Washington general info

Sorry if this has been covered before, but I couldn't find it searching the WA website, the archives or on GoHunt. What is the system for allocating tags in Washington? Is there a point system? Is it all by raffle? I really appreciate any basic info you could provide.

Thanks!

that a little too general to answer but there's both a general tag that anyone can buy then a whole bunch of special hunts that you need to apply for. They award those based on a squared bonus point system.

Okay, thank you. So it is similar to Montana, then?

Yes, similar to MT as bonus points are squared though some quirks. Great news is no non-resident quota so come one, come all and take you chances though non-residents pay 10x to apply and 10x for tags. I mentioned quirks. You first pay the application fee (this is is 10x the resident) then you go back to another portal to make your actual application choices. I do not think you can mix weapon types on a limited entry application and in some cases have to decide if will only apply for hunts on east side or west side of WA. Then, there is a multi-season tag that is a separate, earlier draw than the regular draw where you can hunt bow/muzzie and rifle where your deer or elk permit otherwise is valid to hunt. There is a separate primo tag lottery but since WA forbids online gambling then the only way to enter the lottery is to buy tickets in person or have someone in WA by the tickets for you. Except some of the lottery tags are not online and can be done through a non-profit organization by mail. Other than those quirks, straight forward.

Haha, got it! Nice and simple, thanks!

It's interesting, growing up in WA then trying to hunt out-of-state I thought all the other states were complicated. Having a few years under my belt it's definitely the opposite. Not sure WA could make it much more complicated.

neffa3 said:

It's interesting, growing up in WA then trying to hunt out-of-state I thought all the other states were complicated. Having a few years under my belt it's definitely the opposite. Not sure WA could make it much more complicated.

Click to expand...

As a native of Washington and now a Florida resident I have found this to be the same as well. Steven Rinella did a podcast recently in which he said that he asked a group of conservation law enforcement "chiefs" (not all chiefs, but leaders to be sure) to take an average hunter, hand them a rules pamphlet and tell me if they can 1) logically and efficiently navigate the rules to make an informed decision on purchasing tags and 2) once they've done so, tell me if they can go on a hunt (ANY HUNT) and not violate SOME regulation. The response was the entire room shaking their heads in agreement that the answers to both questions were "no".

As a member of BHA (I'm on the Board of the new Southeast Chapter and follow the Washington Chapter very closely since it's home) I've been considering asking the chapter to start looking at ways to work with WDFW to streamline the regulations so that hunters don't need a J.D. to go hunt grouse. Thoughts? If you look at the board of directors for WDFW, very few of them are hunters. While many are, it is not their first identifying label.

I think the problem is simply trying to maximize opportunity while maintaining some trophy potential. Everything gets micro-managed to the nth degree. Plus, like many of the other states, there ends up being too much politics involved. I just talked to a long time biologist with WDFW last night who lamented that there was a time when eastern washington was going to go draw only, all the science and recommendations pointed that way, but politically it was overriden for the current spike and true spike only regs.