WSR 98-01-205

PERMANENT RULES

DEPARTMENT OF

FISH AND WILDLIFE

[Order 97-254--Filed December 23, 1997, 5:10 p.m.]

Date of Adoption: December 13, 1997.

Purpose: To amend WAC 232-28-240 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000 Deer and bear hunting seasons and regulations.

Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 232-28-240.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.12.040.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 97-22-099 on November 5, 1997.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, amended 1, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, amended 1, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

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

December 22, 1997

Lisa Pelly, Chair

Fish and Wildlife Commission

AMENDATORY SECTION [(Amending WSR 97-12-049, filed 6/2/97)]

WAC 232-28-240 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000 Deer and bear hunting seasons and regulations.

deer

Bag Limit: One (1) deer per hunter during an annual (July 1-March 31) hunting season. The Fish and Wildlife Commission may authorize two doe permits for damage areas. Any multiple doe permits will be identified by special permit.

Hunting Method: Hunters must select one of the hunting methods (modern firearm, archery, muzzleloader).

Buck Deer Seasons: Open only to the taking of male deer with visible antlers (buck fawns illegal).

Definition: Visible antler is a horn-like growth projecting above the hairline.

Branched Antler Restriction GMUs: applies to all hunters during any open season! Buck deer taken in these GMUs must meet minimum antler point requirements. Minimum antler point requirements are antler points on one side only. Antler points include eye guards but all antler points must be at least one inch long. The following GMUs have 2 or 3 point minimum requirements on buck deer taken.

2 Point GMUs: 437, 478, 558, 574, 578, 582, 588, 636, 681, and GMU 485 (by permit only).

3 Point GMUs: Mule Deer and Blacktail Deer in all 100, 200, 300 units and GMU 450; Whitetail Deer in GMUs 127, 130, 133, 136, 139, 142, 145, 149, 154, 162, 163, 166, 169, 172, 175, 178, 181, 186, 203, and 231.

Modern Firearm Deer Seasons

Tag Required: Deer hunter must have a current, valid, unaltered, unnotched modern firearm deer tag on his/her person.

Hunting Method: Modern firearm deer tag hunters may use rifle, handgun, shotgun, bow or muzzleloader, but only during modern firearm seasons.

High Buck Hunt