Cougar General Seasons

General Seasons:

• Early hunting season: Sept. 1-Dec. 31
• Late hunting season: Jan. 1-Apr. 30 or when the harvest guideline is reached, whichever occurs first. A current, valid 2024-2025 cougar license/tag is required to hunt cougar in April 2024. (WAC 220-415-100)

HUNTER REQUIREMENTS, Mandatory Reporting and Hide Sealing

MANDATORY FOR ALL HUNTERS

All hunters, successful or not, must report their hunt activity via the WILD system (see due dates below by season)

1. All successful hunters must have their harvested cougar (unfrozen hide and skull) sealed by WDFW within 5 days of the kill (please leave proof of sex attached). The skull and hide (both nonfrozen) must be presented so teeth and biological samples can be taken.
2. No one may possess an open WDFW cougar seal unless it has been cut by a licensed taxidermist or fur dealer who has received and invoiced the pelt for processing (WAC 220-415-050).
3. It is unlawful to kill adult cougars accompanied by spotted kittens or to kill or possess spotted cougar kittens.

Early Hunt Season (Sept 1, 2023 - Dec 31, 2023)

1. All successful hunters in the EARLY SEASON must: (1) present the unfrozen hide and skull for mandatory sealing and sample collection by WDFW within 5 days of the kill (please leave proof of sex attached).
2. All hunters purchasing a cougar tag must report their hunt activity (successful or unsuccessful) via the WILD system by January 31, 2024.

Late Hunt Season (January 1, 2024 - April 30, 2024)

1. All hunters must call the Cougar Hotline at 1-866-364-4868 (press 2 after greeting) or visit WDFW's website at https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations/big-game/cougar prior to hunting to check if Cougar Hunt Areas are open or closed.
2. All successful hunters in the LATE SEASON must: (1) Report their harvest within 72 hours to the cougar hotline at 1-866-364-4868 (press 3 after greeting) and state name, WILD ID, date of kill, sex of kill, and GMU of kill; (2) present the unfrozen hide and skull for mandatory sealing and sample collection by WDFW within 5 days of the kill (please leave proof of sex attached).
3. All hunters purchasing a cougar tag must report their hunt activity (successful or unsuccessful) via the WILD system by March 31, 2024. Note –Agency inspection/sealing must be within 5 days of making the kill, the hotline reporting is not associated with sealing.

License/Tag Required:

A valid big game license, which includes cougar as a species option.

ATTENTION - A valid 2024-2025 cougar license/tag is required to hunt cougar in April 2024.

Bag Limit:

The statewide bag limit is one cougar per license year. A transport tag is included with a big game hunting license that has cougar as a species option. A second cougar tag may be harvested only from the following GMUs: 145, 149, 154, 162, 163, 166, 169, 172, 175, 178, 181, and 186. A second cougar transport tag must be purchased to take a second cougar in the GMU’s listed above (only after the first tag is filled).

Hunters that harvest in April should be aware that since this is a new license year, cougars killed in April 2024 count towards the bag limit through March 31, 2025.

Hunting Methods:

Hunters can use any legal weapon for hunting cougar. The use of dogs for recreational hunting of cougar is prohibited statewide.

It is unlawful to kill or possess spotted cougar kittens (usually <80 lbs.) or adult cougars accompanied by spotted kittens.

Since cougars are solitary, observing multiple tracks likely means a female with offspring. Kitten tracks may appear similar in size to an adult, so please be sure to abide by the law (WAC 220-415-100.).