Public comment periods open for Washington hunting season, wildlife feeding prop

[Rainier10]

Link to the new section of the WAC pretty sure section 2A says food plots are legal but WDFW at our meeting said it does not.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/about/regulations/filings/2025/merged-prohibition-feeding-25-09-079.pdf

[hunter399]

Deer/elk are social animals, PERIOD.
This will not stop CWD,has little to do with CWD .
Since it's statewide,not contained to GMU or even regional.
Just my opinion 

Anybody know what the percentage of comments that was against/support was?

[Rainier10]

I could see them giving a ticket for planting a food plot on public ground.

I can see them giving me a ticket for my boss buck feeders.

I just don’t see how they can ticket me for planting anything on my property.

[Brushcrawler]

I agree. Seems impossible to regulate what you plant. Similarly, just because there is an existing edible plant in the area can’t make it off limits to hunting.

[Ridgeratt]

Seems like a stretch when the forest service used to seed the forest roads with clover after a logging operation and they threw a ton of it. Grouse hunting was phenomenal once it started growing. Now days they spray the roads and kill all the vegetation. Doesn't seem like they are enhancing the habitat for the wildlife or the sportsman. 

[baldopepper]

This seems to be a real gray area topic.  Food plots on public ground are definitely out under the old regulations prohibiting the disturbance of the natural ecosystem. Private land plots are different. While the regs clearly exempt food plots, it appears the intent was to exempt food plots planted for human consumption. It looks like food plots planted with the sole purpose of attracting game animals are now illegal. Suspect it would depend a lot on what and where you planted, but sounds pretty vague to me. I'd probably get an official ruling before I'd invest much in a plot.
 

[Bob33]

Good luck convincing a judge that the apple tree I planted five years ago was only for the purpose of attracting deer, especially when the WAC explicitly exempts fruit trees.

[baldopepper]

Good luck convincing a judge that the apple tree I planted five years ago was only for the purpose of attracting deer, especially when the WAC explicitly exempts fruit trees.

Guess that's what I mean by gray area. Obviously there are some plantings that have been in place for a long time that do attract deer and elk, don't think they could or would come in and tell you to tear em out. I suspect plots that are planted yearly with the sole intent of attracting deer and elk may be a problem.  Like the comments on baiting, suspect people informing Leo's of the plots could be a factor

 
 

[Ridgeratt]

Good luck convincing a judge that the apple tree I planted five years ago was only for the purpose of attracting deer, especially when the WAC explicitly exempts fruit trees.

At 5 years you may have seen the first fruits of your efforts.

Between 3 to 6 years
Jonagold | Zdravăn
Apple trees typically begin producing fruit between 3 to 6 years after planting, depending on the variety and care they receive. Standard trees may take longer, around 6 to 10 years, while dwarf varieties often bear fruit within 3 to 5 years.
treefluent.com
+4

[Twispriver]

Never refer to them as food plots. I only do habitat enhancements on my land.

[baldopepper]

Never refer to them as food plots. I only do habitat enhancements on my land.

Suspect it's gonna depend on how hard they decide to enforce it.  Don't believe they'll buy into the name change if it's an obvious food plot

[Ridgeratt]

Is there a size when it is not considered a food plot and might be considered a pasture?

I just seeded a little over 5 acres with sanfoin and red clover. Want to see how this turns out before I plant the rest.

[baldopepper]

That's again one of those gray area things. Heck, lots of people have 1 or 2 acres (or less)that are pasture so not sure what size will have to do with it.  Gonna be hard to tell a landowner what he can or can't plant for a pasture. Guess if it's not fenced and you have no domestic animals using it  that might be an attention getter.

[hunter399]

Seems like they back stepped on the food plots pretty quickly.
It's crazy ......
How quickly that happened.

I was just looking at food plot seed on Amazon.

[baldopepper]

Geeze-I read one thing saying food plots on private land are legal and another saying they're considered baiting and therefore not legal. Guess I'll try calling and emailing to try to get clarification. Was thinking of planting a couple acres and would like to plant soon if legal.