Washington Hunting for Beginners: Navigating WDFW and Licensing

Are you a looking into Washington hunting? A new hunter in Washington? The rules can be confusing, and information hard to find. We’re here to help.

Hunting is one of America’s best traditions. As time goes on, though, more and more of us are growing up without being taught the ins and outs of hunting. It is daunting trying to figure everything out for yourself. That’s why we exist! Honor Outdoors started with the goal of making the wilderness accessible to everyone.

Getting familiar with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is the first thing to do if you want to hunt in Washington.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (also known as WDFW) is the State’s department for managing wild populations of animals. They also write the rules and enforce the laws for outdoor activities.

It sounds like a big job, right? It is! These folks work hard to maintain our opportunities to hunt, fish, and have fun in the great outdoors. As complicated as it is to create rules and programs for hunting and fishing, people who want to hunt or fish need to learn a lot to do it well.

Disclaimer

Sorry, we just need to get this out of the way. This site is not owned or operated by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and we aren’t connected to the State in any way. The information in this article is meant to give you access to State information in a helpful way. We also want to provide general information about how to get started hunting in Washington.

If you see errors, please let us know! And know that the State can make rule changes at any time; we won’t always catch them and update them here.

With that out of the way, let’s get started!

WDFW Links

The WDFW website was updated sometime in 2019, and underwent a lot of change. However, not all of the site was moved onto the new look & feel. You may have to search a while when looking for things like Waterfowl Quality Hunt Program sites.

Here are some of the pages you may want access to, though:

Home Page for Hunting in Washington

Hunting Seasons & Regulations

Hunting Education and Requirements

Special Permits and Raffles

Places to Go Hunting

Managing Game Populations

Hunt Planner Webmap

Overview of Requirements to Hunt in Washington

What do you need to do before getting a Washington Hunting License? The main thing for most hunters is meeting a hunter education requirement.

Many states require Hunter Education programs, and the rules defining who must complete it are not very consistent. However, most states will honor your hunter education from any state in which you complete it. For example, completing hunter education classes in Washington will likely satisfy hunter education requirements you may have to meet in just about any other state.

In Washington state, all individuals born after January 1st, 1972 must pass a Hunter Education Program before buying their first Hunting license.

Hunter’s Education

In Washington state, there are two ways to take the class: Washington offers a Traditional Course and an Online Course.

Washington Hunter Education Traditional Course

Washington’s traditional course takes place over multiple days, and adds up to 10 to 20 hours of in-person instruction. It’s available throughout the year, and registration information is available online.

Washington Hunter Education Online Course

The online course is a little more involved. The course is offered and must be completed in two parts: an online class teaching all the course’s content, and a four-hour in-person evaluation of skills in the field. Registration info for the online class and field skills evaluation is available online.

Additional rules about eligibility for hunting licenses are available through WDFW. The main concern for applying for a license however is passing an approved Hunter’s Education course (like the ones linked above).

Washington Hunter Education Deferral

If you are getting started and can’t find classes, Washington allows a one-time deferral of Hunter Education. Read more about it on WDFW’s website. The main rule for individuals considering this deferral is that any hunting done with a valid deferral must be with an experienced hunter. There are several more rules published by WDFW, such as:

it is not available to people who recently failed a hunting education program,
it is not available to children under 10 years old, and what qualifies as an experienced hunter.

Applying for a Washington Hunting License with an Out of State Hunter Education Certificate

Washington allows out of state certifications to be used to fulfill its Hunter Education requirement. If you’re coming in from out of state, though, you’ll have to have a licensing site validate your Hunter Education certification before being able to use Washington’s online licensing portal. Learn more below, under “How to Get a Washington Hunting License.”

With your Hunter’s Education certificate in hand, you’re ready to buy a license!

Overview of Washington Hunting Licenses

How to Get a Washington Hunting License

The State of Washington sells hunting and fishing licenses through three main channels: the online hunting system managed by the state, a managed WDFW phone line, and through an extensive network of over 600 dealers.

Online

Washington maintains an online licensing system that allows established hunters to sign up for licenses and apply for special hunts.

By Phone

You can also call WDFW at 360-902-2464 where licenses can be purchased over the phone.

At a Dealer

There are over 600 dealers in the state that can issue licenses in person. If you aren’t interested in waiting the ten or so days to receive it in the mail, this is an easy way to handle it.

Registering from Out of State

New to Washington, or wishing to visit the state to hunt? You’ll need to provide proof of a hunter education certification, which can be done at a dealer or over the phone. Unfortunately, you cannot do this via self-service on their online portal.

What Licenses Do I Need for Hunting in Washington?

Big Game

The licenses required depend entirely on what you wish to hunt. As you consider what you want to hunt, you’ll want to begin consulting the state’s regulation guides and thinking about seasons.

Huntable Big Game species in Washington state include:

Deer (Blacktail, Whitetail, and Mule)
Elk
Black Bear
Moose
Mountain Goat
Bighorn Sheep
Cougar

To hunt any of these, you’ll need a Big Game License appropriate for the species. There are individual and multi-species licenses based on species. Several of these hunts require entry into and winning a raffle to receive a tag for harvesting an animal. This is generally true of “quality” habitats for the more common species, and any harvesting of trophy species like Moose, Mountain Goat, and Bighorn Sheep.

Small Game

There is also a list of huntable species allowed under small game licenses. These include:

Upland Bird (Pheasant, Grouse, Quail, Partridge, etc.)
Migratory Waterfowl (Duck, Geese, etc.)
Turkey
Other small game (Bobcat, Fox, Coyote, Raccoon, Hare/Rabbit, etc.)

In addition to a small game license to hunt these species, you may also need additional reporting documents, or may be required to pay additional fees for specific types of hunting. These fees are common for migratory waterfowl.

Waterfowl hunting requires a migratory waterfowl permit (bought with your license), a Federal Duck Stamp (available through the Post Office and many license dealers), and potentially hunt records and harvest cards for specific types of waterfowl, such as Sea Duck.

One other notable detail is a requirement to pass a Canada Goose identification test to be able to hunt Canada Geese in the Columbia River basin in southwest Washington.

Are discounts available for Washington Hunting Licenses?

Washington offers free annual licenses to active members of the Washington National or State Guard. WDFW’s website indicates this includes big game licenses, small game licenses, and migratory bird permits.

There are some additional scenarios where WDFW offers discounted licenses. You may be eligible if you are a:

US military veteran over the age of 65 with a service-connected disability.
US military veteran and Washington resident with a thirty percent or greater service-connected disability.
Washington resident with a disability who permanently uses a wheelchair
Washington resident with a documented developmental disability (as defined here).

I’ve got my Washington Hunting license. Now what?

With a license in hand, all that’s left is waiting and preparing for your hunting season! When we say “all that’s left,” though, remember: preparation is key, and the more work you put in, the more fun and success you’re likely to have. Time to break down the basics.

Planning Hunts
- Washington has a complicated system of raffles in place for improved odds of seeing huntable animals or have a chance at ‘once in a lifetime’ species hunts, like bighorn sheep. Review the details below to get a basic understanding of how to handle the raffle system.
- Start freshening up your knowledge of the state and recent WDFW biologist reports on what you wish to hunt.
- Get a sense of your season, and plan when and where you’re headed out! We address the importance of scouting in other areas, but you will improve your chances if you can get to know the lay of the land before it’s showtime.
- Hone those outdoors skills. Practice your shooting, maintain gear, and condition yourself so you’re at your best before your season opens.

Rules Related to Licenses
- Storing your License: Keep that license somewhere safe! You’ll need to carry it with you on every hunt, and when you’re transporting animals. Make sure to pay careful attention to the regulations associated with keeping your game identifiable and properly tagging them based on the regulations for your species.
- License Checks: Whenever you are hunting or transporting game, you can be stopped by WDFW for a license check. Make sure you keep it on hand. Many people will hold them in their wallet, in a ziplock, or even in a license carrier. Regardless of where you put it, keep it close.

Overview of Washington Special Permits, Lottery, and Raffle Hunts

The raffle system for special hunts in Washington is complex by most standards.

Raffle Hunts

Washington uses the term “Raffle Hunt” to encompass all trophy hunt species. Harvest targets are set each year to determine the number of hunts for these special animals, and are severely limited.

The program centers on a raffle that allows participating hunters to accumulate entries over several years, increasing their chances of drawing a tag over time. Raffles are closed and winners selected roughly in the middle of each calendar year, and specified on the linked page above. Individuals participating may purchase as many raffle tickets as they wish.

Special Permit Auctions

An alternative to entering into raffles, the WDFW makes a select few special hunt permits available to conservation-oriented non-profits as auction items. These auctions are listed on the WDFW website.

Additional Specially Permitted Hunts

WDFW has created a variety of special permit hunts. These special permits primarily focus on desirable areas containing quality specimens of the game animal you’re seeking. The other main focus of the special permitting process is for multi-season hunts. In multi-season hunts, a hunter can attempt to harvest a deer or elk (based on their license) over all seasons offered for that animal.

Special Permit Draws are made available for:

Bear
Deer
Elk
Moose
Mountain Goat
Bighorn Sheep
Turkey

Submitting for special permit hunts does not require buying a license in advance. Quotas and general information on submitting applications can be found on the “WILD” portal for WDFW permit and license management. WDFW refers all hunters to the current year’s regulations for more specific information on specially permitted hunts.

Finding Washington Hunting Information

Harvest Statistics

Based on the species you hunt, WDFW maintains rules on reporting your harvests from successful hunts. Know that not completing these records leads to an administrative fee tacked on to next season’s licenses. Also, know that this information is worth turning in because it leads to better info on what’s happening in the state.

Washington’s Department of Fish and Wildlife publishes harvest statistics annually, after the close of each season. Based on this information, you can start to form plans on where you might want to hunt in the upcoming season.

This information becomes even more valuable when paired with game management plans and district forecasts, called out below.

Regulation Changes

WDFW can make updates to their published regulations throughout the year. It’s smart to always refer back to the online reg book to look for revisions that may be called out.

Additionally, besides reading regulations as you prepare to buy licenses it’s a good idea to refresh yourself on regulations before you begin hunting in each season.

Outlooks / Forecasts

WDFW keeps several biologists on staff to manage animal populations across the state. These biologists keep game management plans updated online.

Finally, “prospect” reports forecasting season trends for the state are released on an annual basis.

Details on Public Land

WDFW makes some hunting map tools available online. The primary one is the Hunt Planner Webmap. For more info on hunting public land, refer to our guide.

Conclusion

There’s a ton to know about WDFW’s website and their processes for registering to hunt. We hope this guide has helped make the wide variety of resources and rules more accessible for you. How did we do? Let us know what else you may want to know, that wasn’t addressed, in the comments!

Finally, think about where you’re headed next. Ready to get outfitted for the season? Start with our list of the ten essentials to think through the basic equipment you’ll want to have with you on your hunts. Want to start scouting and forming your plans for where you’ll hunt? Check out our guide to where to hunt in Washington. Whatever you do, honor your wild, and get outdoors!