WA hunters called upon for input on potential rule changes about moose, elk and more
Proposed changes to WA hunting rules
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is now sharing dozens of potential changes to hunting rules starting Tuesday.
OLYMPIA, Wash. - In an effort to set appropriate rules for the 2027-2029 hunting season, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is inviting the public to attend a series of meetings about potential rule proposals.
The rule changes range from implementing species-specific deer hunting licenses to allowing the salvage of road-killed moose and will be addressed over three Zoom meetings beginning Tuesday and wrapping up next Monday.
What is hunting season setting?
What we know:
Hunting season setting is defined by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife as an "in-depth rule making process that allows WDFW to propose and collect public feedback on changes to Washington hunting rules."
Changes are typically determined by recommendations provided by the public or WDFW staff. Season setting is typically set on a three-year cycle, but minor season changes can be installed at annual season setting meetings to more quickly respond to emerging environmental needs.
The upcoming meetings during August are intended to gather input for the 2027-2029 hunting season.
When are the meetings?
WDFW is hosting three meetings in August, with each one focusing on a specific hunting topic. Each meeting will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. through Zoom.
The first meeting will take place Tuesday and cover topics on deer, elk and moose.
The next meeting on Wednesday will cover items surrounding waterfowl.
The final meeting will be next Monday, Aug. 17, to cover topics regarding turkey, small game, upland birds, carnivores, and furbearers.
The meeting ID's and passcodes for each meeting can be found on the WDFW's website.
What topics will be covered?
The number of topics for each meeting varies.
"We wanted to take this opportunity to thoroughly discuss details about the hunting rule changes we are considering with members of the public," said Anis Aoude, WDFW game division manager. "After reviewing over 1,000 comments in an earlier public comment opportunity, WDFW has narrowed it down to about 60 proposals we are considering for this three-year season setting.
For example, Tuesday's meeting about deer, elk, and moose will cover 18 topics across the three animals.
Topics for deer include a proposal for implementing a species-specific deer hunting license and tag to differentiate between hunting mule deer and black-tailed deer, or adjusting the length of seasons for archery deer hunting.
Topics for moose include allowing the salvage of road-killed moose or establishing special moose hunts in certain areas.
For waterfowl, there are 10 topics. The final meeting covers topics ranging from making cougar baiting illegal and eliminating baiting for hunting small game mammals.
A full list of topics for each meeting can be found here.
How to submit a public comment
While the upcoming virtual meetings are purely informational, WDFW is accepting public comment online, by email, and by phone.
Additionally, the agency has opened surveys for each topic that will be discussed at the upcoming meetings, which will remain open through Aug. 30.
The Source: Information for this story came from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
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