Hunting Regs

[MLHSN]

Shouldn't the hunting regs be out by now?  I keep going to the WDFW website but I just see the 2012 regs.  If not when are they suppose to come out?

On that note, I'm going to add another question.  So when purchasing a special permit application, do you have to pay the 7.50 for every species?  I wasn't quite understanding the instructions.  It seems a little overcomplicated.  So if I want to apply for elk and deer special permits it's going to cost $15 unless I apply for quality hunts and then it's more?  It seems like it would add up to a lot of money if you apply for all the species.  I don't know that I like the odds enough to apply for them all at that price. 

[stickbuck]

Usually come out around the end of April. Usually see them out around the weekend of the trout opener.

[huntnphool]

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,122072.msg1612096.html#msg1612096

[bobcat]

NEWS RELEASE
Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/

April 3, 2013
Contact:  Commission Office, (360) 902-2267

Commission will consider hunting rules,
discuss additional octopus protection

OLYMPIA - The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will consider adopting 17 new hunting rules for the upcoming season and receive a briefing on options for extending greater protection to Puget Sound's giant Pacific octopus population at a public meeting next week in Olympia.

The commission, a nine-member citizen panel the sets policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), will convene April 12-13 on the Capitol Campus in Room 172 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. An agenda is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings/2013/ .

One new hunting rule under consideration by the commission would allow bow hunters to use illuminated arrow nocks, which can be helpful in finding and retrieving arrows. Another would restore antlerless elk opportunities for archery hunters in Yakima County, specifically in game management units 352 (Nile) and 356 (Bumping).

Those and other hunting proposals scheduled for a vote are available online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/about/regulations/development.html#12-19-007 .

WDFW fishery managers will also brief the commission on options recommended by an ad hoc advisory group for increasing protection for the giant Pacific octopus population in Puget Sound. Last November, the commission received three petitions requesting amendments to sportfishing rules after a giant Pacific octopus was legally harvested from the waters of a popular dive site at Seacrest Park in West Elliot Bay.

The commission is not scheduled to take action on octopus rules at the upcoming meeting, but may do so at a later meeting.

In other business, WDFW staff will brief the commission on:

The proposed transfer of the department's Hunter Education Division and certain wildlife-conflict responsibilities from the Enforcement Program to the Wildlife Program.
The 2012 Puget Sound crab season.
WDFW's Americans with Disabilities Advisory Committee
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[MikeC]

As to your question regarding special permits, YES, you pay for each species, and each category... Adds up quickly and gets expensive... I think I spent between $150-$200 last year on tags and permit applications not drawing a single one...

[huntnphool]

They will need to make the appropriate adjustments after the meetings on the 12th-13th then wait for the printing, after that it will take them a few days to get the printed copies out to the stands. So not likely to see printed copies until the end of the month.

[MLHSN]

ok, good to know I'm not just looking in the wrong place.  Thanks for the answer on special permits MikeC. 

That's a tough one,  I originally read the directions like I had so many choices and I could spread them between all the species.  Now, I don't think I'll bother applying for most.  It's my first year hunting and I would like to raise my chances of getting something.  I think I'll apply for the doe and cow special permits so that way if early archery and the high buck hunt doesn't work out I might have the chance of drawing for a doe or cow tag.

[Mfowl]

Each year you apply and are not drawn you get a point for each category which accumulate until you are drawn. Each point gets your name "in the hat" more times (5 points= your name 5 times in that category.) Its to your advantage to build up points in the categories you want to get drawn in as that ups your odds. The best tags usually require plenty of points. If you don't want to get drawn in a particular year you can select the "ghost point" option, which gives you a point for that year w/out being in the draw. Sucks to pay the $$ each year but in the long run it benefits you. If you start applying now while your new, you'll have some points accrued later on when you want to try for a specific hunt.   

[huntnphool]

Each year you apply and are not drawn you get a point for each category which accumulate until you are drawn. Each point gets your name "in the hat" more times (5 points= your name 5 times in that category.)

Actually they square the number of points you have so 5 points would equal 25 times.