(1) The trapping season authorizes the taking of furbearing animals for their hides and pelts only. Furbearers may not be taken from the wild and held alive for sale or personal use without a special permit from the director.
(2) Any wildlife trapped for which the season is not open shall be released unharmed. Any wildlife that cannot be released unharmed must be left in the trap, and the department of fish and wildlife must be notified immediately.
(3) Lawfully trapped wild animals must be lethally dispatched or immediately released. A firearm may be used to dispatch trapped animals.
(4) It is unlawful to trap for wild animals:
(a) With body-gripping traps without a special permit from the director.
(b) Unless kill traps are checked and animals removed within 72 hours.
(c) Unless animals captured in restraining traps (any nonkilling set) are visually checked (via binoculars, trail camera, spotting scope, or in person) each calendar day and are removed within 24 hours of capture.
(d) Using game birds, game fish or game animals for bait, except nonedible parts of game birds, game fish or game animals may be used as bait.
For purposes of this section, the meat of animals classified as furbearing animals in WAC
220-400-020 is not considered edible.
(e) Within 30 feet of any exposed meat bait or nonedible game parts which are visible to flying raptors.
(5) Game bird feathers may be used as an attractor.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
77.04.012,
77.04.020,
77.04.055,
77.08.030,
77.08.045,
77.12.047,
77.12.722,
77.12.800,
77.15.190,
77.32.320,
77.32.530, and
77.32.535. WSR 24-11-029 (Order 23-18), § 220-417-030, filed 5/7/24, effective 6/7/24. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.04.012,
77.04.013,
77.04.020,
77.04.055, and
77.12.047. WSR 17-05-112 (Order 17-04), amended and recodified as § 220-417-030, filed 2/15/17, effective 3/18/17. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.04.012,
77.04.055,
77.12.047,
77.12.150, and
77.12.240. WSR 15-10-033 (Order 15-95), § 232-12-141, filed 4/28/15, effective 5/29/15. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.12.040,
77.12.020,
77.32.070,
77.32.530. WSR 01-10-048 (Order 01-69), § 232-12-141, filed 4/26/01, effective 5/27/01. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.12.040. WSR 00-20-032 (Order 00-197), § 232-12-141, filed 9/27/00, effective 10/28/00; WSR 99-17-034 (Order 99-118), § 232-12-141, filed 8/11/99, effective 9/11/99; WSR 98-01-207 (Order 97-253), § 232-12-141, filed 12/23/97, effective 10/1/98; WSR 92-18-083 (Order 563), § 232-12-141, filed 9/2/92, effective 10/3/92; WSR 90-19-097 (Order 460), § 232-12-141, filed 9/19/90, effective 10/20/90; WSR 87-15-082 (Order 293), § 232-12-141, filed 7/20/87; WSR 81-12-029 (Order 165), § 232-12-141, filed 6/1/81. Formerly WAC 232-12-310.]