Purpose: To adopt WAC 232-28-280 1998-99 and 1999-2000 Deer general seasons and special permits.

Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 232-28-240, 232-28-265, and 232-28-267 [repealed in WSR 98-10-019].

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.12.040.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 98-05-085 on February 18, 1998.

Changes Other than Editing from Proposed to Adopted Version: The adopted version of WAC 232-28-280 1998-99 and 1999-2000 Deer general seasons and special permits, differs from the proposed version filed with the code reviser in the following specifics:

1. WAC title changed from "1998-99 and 1999-2000 Deer general seasons and special permits" to "1998 and 1999 Deer general seasons and 1998 special permits."

2. Bag limit definition changed from "an annual (July 1-March 31) hunting season" to "the 1998 hunting season."

3. The title Branched Antler Restriction GMUs amended by dropping "GMU."

4. The Blacktail deer definition was changed by replacing "in western Washington" with "west of the Pacific Crest Trail and in Klickitat County west of Highway 97."

5. The Mule deer definition was changed by replacing "in eastern Washington" with "east of the Pacific Crest Trail and in Klickitat County east of Highway 97."

6. In the High Buck hunts the word Peninsula was added following Olympic.

7. In western Washington Blacktail Deer General Seasons, GMU 472 was added; the words "through 578, 588" were deleted; and the description for 601 through 673 was changed to 601 through 633, 638 through 673.

8. GMU 582 was deleted from 2 pt. min. units.

9. The Eastern Washington Whitetail Deer General Season descriptions was changed but actual seasons not changed. GMUs 127 through 142 was listed as Oct. 17-30 instead of Oct. 26-30 and GMUs 127 through 154 changed to 145 through 154 Oct. 17-25. The Pasayten Wilderness GMU number 203 was used instead of name Pasayten Wilderness.

10. Mule Deer general seasons game management unit descriptions were amended as All ((of)) eastern Washington GMUs except … for clarification.

11. The western Washington late blacktail deer modern firearm seasons were amended by deleting 574, 578, 582, and 588 and "either sex" changed to "any deer" in the Legal Deer in GMUs 410 and 564.

12a. The eastern Washington late whitetail deer modern firearm seasons were amended by including GMU 124 in the any whitetail buck season.

12b. Late buck hunts for Disabled, Senior, or Youth Hunts were titled "Eastern Washington Whitetail Deer."

13. Early Archery deer seasons amended by adding GMU 472 and changing "601 through 673" to "601 through 633, 638 through 673."

14. GMU 582 was deleted from the early archery 2 pt. min. or antlerless season in western Washington.

15. The word "Peninsula" was added after Olympic in Western Washington early archery seasons.

16. Eastern Washington early archery mule deer season game management units changed from 130 through 149, 163, 178, to 130 through 154, 162 through 178 … was changed for both Sept. 1-5 and Sept. 6-15 seasons. Also, GMU 582 was added to both the Sept. 1-5 and Sept. 6-15 seasons.

17. Eastern Washington early archery whitetail deer seasons were amended by dropping Pasayten Wilderness.

18. Late archery blacktail deer seasons amended by adding GMU 472 and changing "601 through 673" to "601 through 633, 638 through 673."

19. Late archery blacktail deer seasons with a Dec. 15 cutoff amended by changing 510, 513, 516, 520 to 510 through 520, and changing 607, 612, 615, 618 to 607 through 618.

20. Late archery blacktail deer seasons with a Dec. 31 cutoff amended by changing 660, 663, 666, 667, 672 to 660 through 672.

21. The muzzleloader High Buck Hunt amended by adding the word "Peninsula" following Olympic.

22. GMU 624 added to early muzzleloader western Washington blacktail deer seasons.

23a. In the late muzzleloader deer western Washington deer seasons, GMU 588 was added and GMU 582 was deleted.

23. In the late muzzleloader deer seasons for eastern Washington whitetail, 3 pt. min. or antlerless were changed from GMUs 130, 136, 172-181 to 130, 136, 172, 181.

24. The year 1998 was added to the title "Permit Season."

25. The permit level for Alta for modern firearm was changed from 46 to 47 and the letter A added to Alta.

26. The permit level for Quilomene A for modern firearm was changed from 55 to 56.

26a. The letter A was added to the Alkali permit hunt.

27. The Fall Creek and Williams Creek any deer permit hunts were out of sequence so they were placed in correct unit sequence.

28. The permit level for Skookumchuck A on page 7 was changed from 100 to 90.

28a. The permit level for Alta B was changed from 50 to 8.

29. The permit level for Desert B for muzzleloaders was changed from 2 to 1.

30. Muzzleloader permits for Quilomene B was changed from 21 to 4.

31. Muzzleloader permits for Umtanum B was changed from 21 to 5.

31a. The letter B was added after Alkali muzzleloader hunt and permit level changed from 39 to 10.

32. In Advanced Hunter Education deer permits for the Mt. Adams area, the description area is Elk Area 059 not Elk Area 059, GMU 560, and 10 permits are recommended.

33. The Persons of Disability Gobbler's Knob hunt was out of sequence so it was repositioned in the WAC.

34. The boundary description for the Walla Walla senior special deer permit hunts was changed from GMUs 149-163 to 149, 163.

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 1, amended 0, 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.

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

April 20, 1998

Lisa Pelly, Chair

Fish and Wildlife Commission

WAC 232-28-280  1998 and 1999 Deer general seasons and 1998 special permits

Bag Limit: One (1) deer per hunter during the 1998 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).

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

Branched Antler Restrictions: 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, 636, 681, and GMU 485 (by permit only).

3 Point GMUs: All Mule Deer in eastern Washington (see definition of eastern Washington); 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.

Permit Only Units: The following GMUs are closed during general seasons: 242 (Alta), 290 (Desert), 329 (Quilomene), 330 (West Bar), 342 (Umtanum), 371 (Alkali), and 485 (Green River).

GMUs Closed to Deer Hunting: 157 (Mill Creek Watershed) and 522 (Loo-wit).

Blacktail Deer: Any member of blacktail/mule deer (species Odocoileus hemionus) found west of the Pacific Crest Trail and in Klickitat County west of Highway 97.

Mule Deer: Any member of blacktail/mule deer (species Odocoileus hemionus) found east of the Pacific Crest Trail and in Klickitat County east of Highway 97.

Harvest Report Card: Successful hunters must fill out and return a Game Harvest Report Card within 10 days after taking a deer.

Modern Firearm Deer Seasons

License Required: Hunting license.

Tag Required: Valid modern firearm deer tag on his/her person for the area hunted.

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

Archery Deer Seasons

License Required: Hunting license.

Tag Required: Valid archery deer tag on his/her person for the area hunted.

Special Notes: Archery tag holders can only hunt with archery equipment during archery seasons.

Muzzleloader Deer Seasons

License Required: Hunting license.

Tag Required: Valid muzzleloader deer tag on his/her person for the area hunted.

Hunting Method: Muzzleloader only.

Special Notes: Muzzleloader tag holders can only hunt during muzzleloader seasons and must hunt with muzzleloader equipment. Muzzleloader deer tag holders may apply for all either sex, antlerless only, and branched antler deer special hunting permits except on Private Lands Wildlife Management Area 201.

Firearm Restricted Deer Hunts Open To All Deer Hunters

License Required: Hunting license.

Tag Required: Valid modern firearm, archery or muzzleloader deer tag on his/her person for the area hunted.

Hunting Method: Must use weapon in compliance with tag. Firearm restrictions apply in some GMUs.

Special Deer Permit Hunting Seasons

(Open to Permit Holders Only)

Hunters must purchase a hunting license and deer tag prior to purchase of a permit application.