PROPOSED RULES
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Original Notice.
Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 04-18-130.
Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: WAC 232-28-291 Special hunting season permits.
Hearing Location(s): Shilo Inn, 707 Ocean Shores Boulevard N.W., Ocean Shores, 98569, (360) 289-4600, on December 3-4, 2004, at 8:00 a.m.
Date of Intended Adoption: December 3, 2004.
Submit Written Comments to: Attn: Wildlife Program Commission Meeting Public Comments, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091, e-mail Wildthing@dfw.wa.gov, fax (360) 902-2612, by Tuesday, November 16, 2004.
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Susan Yeager by December 1, 2004, TTY (360) 902-2207 or (360) 902-2267.
Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: This WAC provides general rules and guidelines for "limited-entry" special permit hunts for big game. The proposed amendment will reduce confusion regarding terminology and remove unnecessary language.
Reasons Supporting Proposal: The proposed amendment would clarify terminology in the rule and remove redundant language that appears in the deer and elk hunting season WACs.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.12.047.
Statute Being Implemented: RCW 77.12.047.
Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.
Name of Proponent: Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, governmental.
Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting and Implementation: Dave Brittell, Natural Resources Building, Olympia, (360) 902-2504; and Enforcement: Bruce Bjork, Natural Resources Building, Olympia, (360) 902-2932.
No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. This rule regulates recreational hunters and does not directly regulate small business.
A cost-benefit analysis is not required under RCW 34.05.328. Not hydraulics rules.
October 20, 2004
Evan Jacoby
Rules Coordinator
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. No refunds or exchanges for deer, elk, cougar, or black bear hunting licenses or transport tags will be made for persons applying for special hunting season permits after the permit drawing has been held.
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.
C. No refunds for mountain goat, moose, or bighorn sheep hunting licenses will be made for persons successfully drawing and purchasing special hunting season permits.
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. No refunds for small game hunting licenses will be made, regardless of success in the drawing for wild turkey special hunting season permits.
C. Wild turkey special hunting season permit holders must have a valid turkey transport tag in possession to hunt turkeys in the special hunting season.
4. Special hunting season permit applications:
A. Group applications will be accepted for any species with a group size larger than one. Maximum group sizes are determined for each species. 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 turkey is 4.
viii. Maximum group size for moose is 2.
B. An applicant may purchase only one application for a special hunting season permit for each species.
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 advanced hunter education graduates: Only persons who hold a valid certificate from the Washington department of fish and wildlife advanced hunter education (AHE) program are eligible to apply for special hunting season permits for AHE 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.
7. In addition to requirements for special hunting season
permit applications, following are application and permit
requirements for antlerless deer and elk (("B")) second tags. Successful applicants under this section may purchase an
appropriate second hunting license and tag for an antlerless
animal only ((within fifteen days of the published
notification deadline by the department. Failure to purchase
within fifteen days forfeits the opportunity for a second
license)).
[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047. 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.]