DNR Lands Requiring A Discover Pass

[MADMAX]

I need to ask about this
If I am hunting stateland , does it have to have a sign up requiring the pass ?
I plan on hunting the Toutle area shaded in green.

[buckfvr]

Q. If I am driving through state recreation lands, will I need to buy a pass?


 I was told not so by DNR, better check again.....and better get serious about making my protest counted in Olympia.

[bigtex]

Q. If I am driving through state recreation lands, will I need to buy a pass?


 I was told not so by DNR, better check again.....and better get serious about making my protest counted in Olympia.

You do need the pass even if you are driving through. Remember, not all government call takers are 100% correct. When it comes down to you and the judge, the judge can point to a government website saying you need the pass. All you have is somebody who you probably don't remember their name saying you don't need it

[Pathfinder101]

I was in the Tucannon drainage this last weekend.  There were discover pass signs all over down lower on the river.  In small print, it said something about vehicle usage permit, or something like that (I can't remember exactly what it said).  I assumed that meant the vehicle use tag I got with my hunting license, so I hung it up on the rearview.  No one ticketed me, and I saw several other trucks displaying their WDFW vehicle use permits and didn't see any tickets shoved up under any windshield wipers or anything...
I am new to this whole controversy.  Does my WDFW rearview hanger work as a discover pass?

[bobcat]

It is valid on WDFW lands, but not DNR or State Parks.

[bigtex]

The state land in the Tucannon is WDFW so you can use your WDFW pass there.

Also, the WDFW pass and Discover Pass look VERY similar. Both have the yellow rearview hanger.

[stuckalot]

So with the patchwork of lands in the Colockum area do I need a discover pass or is my wdfw pass good enough?  Signs say discover pass required, but I thought that area was managed by wdfw.  WTH? This stuff makes my blood boil!

[bigtex]

So with the patchwork of lands in the Colockum area do I need a discover pass or is my wdfw pass good enough?  Signs say discover pass required, but I thought that area was managed by wdfw.  WTH? This stuff makes my blood boil!

Your going to love my answer..or not.

WDFW and DNR have been doing a lot of land swaps in the Colockum area to better manage the area. Once that occured a lot of DNR was created into one large block, thus the creation of the Naneum State Forest. The way the area is laid out the western part of the area is owned by the USFS, the center is owned by DNR and is the Naneum State Forest, and the eastern area and northern area is a mixture of WDFW, DNR and BLM however this area is managed by WDFW as the Colockum Wildlife Area.

A Discover Pass is the only valid pass in the Naneum State Forest. A Discover Pass OR the WDFW Vehicle Use Permit is valid on the Colockum Wildlife Area.

Here is a map showing the USFS land, the DNR land that is the Naneum State Forest, and the Colockum Wildlife area which is a mixture of blue, orange, and tan and is surrounded by a blue line: http://wdfw.wa.gov/webmaps/gohunt/wildlife_area_pdf/wla_colockum.pdf

If the land you are going to hunt is within that large portion of DNR land that is not encompassed by that blue line then you DO need the Discover Pass. But if you are hunting within the Colockum Wildlife Area (which is surrounded by the blue line) then you can use either passes.

[Pathfinder101]

Jeez, you guys aren't kidding.  This is a goat-screw...

[Bob33]

This is a goat-screw...

Do you have the appropriate pass for that?

[stuckalot]

Thanks Tex, Sorta!~I do believe that all of the access points to the Colockom are signed that a discover pass is required just to get to the "wildlife area" So if I'm going to recreate (sp) in the wildlife area can I tow my jeep behind my truck and camper with only a discover pass for the truck or does the jeep need one too?  Goat screw is an understatement!

[Pathfinder101]

This is a goat-screw...

Do you have the appropriate pass for that?

Nawww...not yet.  But I am building points...

[bigtex]

Thanks Tex, Sorta!~I do believe that all of the access points to the Colockom are signed that a discover pass is required just to get to the "wildlife area" So if I'm going to recreate (sp) in the wildlife area can I tow my jeep behind my truck and camper with only a discover pass for the truck or does the jeep need one too?  Goat screw is an understatement!

Well here's the thing, you need a pass for parking and also operating on the state lands. So if you just have one pass and have the vehicle parked on state lands while out driving the jeep with the pass then obviously the other vehicle does not have the pass and could be subject to a citation. So both your truck and jeep need the pass.

[Soper]

Please voice your concern to your state representative. This evening I received a email from my state rep. He said he is upset as well over this and next legislative session he and other will bring this to the table for change. To clarify this pass requirement was drafted and voted by just a few people on the "ways and means" committee . Our state representatives had no voice in the matter.

[winshooter88]

To add to the discussion. According to the maps from the Kittitas county website, Colockum pass is a county road. The Discover pass is not required on county roads as per the Discover Pass website. So theoretically you can access the Colockum Wildlife Area via Colockum Pass road and only need the pass that you got with your hunting license, not the Discover pass. Or drive all the way over Colockum Pass without stopping on the Kittitas side without having a Discover Pass. Personally I see room for allot of mistakes and confusion about where the Discover Pass is and isn't needed. So you will need to know what road you are on and also who owns that road to know what pass you need! Your government at work.