[Order 25-26—Filed February 25, 2026, 3:22 p.m., effective March 28, 2026]

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

Purpose: The purpose of this rule project is to amend rules in WAC 220-413-020 and 220-413-100 to clarify regulations on tagging and mandatory reporting for the public.

Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 220-413-020 and 220-413-100.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.013, 77.04.020, 77.12.045, and 77.12.047.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 26-01-012 on December 4, 2025.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 2, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Date Adopted: February 25, 2026.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 23-23-045, filed 11/6/23, effective 12/7/23)

WAC 220-413-020Tagging requirements.

(1) It is unlawful for a person who kills a big game animal or turkey to fail to immediately validate their tag (unless the tagging requirement is specifically exempted by the fish and wildlife commission). There are two methods of tagging big game animals and turkey, paper tagging and electronic tagging.

(a) A paper tag is validated by cutting out and completely removing the designated notches corresponding to the day and month of the kill for that species and immediately attaching the notched tag to the carcass of the big game animal or turkey.

(b) An electronic tag is validated by following the prompts in the authorized mobile application and writing the confirmation number and date of harvest in ink on material that can withstand the elements and immediately attaching that to the carcass of the big game animal or turkey.

(2) The tag must remain attached to the carcass while it is being transported and must remain with the wildlife during the period of retention of the edible parts.

(3) For purposes of this section, the requirements in subsection (1)(a) and (b) of this section are the same, and constitute "notch a transport tag" as referenced in chapter 77.15 RCW.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 25-09-078, filed 4/16/25, effective 5/17/25)

WAC 220-413-100Mandatory report of hunting activity.

(1) All hunters purchasing a hunting license must report their hunting activity for deer, elk, bear, or turkey.

(a) Hunters must report hunting activity, for each tag and permit acquired, by January 31st or within 10 days after the close of an eligible hunt, whichever date is later.

(b) Reports must be made using the department's authorized internet hunter reporting system, department-authorized mobile application, or by telephone.

(c) A hunter who fails to report hunting activity, for each tag and permit acquired, by the reporting deadline is in violation of reporting requirements.

(d) Compliance will be credited for each transport tag and permit acquired.

(2) As an incentive for prompt reporting, all hunters who report by midnight January 10th or within 10 days after the last day of their permit hunt will be entered into a drawing for special deer and elk incentive permits. To be eligible for the drawing, hunters must report their hunting activity for each transport tag and permit acquired.

(3) A hunter who fails to report hunting activity by the reporting deadline for deer, elk, bear, or turkey tags and permits acquired the previous year will be required to pay a $10 administrative fee at the time a new license that includes deer, elk, bear, or turkey tags is issued.

(4) All hunters who purchase a paper or electronic migratory bird authorization must report their hunting activity for each paper or electronic harvest record card issued.

(a) Hunters must report harvest information from band-tailed pigeon harvest record cards by September 30th following the season for which the harvest card was issued. Hunters must report harvest information from brant, sea duck, and harlequin duck permit harvest record cards by February 15th following the season for which the harvest card was issued. Hunters must report harvest information from snow goose (Goose Management Area 1), and SW Canada goose (Goose Management Area 2 Coast and Inland) harvest record cards by March 20th following the season for which the harvest card was issued.

(b) Hunters must report migratory bird hunting activity at the department's authorized internet hunter reporting system internet site listed on the harvest record card or on the department-authorized mobile application.

(c) Any hunter who fails to report, for each harvest record card acquired, by the reporting deadlines is in violation of reporting requirements.

(d) Compliance will be credited for each harvest record card acquired.

(5) A hunter who fails to report hunting activity by the reporting deadlines for band-tailed pigeon, brant, harlequin duck permit, sea duck, snow goose, or SW Canada goose harvest record card acquired in the previous hunting season must pay a $10 administrative fee at the time a new migratory bird authorization and harvest record card is issued.

(6) A hunter may only be required to pay a maximum of one $10 administrative fee for all game species reporting violations during a license year.

(7) Hunters that harvest a deer, elk, or moose in any WDFW management region where the department has detected chronic wasting disease must present a sample to the department in the WDFW management region where it was harvested for chronic wasting disease testing within five days of harvesting:

(a) The whole head with at least three inches of the neck attached; or

(b) Extracted lymph nodes.