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Washington

Game Bird Hunting

Game Bird Hunting

License Fees & Information

License Fees & Information

License requirements and fees are set by the Washington State Legislature. Licenses are based on an April 1 - March 31 license year. Prices include all applicable fees and are subject to change. There are no senior citizen discounts on hunting licenses, tags, or permits. Hunters who are 16 years of age and possess a current youth hunting license may participate in youth hunting seasons, except for the youth waterfowl/coot season. Reduced prices for licenses, tags, and permits are for qualified disabled applicants.*

A small game license allows the holder to hunt for wild animals and wild birds, except big game and western Washington pheasant (see the Big Game Hunting Seasons & Regulations pamphlet for big game hunting license information). A small game license includes a prorated surcharge for Eastern Washington pheasant enhancement.

To hunt the Oregon portion of the Columbia River, including that portion of the Lewis and Clark National Wildlife Refuge and other islands in Oregon in the Columbia River, hunters must possess a valid Oregon resident or Oregon non-resident hunting license.

License Types

Resident

Non-Resident

Resident Senior

Youth Under 16

Resident Reduced Fee1

Non-Resident Disabled Veterans*

Get Outdoors (includes: Annual Fish Washington License, 2 pole and Puget Sound Crab endorsements, Deer + Elk + Bear + Cougar License w/ discounted Small game license, deer, elk, bear, cougar tags + 2 turkey tags, migratory bird permit and migratory bird hunt authorization)

$236.18

Small Game

$40.50

$183.50

$40.50

$18.50

$18.50

$40.50

Small Game Discount 2

$22.00

$96.80

$22.00

$8.80

$8.80

$22.00

Western WA Pheasant

$84.50

$167.00

$84.50

$40.50

$40.50

$84.50

Western WA Pheasant-3 Day

$40.50

$79.00

$40.50

$40.50

$40.50

3-Day Small Game

$68.00

Migratory Bird Permit3

$17.00

$17.00

$17.00

FREE

$17.00

$17.00

Migratory Bird Authorization4

$13.20

$13.20

$13.20

$3.30

$13.20

$13.20

Turkey Tag #1

$15.90

$44.50

$15.90

FREE

$15.90

$44.50

Additional Turkey Tags

$15.90

$66.50

$15.90

$11.50

$15.90

$66.50

Special Hunt Permit Applications – Turkey

$7.10

$110.50

$7.10

$3.80

$7.10

$110.50

Parking Passes

Annual: $35 with transaction and dealer fees if purchased at a WDFW dealer, by phone or online; or $30 if purchased at a WA State Park or through WA Dept. of Licensing.

One-day: $11.50 with transaction and dealer fees if purchased at a WDFW dealer, by phone or online; or $10 if purchased at a WA State Park or through WA Dept. of Licensing.

Hunting with an Authorization Number

Under the automated licensing system (WILD system), licenses may be purchased over the telephone at 1-866-246-9453 or online at: fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov. At the end of a telephone or Internet sale, an authorization number will be issued. That authorization number may be used as your license if you are hunting for species not requiring a transport tag or special Migratory Bird Authorization Harvest Card.

Big Game Licenses

Forest grouse and unclassified wildlife are the only species that may be hunted with a big game authorization number until your appropriate tags and license have arrived.

Small Game Licenses

Most animals hunted with a small game license, including unclassified wildlife, may be hunted with a small game authorization number until the valid license and tags have been received in the mail. The exceptions are turkeys, which require a transport tag, and migratory birds that require a Migratory Bird Authorization and Harvest Record Card.

Migratory Bird Permit

Most migratory game birds may be hunted with a small game authorization number that includes a migratory bird permit until the valid license is received in the mail. The exceptions are migratory birds that require a Migratory Bird Authorization and Harvest Record Card.

License Requirements

Species

License Requirements

Migratory Bird Hunting

Duck

Duck (except Sea Duck in Western Washington): Federal migratory bird stamp (not required for youth under 16), small game license and state migratory bird permit.

Sea Duck – Western Washington (includes scoters, long-tailed duck, goldeneyes): Federal migratory bird stamp (not required for youth under 16), small game license, state migratory bird permit and migratory bird authorization with sea duck harvest record card.

Goose

Canada Goose – September: Federal migratory bird stamp (not required for youth under 16), small game license and state migratory bird permit.

All Geese (except Brant) – October-January (except Goose Management Area 2 and Snow, Ross’, or Blue goose in Goose Management Area 1): Federal migratory bird stamp (not required for youth under 16), small game license and state migratory bird permit.

All Geese (except Brant) – October-March – Goose Management Area 2 – Coast & Inland: Federal migratory bird stamp (not required for youth under 16), small game license, state migratory bird permit and special migratory bird authorization with SW Canada Goose harvest record card (see Goose Management Area 2 - Coast & Inland for requirements).

Snow, Ross’, or Blue Goose – Goose Management Area 1: Federal migratory bird stamp (not required for youth under 16), small game license, state migratory bird permit and special migratory bird authorization with Goose Management Area 1 snow goose harvest record card.

Brant: Federal migratory bird stamp (not required for youth under 16), small game license, state migratory bird permit and migratory bird authorization with brant harvest record card.

Band-tailed Pigeon

Small game license, state migratory bird permit, and migratory bird authorization with band-tailed pigeon harvest record card.

Mourning Dove, Coot, Snipe

Small game license and state migratory bird permit.

Upland Game Hunting

Upland Bird

Pheasant – Western Washington: Western Washington pheasant license (no small game license required). Hunters must choose either odd-numbered or even-numbered weekend days from 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. at all units of Lake Terrell, Snoqualmie, Skookumchuck, and Scatter Creek Wildlife Areas, and all hunting sites on Whidbey Island. Hunters with a 3-day pheasant license, hunters possessing a valid disabled hunter permit, hunters 65 years of age or older, and youth hunters (under 16) may hunt during either weekend day morning. Youth hunters on these areas during weekend day morning hunts must be accompanied by an adult at least 18 years old (if hunting, adults must have an appropriately marked pheasant permit). All hunters may hunt these areas between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., regardless of their choice.

Pheasant, Chukar, and Gray Partridge – Eastern Washington: Small game license.

California (Valley) Quail, Mountain Quail, Northern Bobwhite: Small game license.

Forest Grouse

Small game license or big game license.

Turkey

Small game license and turkey transport tag.

Cottontail, Snowshoe Hare

Small game license.

Other Hunting

Falconry

Small game and falconry licenses, other permits and licenses for species listed above (see https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/requirements/falconry)

Bird Dog Training

Small game license required for training dogs on all classified wild birds (WAC 220-400-030); except only a Western Washington pheasant license is required for Western Washington pheasants.

Predatory Birds (e.g. crow, Eurasian collared dove), Unclassified Wildlife (e.g. coyote): Small game license or big game license, except not required under certain conditions (see WAC 220-416-040).

Bobcat, Fox, Raccoon: Small game license.