Purpose of the proposal and its anticipated effects, including any changes in existing rules:

WAC 220-415-100 Cougar hunting seasons and regulations: 

The purpose of the proposed changes to this WAC are to specify the harvest caps for cougar harvest seasons by Cougar Hunt Management Unit (previously PMUs), to specify what mortalities count towards the cap (harvest and conflict), and to specify that the cougar hotline and website will be updated for closures weekly. Specifically, the amendments, if adopted as proposed, do the following: 

1. All independent-aged harvested or removed cougars shall count towards the total cougar mortality cap. 

2. The cougar hunting season will begin September 1 and end March 31. 

3. All human-conflict and hunter harvest cougar mortality shall count toward the total cougar mortality cap. 

4. The season shall close in Cougar Hunt Management Units once the cap has been reached. 

5.  Closures will occur weekly on Thursdays throughout the harvest season. This will allow hunters to check closures prior to the weekend so they can hunt remotely without the need to verify if their hunt unit is open for cougar harvest. 

Harvest framework: Harvest caps are limits set on cougar mortality by Cougar Hunt Management Unit. Cougar Data Analysis Units are large, population-scale areas in Washington being used to analyze mortality at the cougar population level rather than the Hunt Management Unit level. Caps are set using the following structure: In Cougar Data Analysis Units where the total cougar mortality exceeds 16% when averaged over the prior complete 3-year period, the Cougar Hunt Management Unit within that Cougar Data Analysis Units that are over 16% receive a 10% cap until the next 3-year season setting time period; the remaining Cougar Hunt Management Units receive a 16% cap. In Cougar Data Analysis Units where the total cougar mortality remains below 16% when averaged over the prior complete 3-year period, the Cougar Hunt Management Units within those Cougar Data Analysis Units will receive a 16% cap. Caps will be reevaluated at the next 3-year season setting period. 

Reasons why a rule may be needed and what may be accomplished?:

WAC 220-400-050 Requirements for sealing of pelts and collection of biological information for river otter, cougar, lynx, and bobcat:  

The purpose of the changes to this WAC is to specify the following: that cougars must be sealed within 3 days of the harvest barring holidays and weekends, the cougar hotline reporting language is removed and no longer required, what information is needed for submitting a bobcat or otter pelt for sealing, and to make it possible for taxidermists/fur buyers to receive sealed bobcat pelts for later jaw submission by the hunter. 

The amendments, if adopted as proposed, will allow WDFW to remove the cougar reporting hotline, which was hardly used, and require cougars be brought in for sealing within 3 days of harvest. This shortens the total reporting time required by hunters, but it allows staff to account for cougar mortality at a faster and timelier rate, especially since many of the public were already getting their cats sealed before calling the hotline, which had a 3-day reporting requirement. Finally, the amendments, if adopted as proposed, will also clarify the rulemaking around collecting lower bobcat jaws and specify what information is needed to get bobcat and otter pelts sealed.