Section 232-12-228. Hunter education deferral.

(1) Pursuant to RCW 77.32.155, individuals may apply for a director-authorized, once in a lifetime, one-license-year deferral of hunter education training. To qualify, the applicant for deferral and his or her accompanying, licensed hunter must comply with the following requirements:

(a) The applicant for deferral must:

(i) Be at least ten years of age when applying for the deferral; and

(ii) Not have failed the hunter education training course within the previous twelve months, if he or she took the course.

(b) The accompanying, licensed hunter, as defined in RCW 77.32.155, must:

(i) Be over eighteen years of age; and

(ii) Have had a Washington hunting license for the three years prior to being an accompanying, licensed hunter.

(c) To provide maximum supervision and to enhance safety afield, an accompanying, licensed hunter must supervise only one deferred hunter while afield.

(d) An accompanying hunter must remain close enough to the deferred hunter to have uninterrupted, unaided visual and auditory communication with the deferred hunter.

(2) Application procedures.

(a) Applicants for deferral must submit their applications to the department's hunter education division office in Olympia, Washington. Applications submitted without the required information will not be processed and will be returned to the applicant.

(b) Applicants for deferral must submit a twenty-dollar application fee.

(c) Deferral applications will be on forms prescribed by the department and may be made available to the public in both printed and electronic formats.

(3) License purchases.

(a) Individuals granted a deferral under this section will be authorized to purchase hunting licenses and tags for the license year during which the applicant requested a deferral. An applicant will not be authorized for future hunting license purchases in Washington state without first successfully completing a hunter education training course.

(b) Individuals deferred under this administrative regulation:

(i) Must purchase hunting licenses and tags in accordance with current licensing procedures;

(ii) Must pay all hunting license and tag fees established under current law; and

(iii) Are only eligible to participate in general hunting seasons and/or youth opportunities.

(4) If either the deferred education licensee or the required nondeferred accompanying person, hunting under the authority of RCW 77.32.155(2), is convicted of a violation of this title, except for a violation of unlawful hunting of wild birds, RCW 77.15.400 (1) through (3), the department may revoke all hunting licenses and tags and order a suspension of one or both the deferred education licensee and the nondeferred accompanying person's hunting privileges for one year.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.020, 77.04.055, 77.12.047, 77.12.150, 77.12.240, 77.12.800, 77.32.090, and 77.32.155. WSR 16-12-087, § 232-12-228, filed 5/31/16, effective 7/1/16. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047. WSR 07-22-100 (Order 07-276), § 232-12-228, filed 11/6/07, effective 12/7/07.]

RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.020, 77.04.055, 77.12.047, 77.12.150, 77.12.240, 77.12.800, 77.32.090, and 77.32.155. WSR 16-12-087, § 232-12-228, filed 5/31/16, effective 7/1/16. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047. WSR 07-22-100 (Order 07-276), § 232-12-228, filed 11/6/07, effective 12/7/07.