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Washington

Hunting

Hunting

Tagging & Transporting Game

1. Tag Your Big Game Immediately (WAC 220-413-020):

Immediately after any big game animal or turkey has been killed, the appropriate tag of the person who has taken the animal must be:

  • Validated: Cut out and completely remove the month and day of kill. Month and day must be completely removed. A slit is not acceptable.
  • Securely attached to the carcass in a visible manner.

2. Transporting Wildlife:

You must transport any big game animal or turkey 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.

3. Evidence of Animal's Sex (WAC 220-413-090):

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 any of which must be 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.

Possession and Use of Wildlife:

  1. Transporting Game or Portions of Meat Taken by Somebody Else (WAC 220-200-120):

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.

  1. Waste of Wildlife:

You may NOT allow game animals or game birds you have taken to recklessly be wasted.

  1. Purchasing or Selling Wildlife or Their Parts (WAC 220-200-110):

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; 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.

  1. Wildlife Found Dead (WAC 220-400-040):

You may remove and dispose of wildlife found dead on your property or an adjoining public roadway, but you must first notify WDFW. Unless it is in accordance with rules pertaining to the salvage and transport of a deer or elk that has been accidentally killed by a motor vehicle, dead wildlife can only be removed for disposal, not for personal use or consumption.

  1. Possession of Antlers:

It is legal to possess naturally shed antlers of deer, elk and moose.

  1. Possession of Horns: (WAC 220-415-110)

It is legal to possess the horns of a bighorn sheep ram originating in Washington, provided the hunter harvested the sheep and presents the horns to WDFW for required marking within 10 days of the harvest. Horns of bighorn sheep found dead in Washington must be left in the field. It is unlawful to offer a sale, sell, purchase or barter, bighorn sheep horns without a written permit authorized by the director.

  1. Stolen Wildlife:

Lawfully-tagged wildlife is personal property. Theft of wildlife should be reported to WDFW Enforcement or local law enforcement.

  1. 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. Magpies may be taken only in the act of depredation (damaging crops or other property).

  1. Endangered Species:

It is illegal to hunt, possess, maliciously harass, or kill endangered species or possess or intentionally destroy nests or eggs of endangered species. Endangered species are: pygmy rabbit; fisher; gray wolf; grizzly bear; sei, fin, blue, humpback, north pacific right, killer (orca) and sperm whales; Columbian white-tailed deer; woodland caribou; Canada lynx; Cascade red fox; marbled murrelet; western gray squirrel; sandhill crane; Western snowy plover; upland sandpiper; Columbian sharp-tailed grouse; greater sage-grouse; northern spotted owl; tufted puffin; yellow-billed cuckoo; Oregon vesper sparrow; streaked horned lark; Northwestern pond turtle; loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles; mardon skipper, Taylor's checkerspot, and Oregon silverspot butterflies; pinto abalone; and Oregon spotted and northern leopard frogs.

  1. Protected Wildlife:

It is illegal to hunt, maliciously take, harass, or possess protected wildlife or possess or maliciously destroy the eggs or nests of protected wildlife, which include threatened, sensitive, and other protected species. Threatened species are: wolverine; Mazama pocket gopher; ferruginous hawk; sea otter; and green sea turtle. Sensitive species are: gray whale; common loon; American white pelican; larch mountain salamander; pygmy whitefish; margined sculpin; Olympic mudminnow. Other protected species are: Cascade golden-mantled ground squirrel, golden mantled ground squirrel, Washington ground, red, Douglas, Humboldt's flying squirrel, and northern flying squirrels; painted turtle; cony or pika; least, yellow-pine, Townsends and red-tailed chipmunks; hoary and Olympic marmots; California mountain kingsnake; all marine mammals including steller and California sea lions, seals, dolphins, porpoises and whales; all birds not classified as game birds except starlings, house sparrows, rock doves (pigeons), Eurasian collared doves, and magpies; all bats, except when found in or immediately adjacent to a dwelling or other occupied building.