Why It Matters: The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is currently soliciting public feedback on a large packet of hunting rule proposals that will shape the 2027-2029 seasons for deer, elk, moose, waterfowl, upland birds, small game, carnivores, and hunting methods. This three-year season-setting process provides a critical opportunity for sportsmen and women to influence sustainable wildlife management and hunting opportunity across the state.
Highlights
- Public comment on potential proposals is open through Sunday, August 30, 2026, through online surveys, email, and phone. Formal rulemaking is expected to begin in late 2026.
- Key proposals under consideration include species-specific deer licenses to address perceived crowding, new moose permits in the Okanogan and Chelan areas, reduced forest grouse daily limits, restrictions on trail cameras on public lands during fall seasons, and consistent season start dates.
- The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) continues to advocate for transparent, science-based wildlife management and robust public engagement in state season-setting processes, ensuring the sportsmen’s voice remains central to decisions that affect hunting opportunity and conservation funding.
WDFW is advancing its latest three-year hunting season-setting effort for the 2027-2029 seasons, with an in-depth review of regulations covering ungulates, waterfowl, upland birds, small game, carnivores, furbearers, and hunting methods. Following a public scoping survey in October 2025, that generated hundreds of comments, agency staff and biologists refined the input into approximately 60 potential proposals now open for broader public review. Virtual informational meetings were held in mid-August focused on ungulates, waterfowl, and other game categories, with recordings available for those unable to attend.
Among the most notable concepts is a potential shift to species-specific deer licenses and tags. Hunters are already required to select their one ungulate hunting season (archery, modern, or muzzleloader) at the start of each hunting season, and this new proposal would require them to narrow their seasons down further by selecting one species from black-tailed, white-tailed, or mule deer pursuits rather than holding a single statewide deer tag. Proponents claim that the current system contributes to crowding in Eastern Washington as many travel to the area for hunting opportunities. Opponents point to a further restriction on opportunity and a narrowing of seasons available without demonstrated biological need.
On the carnivore side, one proposal would replace the current prohibition on taking spotted cougar kittens or adults accompanied by spotted kittens with broader language, making it unlawful to kill a cougar that is with one or more other cougars “unless all animals in the groups of generally of equal size.” While intended to encompass cougars from ages 6-months to 1-year, the change raises practical concerns in the field. Brief encounters and fleeting glimpses of groups spread over the landscape often leave little time for accurate size comparisons. Additionally, enforcement officers who were not present at the moment of harvest would face significant challenges reconstructing whether other cougars in the area “were generally of equal size.” The result risks creating an unenforceable and highly subjective standard that could chill legitimate opportunity while offering limited additional conservation benefit.
Sportsmen and women can review the full suite of potential proposals and submit comments through dedicated online surveys broken into sections for ungulates, waterfowl, small game/carnivores, and hunting methods, or via phone/email. Comment opportunities will be open through Sunday, August 30, 2026. Comments received now will help determine which of the approximately 60 ideas to advance into formal rulemaking in December 2026. A subsequent public comment period is planned for February 2027. Any adopted changes will appear in the 2027 WA hunting regulations pamphlet.
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation remains actively engaged in supporting science-based, hunter-informed wildlife management across Washington and the nation. CSF encourages sportsmen and women to participate in this process and to stay informed on emerging issues affecting access, opportunity, and the North Americal Model of Wildlife Conservation. By providing thoughtful input grounded in field experience and biological data, hunters help ensure that Washington’s game populations remain healthy, and that quality hunting opportunities continue for current and future generations.