Continuance of WSR 26-04-120, filed on February 3, 2026. The continuance is being filed with the office of the code reviser to change the rule hearing start time from 3:30 p.m. to 10:30 a.m. on March 11.

Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: This rule-making project involves changes to rules for the 2026 hunting season setting. The rules subject to amendment include WAC 220-220-080 Reduced rate combination deer hunting licenses, 220-220-090 Reduced rate combination elk general licenses, 220-400-040 Possession of dead wildlife, 220-410-030 Game management units (GMUs) boundary descriptions—Region three, 220-412-040 Washington raffle hunts, 220-412-060 Washington auction hunts, 220-412-090 Multi-season deer and elk tags, 220-415-030 2025 Deer special permits, 220-415-060 Elk special permits, 220-415-070 2025 Moose seasons, permit quotas, and areas, 220-415-120 2025 Bighorn sheep seasons, permit quotas, and areas, 220-415-130 2025 Mountain goat seasons, permit quotas, and areas, 220-416-060 2025-2026 Waterfowl and migratory gamebird seasons and regulations, and 220-416-080 Regulated access area restriction for waterfowl, coot, and snipe hunting.

Hearing Location(s): On Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at 10:30 a.m., virtual director hearing by Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89055719498. To register to verbally comment at the public hearing, sign up at https://engage.wdfw.wa.gov/r86556.

Submit Written Comments to: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Rules Coordinator, P.O. Box 43200, Olympia, WA 98504, email 2026seasontsettingcr102@publicinput.com, fax 360-902-2162, https://publicinput.com/w11502, phone 855-925-2801, project code 7602, beginning February 4, 2026, at 12:00 p.m., by March 12, 2026, 11:59 p.m.

Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Title VI/ADA compliance coordinator, phone 360-902-2349, TTY 1-800-833-6388 or 711, email Title6@dfw.wa.gov, http://wdfw.wa.gov/accessibility/requests-accommodation, by March 4, 2026, 11:59 p.m.

Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: WAC 220-220-080 Reduced rate combination deer hunting licenses: This proposed rule change creates a new section to clarify that hunter education instructors may purchase a second deer tag when drawn for a hunter education instructor incentive deer permit, and to discount this incentive deer combined license by 40 dollars to match the discount provided to master hunter second tags.

WAC 220-220-090 Reduced rate combination elk general licenses: This is a new section to clarify that hunter education instructors may purchase a second elk tag when drawn for a hunter education instructor incentive elk permit, and to discount this incentive elk combined license by 40 dollars to match the discount provided to master hunter second tags.

WAC 220-400-040 Possession of dead wildlife: This proposal would clarify that possession of naturally shed antlers of deer, elk, or moose is not prohibited unless the shed antlers were retrieved, collected, or possessed while trespassing on closed public lands or department-controlled lands. This proposal also clarifies the penalties for WAC violations.

WAC 220-410-030 Game management units (GMUs) boundary descriptions—Region three: This proposal adjusts unit descriptions for GMUs 342, 352, and 360 to reflect existing boundary conditions such as roads, etc. and current naming conventions. Specifically:


1.	Remove references to SR 410 "as it existed prior to the 2009 landslide."
2.	Replace reference to "Clover Springs Rd" with "Bethel Ridge Road."
3.	Remove references to "New SR 410" and "South SR 410 detour."

WAC 220-412-040 Washington raffle hunts: This proposal updates WAC language for authorizing an organization to conduct a hunt raffle. Specifically, this proposal removes existing subsections (3), (4), and (6) through (9), and portions of subsection (2). This proposal adds a new section specifying that any raffle hunter must comply with all applicable hunting rules and regulations, consistent with existing language used in WAC 220-412-060 Washington auction hunts.

WAC 220-412-060 Washington auction hunts: This proposal adjusts WAC language for authorizing an organization to conduct a hunt auction. Specifically, this proposal removes existing subsections (3), (4), and (6) through (9), and portions of subsection (2).

WAC 220-412-090 Multi-season deer and elk tags: This proposal is meant to eliminate "chronic wasting disease (CWD) incentive" multiseason deer tags (100 total permits). The rule changes do not adjust the regularly offered multiseason deer tags and is specific to multiseason tags associated with the former WDFW voluntary CWD sampling program.

WAC 220-415-030 2025 Deer special permits: This proposal is meant to retain and/or adjust deer special permit opportunity in 2026. The anticipated effect of the rule change(s) is a continuation of hunting opportunity in accordance with WDFW's mandate under RCW 77.04.012.

WAC 220-415-060 Elk special permits: This proposal is meant to retain and/or adjust elk special permit opportunity in 2026. The anticipated effect of the rule change(s) is a continuation of hunting opportunity in accordance with WDFW's mandate under RCW 77.04.012.

WAC 220-415-070 2025 Moose seasons, permit quotas, and areas: This proposal is meant to retain and/or adjust moose special permit opportunity in 2026. The anticipated effect of the rule change(s) is a continuation of hunting opportunity in accordance with WDFW's mandate under RCW 77.04.012. The more specific changes are as follows:


1.	Amend the WAC description from "2025" to "2026."
2.	Change the single disabled hunter permit from Mt Spokane North (Moose Area 2) to Mt Spokane South (Moose Area 1); change the one youth permit from Mt Spokane South to Mt Spokane North.

WAC 220-415-120 2025 Bighorn sheep seasons, permit quotas, and areas: This proposal is meant to retain and/or adjust bighorn sheep special permit opportunity in 2026. The anticipated effect of the rule change(s) is a continuation of hunting opportunity in accordance with WDFW's mandate under RCW 77.04.012. The more specific changes are as follows:


1.	Amend the WAC description from "2025" to "2026."
2.	Increase Cleman Mountain "Any Ram" from four to eight; and provide two Cleman Mountain juvenile ram hunt permits.
3.	Create a Selah Butte "Any Ram" special hunt with a total of two permits.
4.	Remove the Wenaha "Any Ram" special hunt.
5.	Create a Swakane "Youth" category adult ewe special with a total of two permits.
6.	Adjust the Sheep Unit 13 "Quilomene" description to remove reference to "Colockum Creek."

WAC 220-415-130 2025 Mountain goat seasons, permit quotas, and areas: This proposal is meant to retain and/or adjust mountain goat special permit opportunity in 2026. The anticipated effect of the rule change(s) is a continuation of hunting opportunity in accordance with WDFW's mandate under RCW 77.04.012.


1.	Amend the WAC description from "2025" to "2026."

WAC 220-416-060 2025-2026 Waterfowl and migratory gamebird seasons and regulations: Migratory game bird seasons and regulations are developed based on cooperative management programs among states of the Pacific flyway and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), considering population status and other biological parameters. The rule establishes migratory game bird seasons and regulations to provide recreational opportunities, control waterfowl damage, and conserve the migratory game bird resources of Washington. The proposed changes include the following:


1.	Adjust season dates relative to 2026-2027 calendar dates.
2.	Decrease the white-fronted goose daily bag limit and associated possession limits during the regular goose season statewide, per federal framework.

WAC 220-416-080 Regulated access area restriction for waterfowl, coot, and snipe hunting: Add subsection (11) describing North Willapa regulated access area (that portion of the Johns River Wildlife Area - North Willapa Bay Unit located north of the Willapa River between Fleiss Creek and Camenzind Road in T14, R09, S16, 17, 21, and 22).

Reasons Supporting Proposal: WAC 220-220-080 Reduced rate combination deer hunting licenses: WDFW is proposing these changes to WAC 220-220-080 to clarify the licensing requirements for hunter education instructor permits. This proposal is consistent with RCW 77.32.155, which encourages nonmonetary incentives to promote instructor volunteer service. Hunter education instructors are volunteers that contribute over 20,000 hours annually and significantly benefit WDFW's mission.

WAC 220-220-090 Reduced rate combination elk general licenses: WDFW is proposing these changes to WAC 220-220-090 to clarify the licensing requirements for hunter education instructor permits, and to codify a discount for the license and tag purchase cost. This proposal is consistent with RCW 77.32.155, which encourages nonmonetary incentives to promote instructor volunteer service. Hunter education instructors are volunteers that contribute over 20,000 hours annually and significantly benefit WDFW's mission.

WAC 220-400-040 Possession of dead wildlife: The proposed rule change is intended to remove the incentive to profit from the collection of shed antlers and to better protect closed habitat for deer, elk, and moose. Under current rules, only closure violations (trespass) are cited, and violators are allowed to keep the antlers they collected, making the financial reward greater than the penalty. Because the collection of shed deer and elk antlers can be worth significant money, this popular activity has become a growing issue for WDFW to manage. This proposal also imposes a criminal violation if the collection and retrieval of wildlife parts occur on closed public lands or department-controlled lands.

WAC 220-410-030 Game management units (GMUs) boundary descriptions—Region three: The current WAC descriptions are outdated and currently reference nonexistent conditions or road names. These administrative adjustments are needed to reduce public confusion and correct hunting regulation boundaries.

WAC 220-412-040 Washington raffle hunts: These proposed changes are associated with an audit of WDFW's big game auction and raffle program conducted by the state auditor's office review, which identified areas of the program that need improved compliance with WAC requirements. Upon review of the existing WAC language, WDFW recommends removing most of the prescriptive and/or outdated language specific to contract development and raffle execution. Instead, the removed prescriptive language will be incorporated into an agency guidance document that will guide program procedure. These changes will facilitate more flexibility and compliance for staff-limited nongovernmental organizations that conduct raffles on behalf of WDFW.

WAC 220-412-060 Washington auction hunts: These proposed changes are associated with an audit of WDFW's big game auction and raffle program conducted by the state auditor's office review, which identified areas of the program that need improved compliance with WAC requirements. Upon review of the existing WAC language, WDFW recommends removing most of the prescriptive and/or outdated language specific to contract development and auction execution. Instead, the removed prescriptive language will be incorporated into an agency guidance document that will guide program procedure. These changes will facilitate more flexibility and compliance for staff-limited nongovernmental organizations that conduct auctions on behalf of WDFW.

WAC 220-412-090 Multi-season deer and elk tags: WDFW previously offered these "CWD incentive" multiseason deer tags to encourage hunters to participate in CWD surveillance sampling in eastern Washington. Now that CWD sampling is mandatory in that region, these incentive tags are no longer needed.

WAC 220-415-030 2025 Deer special permits: The rule changes to special permit levels, legal restrictions, or dates are proposed to balance hunting opportunity among user groups (i.e., hunting methodology). The rule changes proposed would also help manage population status such as increasing hunting opportunities when populations allow, reducing opportunities when declining numbers warrant reduction and to retain consistency in season timing or weekday opening/closing, and/or address specific management needs.

WAC 220-415-060 Elk special permits: The rule changes to special permit levels, legal restrictions, or dates are proposed to balance hunting opportunity among user groups (i.e., hunting methodology). The rule changes proposed would also help manage population status such as increasing hunting opportunities when populations allow, reducing opportunities when declining numbers warrant reduction, and to retain consistency in season timing or weekday opening/closing, and/or address specific management needs.


1.	This change is necessary to provide special hunt permits in the 2026 license year.
2.	This change improves access for disabled hunters while retaining hunting opportunity for youth hunters and ensuring balanced hunting pressure in the area.


1.	This change is necessary to provide special hunt permits in the 2026 license year.
2.	This population has a relatively high number of rams and can sustain additional harvest consistent with management objectives and the need to reduce disease risk from contact with neighboring domestic sheep flocks.
3.	Same as rationale #2 above.
4.	This hunt is rotated annually among Oregon department of fish and wildlife and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation. For example, the 2026 license year permit moves to one of the other comanagers.
5.	This population is above objective and can sustain additional ewe harvest, which also helps reduce disease risk from contact with neighboring domestic sheep flocks.
6.	This is a clerical change intended to improve understanding of hunt areas and associated regulations.

WAC 220-416-060 2025-2026 Waterfowl and migratory gamebird seasons and regulations: Migratory gamebird season frameworks are established through ongoing interagency management programs involving USFWS and flyway organizations, including input from Canada, Russia, and Mexico. Federal frameworks include maximum bag limits, season lengths, season timing, and other regulations. Pacific flyway season frameworks follow harvest strategies and management plans that have been developed cooperatively by USFWS and the Pacific flyway council. All states adopt waterfowl seasons within federal frameworks, and in many cases, they are more restrictive to address regional conservation needs.

WAC 220-416-080 Regulated access area restriction for waterfowl, coot, and snipe hunting: WDFW recently acquired property that expands the North Willapa Bay Unit of the Johns River Wildlife Area, located in Goose Management Area 2 - Coast. This property was previously held as private land and did not provide a public hunting opportunity. In this region of western Washington, this property is known for a high concentration of waterfowl, in particular Dusky Canada geese. This addresses the dual mandate of protecting species and habitat, while providing opportunity in this region for this wildlife area.

Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting and Implementation: Mick Cope, 1111 Washington Street S.E., Olympia, WA 98501, 360-902-2515; Enforcement: Steve Bear, 1111 Washington Street S.E., Olympia, WA 98501, 360-902-2373.