Washington's 2010 Big Game Hunting Seasons & Regulations

Antler Point-Deer: A projection off any
part of the antler measuring at least one (1) inch
in length measured from the longest side. Eye
guards are antler points if they are at least one
inch long.
Antler Point-Elk: A projection off any part
of the antler measuring at least one (1) inch
in length measured from the longest side. Eye
guards are antler points if they are at least one
inch long.
Antlerless: Deer, elk, or moose without antlers;
doe and fawn deer and cow and calf elk and
moose are considered antlerless.
Any Buck/Bull: Only deer/elk with visible
antlers may be taken (fawns/calves illegal). Visible
antler is a horn-like growth projecting above the
hairline.
Bag Limit: Maximum number of game
animals or game birds that may be taken, caught,
killed, or possessed by a person for a specific
period of time, or limits on the size, sex, or
species.
Big Game: Elk, deer, bear, moose,
mountain goat, bighorn sheep, and cougar.
Black-tailed Deer: Any member of blacktailed/mule
deer (species Odocoileus hemionus)
found west of a line drawn from the Canadian
border south on the Pacific Crest Trail and along
the Yakama Indian Reservation boundary in
Yakima County to the Klickitat River; south down
Klickitat River to the Columbia River.
Closed Area: Area where the hunting of some
species of wild animals or wild birds is prohibited.
Closed Season: All times, areas, and
manners when the taking of wild animals and wild
birds is prohibited.
Dashed - - - Lines or Hyphens:
"Through" and is inclusive of those items; e.g.,
Sept. 1-30 means: Sept. 1 through Sept. 30.
GMUs 124-136 means: all GMUs from 124
through 136.
Hunter with Disability: See page 84.
Eastern Washington: Includes all areas
lying east of the Pacific Crest Trail and east of the
Big White Salmon River in Klickitat and Skamania
counties.
Endangered Species: Wildlife designated
by the Fish and Wildlife Commission because the
species is seriously threatened with extinction.
General Season: Any hunting season that
is open to all licensed hunters, excluding special
permit-only, damage and landowner damage
hunts.
GMU: Game Management Unit Boundary
descriptions are used for management purposes.
Definitions
Horn: A hard body permanent projection that
grows on the head of mountain goats and bighorn
sheep.
Hunt Choice Number: The four-digit
number required on special permit application
submissions.
To Hunt: Any effort to kill, capture, injure, or
harass a wild animal or wild bird.
Migratory Game Birds: Coots, ducks,
geese (including brant), mourning doves, bandtailed
pigeons, and snipe.
Military Personnel: Military personnel,
permanently stationed at a military installation
within the state of Washington, regardless of
length of time in the state, are entitled to purchase
a resident license. All military personnel must
have appropriate license, tags, stamps, or permits
to fish or hunt anywhere in the state. Dependents
must establish a 90-day residency.
Mule Deer: Any member of black-tailed/mule
deer (species Odocoileus hemionus) found east
of a line drawn from the Canadian border south
on the Pacific Crest Trail and along the Yakama
Indian Reservation boundary in Yakima County
to the Klickitat River; south down Klickitat River to
the Columbia River.
Non-resident: A person who has not fulfilled
the qualifications (90 days) of a resident.
(Exception—See Military Personnel)
Open Season: All times, areas, and manner
for legally hunting or possessing game animals or
game birds. All hunting season dates listed in this
pamphlet are inclusive.
Permit Only Season: Any hunting season
that is open to a limited number of hunters.
Protected Wildlife: Wildlife designated by
the Fish and Wildlife Commission that are not to
be hunted or fished.
Public Highway: Any road, regardless of
surface, maintained by public funds.
Resident: A person who has maintained
a permanent place of abode within this state
for at least 90 days immediately preceding an
application for a WDFW license; has established
by formal evidence (drivers license or voter
registration card) an intent to continue residing
within this state; and who is not licensed to hunt
or fish as a resident in another state.
Safety Zone: An area posted to no
hunting by the WDFW for safety purposes.
Special Hunting Seasons: Hunting
seasons set by rule of the Fish and Wildlife
Commission for the purpose of taking specified
wildlife with a special hunting permit.
Spike Bull Areas: Elk taken in these units
must have at least one antler with no branches
originating more than four inches above where
the antler attaches to the skull. An animal with a
spike on one side (1x2) is legal in spike only units.
An animal with more than one antler point more
than four inches above where the antler attaches
to the skull on both sides (2x2) is illegal.
Two Point Minimum Buck: Any buck
deer with at least two antler points on one antler
is legal.
Three Point Minimum Buck: Any buck
deer with at least three antler points on one antler
is legal.
Three Point Minimum Bull: Any bull
elk with at least 3 antler points on one side with at
least 2 of those antler points above the ear.
True Spike Bull Restrictions: Bull elk
taken in these units must have both antlers with
no branching originating more than four inches
above where the antlers attach to the skull. Under
the true spike restriction, the taking of an elk that
has two points on one side or has antler points
within one inch of the definitions regarding length
of point, or point of origination is an infraction.
All other types of violations of the true spike
restriction are subject to current penalties and
assessments.
Upland Game Birds: Quail, chukar,
pheasant, and gray partridge. Grouse are not
upland birds.
Valid License: A current unaltered license
issued to the holder for the specific game animal
hunted.
Valid Tag: A current, unaltered, unnotched tag
issued to the holder to hunt for the specified game
animal on the tag.
Visible Antler: A horn-like growth on the
head of deer, elk, or moose that projects above
the hairline.
Western Washington: All areas west of the
Pacific Crest Trail and west of (and including) the
Big White Salmon River in Klickitat and Skamania
counties.
White-tailed Deer: Means any white-tailed
deer (species Odocoileus virginianus) except the
Columbian White-tailed deer (species Odocoileus
virginianus leucurus).
Wild Animals: Includes all mammals except
feral domestic mammals and old world rats and
mice.
Wild Birds: All species of birds that exist in
Washington in the wild state.
Youth: Under 16 years of age at time of license
purchase or special permit application purchase.
14
Report your hunting activity for Big Game & Turkey by calling toll free 1-877-945-3492 or online at fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov.