Washington's 2010 Big Game Hunting Seasons & Regulations

Tagging and Transporting Game
1. Tag Your Big Game Immediately:
Immediately after any big game animal has been
killed, the appropriate tag of the person who has
taken the animal must be:
1. Validated: Cut out and completely
remove the month and day of kill. Month
and day must be completely removed. A
slit is not acceptable.
2. Securely attached to the carcass in a
visible manner.
2. Transporting Wildlife:
You must transport any big game animal with
the proper tag attached. The properly validated
tag must remain with the meat until it is eaten
(including cold storage).
If quartered, the tag should remain with the carcass
or largest portion of the carcass. If you need to
take the head to a taxidermist and the meat to
be processed, you can complete a taxidermy
ledger or invoice, providing information outlined
under "Possession and Use of Wildlife" for the
taxidermist, and keep the tag with the meat at the
processor.
The tag should remain attached to the hide of a
bear or cougar until it is tanned.
3. Evidence of Animal's Sex:
It is illegal to possess or transport big game
animals unless evidence of the animal's sex is left
naturally attached to the carcass until the carcass
is processed or stored for consumption. Evidence
of sex means:
Male - head with antlers or horns attached or
penis or testes naturally attached to at least
one quarter of the carcass or to the largest
portion of meat.
female - the head or udder must be
naturally attached to at least one quarter of
the carcass or to the largest portion of meat.
Big game taken in antler or horn restriction areas:
The head or skull plate, with both horns or both
antlers naturally attached, must accompany the
carcass while in transit or in possession.
The feathered heads of game birds must be
attached to the carcass when they are in your
possession in the field or are being transported.
Possession and Use of Wildlife:
1. Transporting Game or Portions of Meat
Taken by Somebody Else:
If you transport or possess wildlife (or parts)
killed by someone else, you must possess a
written statement showing the name, address,
license, permit or tag number; the number and
kind of animal provided, the date killed, county,
and area it was taken
in, and the hunter’s
signature.
2. Waste of Wildlife:
You may NOT allow
game animals or game
birds you have taken to
recklessly be wasted.
3. Purchasing or Selling
Wildlife or Their
Parts:
Non-edible portions of
wild animals and game
birds may be sold or
traded (antlers, hides,
teeth), except for bighorn
sheep; mountain goat;
velvet antlers of deer or
elk; or the gall bladder,
claws, and teeth of bear,
except those claws
or teeth permanently
attached to a full bear
skin or mounted bear
or the raw fur of a wild
animal or the wild animal
itself, if the wild animal,
has been trapped in
this state with a body
gripping trap.
4. Wildlife Found Dead:
You may remove and dispose of wildlife found
dead on your property or an adjoining public
roadway, but you must first notify WDFW. Dead
wildlife can only be removed for disposal, not for
personal use or consumption.
(WAC 246.203.121)
5. Possession of Antlers:
It is legal to possess naturally shed antlers of
deer, elk, and moose.
6. Stolen Wildlife:
Lawfully-tagged wildlife is personal property.
Theft of wildlife should be reported to WDFW
Enforcement or local law enforcement.
7. Depredating Wildlife:
Rock doves (pigeons), Eurasian collared doves,
starlings, and house sparrows may be taken
at any time. Crows may be taken during the
crow season or in the act of depredation. Crow
season: Statewide, no limit, October 1 - January
31. Magpies may be taken only in the act of
depredation (damaging crops or other property).
8. Endangered Species:
It is illegal to hunt, possess, or control protected
wildlife or endangered species. Endangered
species are: pygmy rabbit; fisher; gray wolf;
Be sure of identification
if you are hunting coyotes.
Wolves are back in Washington. They are
protected under both federal and state law
and may not be shot or killed.
GRAY WOLF COYOTE
Color: light gray to black
Dimensions: 2.5 feet tall, 5–6 feet long
Broad snout
Round ears
80–120 pounds
Paw size: 4" x 5"
Color: light gray/brown
Dimensions: 1.5 feet tall,
4 feet long
Tall pointed ears
Narrow snout
20–50 pounds
Paw size: 2" x 2.5"
Wolves are protected by federal law under the Endangered Species Act.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The Salt Lake Tribune
grizzly bear; sea otter; sei, fin, blue, humpback,
black right, kille (orca) and sperm whales;
Columbian white-tailed deer; woodland caribou;
American white and brown pelicans; sandhill
crane; snowy plover; upland sandpiper; Northern
spotted owl; western pond and leatherback sea
turtles; mardon skipper, Taylor's checkerspot,
and Oregon silverspot butterflies; and Oregon
spotted and northern leopard frogs.
9. Protected Wildlife:
It is illegal to hunt, kill, possess, or control
protected wildlife. Protected wildlife are:
Cascade golden-mantled ground, golden
mantled ground, Washington ground, red,
Douglas, northern flying and western gray
squirrels; Mazama pocket gopher, steller and
California sea lions; seals; dolphins; porpoises;
whales, green sea, loggerhead sea and
painted turtles; Larch Mountain salamanders;
pygmy whitefish, margined sculpins; Olympic
mudminnows; cony or pika; North American
lynx; common loon; least, yellow-pine,
Townsend’s, and red-tailed chipmunks; hoary
and Olympic marmots; wolverines; California
mountain kingsnakes; all birds not classified as
game birds, except, starlings, house sparrows,
rock doves (pigeons) and magpies; all bats,
except when found in or immediately adjacent to
a dwelling or other occupied building.
Report your hunting activity for for Big Game & Turkey by calling toll free 1-877-945-3492 or online at fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov. 73
GENERAL
INfORMATION