

This proposal is associated with agreements made between the Department and federally recognized tribes to provide recreational opportunity to their respective tribal members. Participating tribes purchase and issue a predetermined number of multi-season deer and elk tags for their respective tribal members. Recipients of these multi-season tags must be licensed by the Department. 

3. WAC 220-413-180 Special closures and firearm restriction areas.

The purpose of this proposal, if adopted, is to:

1. Clarify the area boundary of the “Parker Lake” restricted hunting area by specifying that “All United States Forest Service lands south of Ruby Creek Road (USFS Road 2489), north of Tacoma Creek Road (USFS Road 2389), and west of Bonneville Power Administration power lines are designated as "CLOSED AREA" […]”. The underlined text above is the specific proposed change in the WAC.
2. Specify that the Parker Lake restricted hunting area is “designated as "CLOSED AREA" to hunting wild animals and wild birds year-round except for special hunts adopted by the fish and wildlife commission and those hunters with a valid Hunting Reservation Permit.” The underlined text above is the specific proposed change in the WAC.   

This proposal is associated with proposed changes to WAC 220-415-010 (Deer area descriptions). The anticipated effect of this proposed change is a clarification of the restricted hunting area boundary, increased hunter access by enrolling the area in the WDFW “hunt by reservation” system, and consistency in this rule with other associated rules affecting the Parker Lake area hunting regulations. 

Currently, the Parker Lake area has very limited hunter access due to restrictions needed to accommodate US Air Force training operations. Under this proposal, up to ten hunters per week (both special permit and general season hunters) would be able to reserve the area under the “Hunt by Reservation” system, providing increased access and improved hunting experience for participating hunters. The area would be open to archery, muzzleloader, and shotgun for all species except bear with ten hunters allowed per week during spring turkey (April 7-May 31) and from September 1 thru November 19.

4. WAC 220-415-010 Deer area descriptions.

The purpose of this proposal, if adopted, is to:

1. Modify deer area 1031 (Parker Lake) to clarify that the area boundary is “United States National Forest land within GMU 117 south of Ruby Creek Rd (USFS Road 2489), north of Tacoma Creek Rd (USFS Road 2389), and west of Bonneville Power Administration power lines.” [the underlined text is the proposed change]
2. Modify the area’s hunting restrictions to place it in the “Hunt by Reservation” program. If adopted, the area would be open to archery, muzzleloader, and shotgun for all species except bear with 10 hunters allowed per week during spring turkey (April 7-May 31) and from September 1 thru November 19.

This proposal is associated with proposed changes to WAC 220-413-180 (Special closures and firearm restriction areas). The anticipated effect of these changes is a clearer area boundary and expanded hunter access through the Hunt by Reservation system in this deer area. 

This proposal is associated with proposed changes WAC 220-413-180 (Special closures and firearm restriction areas) and shares the overall rationale of expanding hunter access and opportunity in the area. The proposed changes to WAC 220-415-010 are necessary to ensure consistency among interrelated rules associated with Deer Area 1031 and use/access restrictions of that area. Specifically, the proposed changes clarify the boundary of the deer area and specify that it is within the WDFW “Hunt by Reservation” system, consistent with related rules on the use of Deer Area 1031. 

5. WAC 220-415-030 2024 Deer special permits.

The primary purpose of this proposal, if adopted, is to retain and/or adjust deer special permit opportunity in 2025 in accordance with the Department’s mandate to provide recreational hunting opportunity and preserve, protect, perpetuate, and manage wildlife populations, RCW 77.04.012. Other proposed changes include:

1. Amend the WAC description from “2024” to “2025”. This is a clerical change, and the Department does not anticipate any effects apart from providing hunting opportunity in 2025.
2. Date adjustments of most special permits. The Department anticipates these changes, if approved, will ensure clarity and consistency in hunt timing, which are typically the same as corresponding general seasons or a function of general season timing (e.g., providing a special hunt between general season dates).
3. Adjustment of some special permit quotas in Quality, Buck, Antlerless, Youth, Senior 65+, and Hunters with Disabilities. The Department anticipates these changes, if approved, will provide special permit opportunity to hunters in accordance with population status (at, above, or below objective), abundance, and/or in proportion to overall hunter participation by method (i.e., permit allocation among hunting method).
4. Adding Lincoln, Winston, Mossyrock hunts to the antlerless category. These hunts were erroneously removed from the deer special hunt table. The Department anticipates that these changes, if approved, will provide the intended special permit opportunity in the GMUs associated with these hunts.
5. Remove the “Parker Lake” archery special hunts in the Buck category in association with changes to WAC 220-415-010 and 220-413-180, which expand hunter access in this area. If approved, the Department anticipates that this change will decrease special hunt permit availability in this category, but this change is offset by expanded access to more of the general hunting public. 

Changes to deer special permit availability (i.e., permit dates, permit levels) are proposed to balance hunting opportunity among user groups (i.e., hunting methodology) and with deer population status (i.e., increased hunting opportunities when populations allow, reduced opportunities when declining numbers warrant reduction), and to retain consistency in season timing (e.g., open/close day of week). Changes to Winston, Lincoln, and Mossyrock antlerless special permits are proposed to fix a clerical mistake that erroneously removed these permits from the hunt tables. Changes to the Parker Lake archery Buck category permits are proposed in association with changes to WAC 220-413-180 and WAC 220-415-010, which expand access to the greater hunting public and nullify the need for special permits in this category. 

6. WAC 220-415-050 2024-2026 Elk general seasons and definitions.

The purpose of this proposal, if adopted, is to:

1. Add GMU 334 to the eastern Washington modern firearm Master Hunters only general season and to extend the season from only Aug. 1-31, 2025, to Aug. 1-31, 2025 and Jan. 1-31, 2026. Apply the same dates for the 2026 license year season: change the dates from only Aug. 1-31, 2026, to Aug. 1-31, 2026 and Jan. 1-31, 2027. The anticipated effect of this change is an increased master hunter opportunity in GMU 334 and 371 (GMU 371 was already open).
2. Change the legal elk for GMU 121 during the late archery general season from “Any bull” to “Any elk”. The anticipated effect of this change is expanded hunter harvest opportunity during the late archery season in this GMU.
3. Change the legal elk for GMU 407 during modern firearm, early and late archery, and early and late muzzleloader general seasons from “Any elk” to “3 pt. min”. 

The following bulleted list corresponds to the listed WAC changes in the preceding section. That is, bullet (a) below corresponds to bullet (a) and so on in the above section titled “Purpose of the proposal and its anticipated effects, including any changes in existing rules”.

1. Elk in GMU 334 and 371 fall outside the core herd areas of the Colockum and Yakima populations and are a source of significant agricultural damage in these areas. Elk numbers in these GMUs have increased in recent years and are above management objective. Adding harvest opportunity will help manage the elk population level and mitigate agricultural damage in the area.
2. Recent hunter harvest information, data from the WFDW Predator Prey project, and increasing agricultural damage complaints indicate an increase in elk numbers in GMU 121. Providing late archery opportunity will allow general season hunters to assist in mitigating agricultural damage through an anticipated modest increase in antlerless harvest.
3. Over the past four seasons, surveys and observations by WDFW staff, tribal partners, and recreational hunters suggest the North Cascades elk herd has likely stabilized, and the population is no longer on the upward trajectory documented in prior years. The proposed change will reduce antlerless harvest with the goal of increasing the herd’s productivity and promoting stability, while still allowing for general season hunting opportunity.

7. WAC 220-415-060 2024 Elk special permits.

The primary purpose of this proposal, if adopted, is to retain and/or adjust elk special permit opportunity in 2025 in accordance with the Department’s mandate to provide recreational hunting opportunity and preserve, protect, perpetuate, and manage wildlife populations, RCW 77.04.012. Other proposed changes include:

1. Amend the WAC description from “2024” to “2025”. This is a clerical change, and the Department does not anticipate any effects apart from providing hunting opportunity in 2025.
2. Date adjustments of most special permits. The Department anticipates these changes, if approved, will ensure clarity and consistency in hunt timing, which are typically the same as corresponding general seasons or a function of general season timing (e.g., providing a special hunt between general season dates).
3. Adjustment of some special permit quotas in Quality, Bull, Antlerless, Youth, and Hunters with Disabilities. The Department anticipates these changes, if approved, will provide special permit opportunity to hunters in accordance with population status (at, above, or below objective), abundance, and/or in proportion to overall hunter participation by method (i.e., permit allocation among hunting method).
4. Add GMU 466 to the hunt area for the Region 4 hunter education instructor incentive permit. The anticipated effect of this change is an expanded hunt area for the permittee.
5. Move Alkali and Nooksak special hunts from the “Quality” to “Bull” category and add White River and Upper Smith Creek muzzleloader hunts to the Quality category. The anticipated effect of this change is better matching of hunt category with hunter expectation and better allocation of opportunity among weapon types.
6. Create an Alkali B (muzzleloader) and Alkali C (modern firearm) hunts in GMU 371 in the antlerless category, and Huckleberry (modern firearm) special hunts in the Youth and Hunters with Disabilities categories. The anticipated effect of these changes is increased special hunt availability in the affected categories. 

Changes to elk special permit availability (i.e., permit dates, permit levels) are proposed to balance hunting opportunity among user groups and with elk population status (i.e., increased hunting opportunities when populations allow, reduced opportunities when declining numbers warrant reduction), and to retain consistency in season timing (e.g., open/close day of week). The following bulleted list corresponds to the listed WAC changes in the preceding section. That is, bullet (a) below corresponds to bullet (a) and so on in the above section titled “Purpose of the proposal and its anticipated effects, including any changes in existing rules”.

Most of the elk in the current GMUs (454, 460) in the Region 4 hunter education instructor permit are found on private property and access to private property is very limited. Much of GMU 466 offers opportunities for elk hunting on public ground and adding GMU 466 to the hunt area, if approved, increases the incentive value of this permit.

The proposed changes to hunt categories for Nooksak and Alkali hunts are intended to better match hunter expectations with the hunt experience (e.g., a Quality category hunt should have a higher likelihood of success, etc.) based on harvest information and hunter feedback. The proposed addition of Upper Smith Creek and White River hunts to the Quality category are intended to balance hunting opportunity among weapon types.

The Alkali B and C and Huckleberry special hunts, if approved, are intended to increase hunter opportunity and commensurate harvest pressure on elk to assist with agricultural damage mitigation efforts in the hunt areas. Corresponding changes are proposed to elk general seasons (WAC 220-415-050; proposed changes a and b).

8. WAC 220-415-070 2024 Moose seasons, permit quotas, and areas. 

The primary purpose of this proposal, if adopted, is to retain and/or adjust moose special permit opportunity in 2025 in accordance with the Department’s mandate to provide recreational hunting opportunity and preserve, protect, perpetuate, and manage wildlife populations, RCW 77.04.012.

Proposed changes include:

1. Amend the WAC description from “2024” to “2025”. This is a clerical change, and the Department does not anticipate any effects apart from providing hunting opportunity in 2025.
2. Eliminate Moose Area 3 (Parker Lake) in association with changes to land access management by the US Forest Service that allows expanded hunter access (i.e., this area is no longer necessary). The anticipated effect is a clarification that the moose area is no longer relevant for moose hunters in the game management unit (GMU 117). 

Year change is a clerical change to make the WAC date consistent with the upcoming license year. Elimination of moose area 3 is proposed because the Area is no longer needed due to expanded hunter access in GMU 117 (Parker Lake) and enrollment of the area in the WDFW Hunt by Reservation system. 

9. WAC 220-415-120 2024 Bighorn sheep seasons, permit quotas, and areas.

The primary purpose of this proposal, if adopted, is to retain and/or adjust bighorn sheep special permit opportunity in 2025 in accordance with the Department’s mandate to provide recreational hunting opportunity and preserve, protect, perpetuate, and manage wildlife populations, RCW 77.04.012. Proposed changes include:

1. Amend the WAC description from “2024” to “2025”. This is a clerical change, and the Department does not anticipate any effects apart from providing hunting opportunity in 2025.
2. Reduce the number of permits from two to zero for the Manson special hunt in the “Any Ram” category.
3. Reduce the number of permits from one to zero for the Mountain View – Black Butte special hunt in the “Any Ram” category.

The anticipated effect of proposals “b” and “c” is a reduction of three total special permits available in the Any Ram category and a reduction in harvest in the affected hunt units. 

The Manson bighorn sheep population is below objective and there is currently a very low number of mature rams available to harvest as documented in aerial surveys, harvest data (e.g., hunter effort), and hunter feedback from past hunting seasons. Older age class rams are important for population viability and to meet hunter expectations for a once-in-a-lifetime harvest opportunity. WDFW biologists recommend reducing ram harvest in this population to allow for juvenile rams to mature, at which point harvest opportunity will return via special hunt permits. The Mountain View – Black Butte special hunt permit that is cooperatively managed and rotates among WDFW, Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildlife, and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. WDFW offered the permit in 2024 and the harvest opportunity is offered by ODFW in 2025. 

10. WAC 220-415-130 2024 Mountain goat seasons, permit quotas, and areas.

The primary purpose of this proposal, if adopted, is to retain and/or adjust mountain goat special permit opportunity in 2025 in accordance with the Department’s mandate to provide recreational hunting opportunity and preserve, protect, perpetuate, and manage wildlife populations, RCW 77.04.012.

Proposed changes include:

1. Amend the WAC description from “2024” to “2025”. This is a clerical change, and the Department does not anticipate any effects apart from providing hunting opportunity in 2025.
2. Reduce the number of permits to zero for each of the following special hunts: Bumping River, Chowder Ridge, Lincoln Peak, and Avalanche Gorge. The anticipated effect is seven fewer permits available in the mountain goat category and a reduction of mountain goat harvest in the affected hunt areas. 

The proposed reductions in mountain goat special hunt permits are in response to population declines to levels that can longer support harvest per WDFW Game Management Plan (GMP) harvest guidelines (populations must be greater than 100 individuals, harvest should not exceed 4% of the adult population). Pausing harvest promotes maximum survival of adult mountain goats and eliminates the potential inadvertent harvest of adult female goats, which are the most important drivers of long-term population trajectory. Special permit opportunity will return as mountain goat populations rebuild to higher numbers and meet the GMP guidelines.

11. WAC 220-416-060 2024-2025 Migratory gamebirds seasons and regulations.

Migratory game bird seasons and regulations are developed based on cooperative management programs among states of the Pacific Flyway and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, considering population status and other biological parameters. The proposed rule revisions would modify Washington state’s migratory game bird seasons and regulations to continue to provide recreational opportunity, control waterfowl damage, and conserve the migratory game bird resources of Washington, consistent with federal frameworks.

The proposed changes, if adopted, will:

1. Adjust season dates relative to 2025-2026 calendar dates.
2. Increase the daily bag limit for northern pintail from 1-pintail to 3-pintail and adjust the respective possession limit, per updated National Harvest Strategy.
3. Increase the daily bag limit for scoter from 2-scoter to 3-scoter and adjust the respective possession limit in western Washington, per WDFW Sea Duck Harvest Strategy.
4. Increase the daily bag limit for goldeneye from 2-goldeneye to 3-goldeneye and adjust the respective possession limit in western Washington, per WDFW Sea Duck Harvest Strategy.
5. Increase the number of harlequin duck limited-user entry permits from 38 to 52 permits.
6. In Goose Management Areas 2-Coast and 2-Inland, reduce the daily bag limit for Canada goose (including cackling goose) from 3-geese to 2-geese and adjust the respective possession limit during the regular season dates and Youth, Veteran, and Active Military Personnel Hunting Day.
7. In Goose Management Area 2-Coast and 2-Inland, no regular season dates may be offered for Canada goose (including cackling goose) after February 15, per federal framework.
8. In Goose Management Area 2-Coast and 2-Inland, reduce the season length for Canada goose (including cackling goose) from 107-days to 74-days
9. In Goose Management Areas 1, 3, 4, and 5, reduce the daily bag limit for Canada goose (including cackling goose) from 4-geese to 3-geese and adjust respective possession limit during the regular season dates and Youth, Veteran, and Active Military Personnel Hunting Day.
10. In Goose Management Area 1, reduce the daily bag limit for white goose from 10-white geese to 6 white-geese and adjust the respective possession limit.
11. In Goose Management Area 1, during Feb. 7-15, 2026, reduce the daily bag-limit for white goose from 20-white geese to 10-white geese and adjust the respective possession limit.
12. In Goose Management Area 4, shift days for white goose regular season from late-February to late-October, to allow harvest opportunity when white geese are present across a broader distribution of Goose Management Area 4.

Migratory gamebird season frameworks are established through ongoing interagency management programs involving U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and flyway organizations, including input from Canada, Russia, and Mexico. Federal frameworks include maximum bag limits, season lengths, season timing, and other regulations. Pacific Flyway season frameworks follow harvest strategies and management plans that have been developed cooperatively by USFWS and the Pacific Flyway Council. All states adopt waterfowl seasons within federal frameworks, and in many cases, they are more restrictive to address regional conservation needs. 

Management agencies utilize Adaptive Harvest Management (AHM) to establish duck season frameworks. AHM relies on annual survey information and population models to prescribe optimal regulation packages each year. The population of ducks in the western part of North America is managed separately from the eastern flyways, as part of the models developed for western mallard AHM. Western mallard AHM uses results from breeding surveys and other information from western areas rather than from the Canadian prairies, recognizing differences in Pacific Flyway breeding areas. This season packages proposed for western mallard AHM are the same as developed under mid-continent mallard AHM (liberal, moderate, and restrictive), although different models are used to prescribe annual packages.

Surveys of the breeding waterfowl were conducted along traditional survey area transects in Alaska and Canada and were used in combination with aerial surveys conducted by crews in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California to help inform season dates and bag-limit structure for the 2024-2025 migratory gamebird seasons. Northern pintail status remained below population objective, however informed by an updated interim Northern Pintail Harvest Strategy adopted by the USFWS in June 2024, with the reported breeding population estimate and updated understanding between pintail populations and harvest rates, the optimal regulatory alternative increases the daily bag limit to three pintail for the 2025-2026 duck season. Based on the most recent scaup status, the optimal regulatory alternative described in AHM protocol, requires a restrictive regulatory alternative, maintaining the daily bag limit to two scaup per day, and maintains the 86-day season length.

Since June 2013, prescriptive guidelines inform sea duck harvest strategies with harvest rate targets of less than 5% or less of the winter index as measured by aerial surveys (PSAMP/PSEMP) conducted by WDFW. In a re-evaluation of the sea duck harvest strategy, 5% or less of the winter index continues to be appropriate for scoters, goldeneye and long-tailed ducks, however, in March 2024 a limited-user entry application process was developed to provide a limited number of permits for harlequin duck. The current indices (most recent three-year average) are as follows: scoter index is 75,093, which is above the 67,500 scoter threshold to allow a “moderate” regulatory alternative which would allow for a 3-scoter daily bag-limit to keep harvest rate below 5%; goldeneye index is 50,504, 17% above the 1996-2024 long-term average for the species, allowing for goldeneye to increase to a 3-goldeneye daily bag-limit to keep harvest rate below 5%; long-tailed duck index is 5,551, nearly identical to the 1996-2024 long term average for the species, requiring the 2-long tailed duck daily bag-limit to be maintained to keep harvest rate below 5%. Harlequin duck winter index is derived from the aerial survey results and the addition of a boat-based composition survey that allows for information on age- and sex-ratios to be considered, as harvest is biased towards adult male harlequin duck. The number of permits, administered through a limited-user entry application process, is derived to keep harlequin duck harvest rate at 3% of the adult males in the population when the winter index is below 4,772 harlequin duck (1996-2018 long-term average), and accounts for wounding loss in determining the available number of permits. Specifically, the most recent harlequin duck index is 4,580 (7.5% increase from 2023 index), with a 0.566 proportion of males and 0.885 proportion Adult males. Since the winter index is below the long-term average a harvest rate of 3% (Goudie et al. 1994) and a wounding loss of 30% (Koneff et al. 2017) are both applied resulting in 52 available harlequin duck permits (4,580 winter index * 0.566 prop-male*0.885 prop-adult * 0.03 harvest rate * 0.76923 wounding loss correction = 52.94; rounded down to the nearest whole number).

Goose Management Areas in Washington state are structured in part by the presence of different goose species and sub-species wintering populations that are most common to be encountered in that region of the state. Recent status updates for the two primary subspecies of Cackling Goose found in the state, “minima” cackling goose and Taverner’s cackling goose, indicate sustained declines and high harvest rates (in excess of 10%) as indicated by band harvest recoveries. Additionally, recent insights from marked-goose tracking studies, more clearly delineates the breeding range of Taverner’s, which would exclude geese from the Alaska North Slope breeding survey. This has statewide implication, as both of these cackling goose subspecies are harvested regularly in western and eastern Washington. To reduce harvest rate on these geese, the Canada goose (including cackling goose) daily bag limit are to be reduced to 3-geese daily in Goose Management Areas 1, 3, 4, and 5. As directed by Pacific Flyway Management Plan and federal frameworks, Goose Management Area 2- Coast and 2-Inland must be reduced to 2-geese daily, regular season dates may not be offered after Feb. 15, and season length may not exceed 74-days.

White geese, specifically Lesser Snow Geese from the breeding population on Wrangel Island, Russia, have recorded three-consecutive years of low production indicating a high likelihood of entering a declining phase for the population. Based on recent surveys, Goose Management Area 1 (Skagit-Fraser Valleys) will fall below the Pacific Flyway population objective of 70,000 adult (white) geese and is proposed for a reduction in the daily bag-limit structure from 10 to 6 during dates before January 31, and from 20 to 10 during remaining dates. However, white geese have continued to expand winter distribution in the Columbia Basin (Goose Management Area 4), with the first arrival of fall migrants occurring between mid-October to late-October across a broader region of Goose Management Area 4, with six seasons of experience with season dates into late-February and early-March, the greatest opportunity to maintain harvest rates on this flock is to shift days from late-February and early-March back to late-October to better align resource availability and hunter opportunity across the entirety of this Goose Management Area.

The most recent 3-year average from the Winter Brant Survey for Skagit County remains below 3,000 brant (3yr-avg. = 2,760) which requires the Skagit County brant hunt start closed until the January 2026 count is available to inform the number of hunt days available.