OLYMPIA — Hunters have through May 22 to apply for special permits for deer, elk, mountain goat, moose, bighorn sheep and turkey in Washington.
Permit winners will be selected through a random drawing conducted by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in late June.
The special permits qualify sportsmen to hunt at times and places beyond those authorized by a general hunting license.
To apply for a special permit, hunters must purchase an application and necessary hunting licenses for each species they wish to hunt and then submit that application.
Applications and licenses are available from license vendors statewide or on the agency’s website at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/wdfw/special_permits.html. Applications must be submitted on that website or by calling 1-877-945-3492 toll-free.
Most special hunt permit applications cost $7.10 for residents, $110.50 for non-residents, and $3.80 for youth under 16 years of age.
The exception is the cost for residents purchasing applications for mountain goats, any ram and any moose, as well as “quality” categories for deer and elk. Those applications cost $13.70.
Instructions and details on applying for special-permit hunts are described on pages 86-87 of the 2014 Big Game Hunting Seasons & Regulations pamphlet, available at department offices, license vendors, and online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations.
Additional information is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/permits/faq.html.
Dave Ware, game division manager, said hunters should update their email and mailing address in the system when purchasing their special hunting permit applications and licenses. Each year, hundreds of special hunting permits are returned due to invalid addresses.
Results of the special-permit drawing will be available online by the end of June at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/wa/specialhuntlookup. Winners will be notified by mail by mid-July.
