Purpose of the proposal and its anticipated effects, including any changes in existing rules: This rule proposal, if adopted, will create a special subset of multi-season deer tags that will be available only to those hunters who are eligible to participate in WDFW's Chronic Wasting Disease Incentive Program (CWDIP). 

The recommended changes to WAC 220-412-090 will allow for 100 tags to be drawn at no cost for hunting deer for any licensed hunter who meets the eligibility requirements of the Chronic Wasting Disease Incentive Program. To be eligible to participate in the CWDIP, a hunter must have submitted their deer or elk for Chronic Wasting Disease sampling to WDFW staff during the preceding license year. The hunting season for this special program will start in 2024 and occur between September 1 through December 31 each year thereafter. The special hunt is statewide in GMUs that allow general seasons for archery, muzzleloader, or modern firearm hunters. This rule will provide for an overall increase in the total number of multi-season deer tags offered for each hunting season starting in 2024.

Reasons supporting proposal: Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal illness of free-ranging deer, elk, moose, and caribou. While CWD has not been detected in Washington, the disease continues to spread and is found as close as Idaho. To preserve and protect the deer and elk population of the state, it is important for WDFW to detect the disease early across GMUs. The CWDIP will assist the Department in the early detection and prevention of this disease. It should be noted that most animals infected with CWD will look healthy for several months before showing signs of the disease, during that time, they are infecting other animals.