Section 232-28-436. 2016-2017 Migratory waterfowl seasons and regulations.

Hunters must comply with the bag, possession, and season limits described in this section. Failure to do so constitutes a violation of RCW 77.15.245, 77.15.400, or 77.15.430, depending on the species hunted and the circumstances of the violation.

DUCKS

Statewide: Oct. 15-19, 2016 and Oct. 22, 2016 - Jan. 29, 2017; except scaup season closed Oct. 15 - Nov. 4, 2016.

Special youth hunting weekend open only to hunters 15 years of age or under (must be accompanied by an adult at least 18 years old who is not hunting): Sept. 17-18, 2016.

Daily Bag Limit: 7 ducks, to include not more than 2 hen mallard, 2 pintail, 3 scaup, 2 canvasback, and 2 redhead statewide; and to include not more than 1 harlequin, 2 scoter, 2 long-tailed duck, and 2 goldeneye in Western Washington.

Possession Limit for Regular Season: 21 ducks, to include not more than 6 hen mallard, 6 pintail, 9 scaup, 6 canvasback, and 6 redhead statewide; and to include not more than 1 harlequin, 6 scoter, 6 long-tailed duck, and 6 goldeneye in Western Washington.

Possession Limit for Youth Hunting Weekend: 14 ducks, to include not more than 4 hen mallard, 4 pintail, 6 scaup, 4 canvasback, and 4 redhead statewide; and to include not more than 1 harlequin, 4 scoter, 4 long-tailed duck, and 4 goldeneye in Western Washington.

Season Limit: 1 harlequin in Western Washington.

AUTHORIZATION AND HARVEST RECORD CARD REQUIRED TO HUNT SEA DUCKS

Hunters must possess a special 2016-17 hunting authorization and harvest record card for sea ducks when hunting harlequin, scoter, long-tailed duck, and goldeneye in Western Washington. A hunter who has not previously possessed a sea duck harvest report card must submit an application form to Washington state department of fish and wildlife (WDFW). Immediately after taking a sea duck into possession, hunters must record in ink the information required on the harvest record card.

COOT (Mudhen)

Same areas and dates (including youth hunting weekend) as the duck season.

Daily Bag Limit: 25 coots.

Possession Limit: 75 coots.

Possession Limit for Youth Hunting Weekend: 50 coots.

SNIPE

Same areas and dates (except youth hunting weekend) as the duck season.

Daily Bag Limit: 8 snipe.

Possession Limit: 24 snipe.

GEESE (except Brant)

Special youth hunting weekend open only to hunters 15 years of age or under (must be accompanied by an adult at least 18 years old who is not hunting): Sept. 17-18, 2016, statewide.

Daily Bag Limit: 4 Canada geese.

Possession Limit: 8 Canada geese.

Western Washington Goose Seasons

Goose Management Area 1: Island, Skagit, and Snohomish counties.

September Canada Goose Season

Sept. 10-15, 2016.

Daily Bag Limit: 5 Canada geese.

Possession Limit: 15 Canada geese.

Regular Season

Oct. 15, 2016 - Jan. 29, 2017, for snow, Ross', blue, and white-fronted geese. Oct. 15-27, 2016 and Nov. 5, 2016 - Jan. 29, 2017, for other geese (except brant).

Daily Bag Limit: 4 geese.

Possession Limit: 12 geese.

AUTHORIZATION AND HARVEST RECORD CARD REQUIRED TO HUNT SNOW GEESE

Hunters must possess a special 2016-17 migratory bird hunting authorization and harvest record card for snow geese when hunting snow, Ross', and blue geese in Goose Management Area 1. A hunter who has not previously possessed a snow goose harvest report card must submit an application form to Washington state department of fish and wildlife (WDFW). Immediately after taking a snow, Ross', or blue goose into possession, hunters must record in ink the information required on the harvest record card.

SKAGIT COUNTY SPECIAL RESTRICTIONS

It is unlawful to discharge a firearm for the purpose of hunting waterfowl within 100 feet of any paved public road on Fir Island in Skagit County or to discharge a firearm for the purpose of hunting snow geese within 100 feet of any paved public road in other areas of Skagit County.

While hunting snow geese, if a hunter is convicted of (a) trespass; (b) shooting from, across, or along the maintained part of any public highway; (c) discharging a firearm for the purpose of hunting waterfowl within 100 feet of any paved public road on Fir Island in Skagit County or discharging a firearm within 100 feet of any paved public road for the purpose of hunting snow geese in other areas of Skagit County; or (d) exceeding the daily bag limit for geese, authorization will be invalidated for the remainder of the current snow goose season and an authorization will not be issued for the subsequent snow goose season.

Goose Management Area 2: Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Pacific and Wahkiakum counties.

September Canada Goose Season

Sept. 3-11, 2016.

Daily Bag Limit: 5 Canada geese, except 15 Canada geese in Pacific County.

Possession Limit: 15 Canada geese, except 45 Canada geese in Pacific County.

Regular Season

Open in all areas except Ridgefield NWR from 30 minutes after the start of official hunting hours to 30 minutes before the end of official hunting hours, Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesdays only, Oct. 15-23, 2016; Nov. 26, 2016 - Jan. 22, 2017; and Feb. 11 - Mar. 8, 2017. During Feb. 11 - Mar. 8, 2017, U.S Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) and WDFW Wildlife Areas are closed to goose hunting in Goose Management Area 2. Ridgefield NWR open from 30 minutes after the start of official hunting hours to 30 minutes before the end of official hunting hours, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays only, Oct. 15-22, 2016 and Nov. 26, 2016 - Jan. 21, 2017.

Bag Limits for Goose Management Area 2:

Daily Bag Limit: 4 geese, except for dusky Canada geese.

Possession Limit: 12 geese, except for dusky Canada geese.

Dusky Canada geese: SEASON CLOSED.

Special Provisions for Goose Management Area 2 Regular Season only:

A dusky Canada goose is defined as a dark-breasted (as shown in the Munsell color chart 10 YR, 5 or less) Canada goose with a culmen (bill) length of 40-50 mm.

Hunters must possess a valid special 2016-17 migratory bird hunting authorization for Goose Management Area 2 when hunting geese in Goose Management Area 2. New hunters and those who did not maintain a valid 2015-16 authorization must review goose identification training materials and score a minimum of 80% on a goose identification test to receive authorization. Hunters who fail a test must wait 28 days before retesting, and will not be issued a reciprocal authorization until that time.

It is unlawful for hunters in Goose Management Area 2 to fail to comply with the directions of authorized department personnel related to the collection of goose subspecies information pursuant to RCW 77.12.071. A person who prevents department personnel from collecting samples of tissue or other bodily parts is subject to prosecution under RCW 77.15.360 Unlawful interfering in department operations—Penalty. If a hunter takes a dusky Canada goose or does not comply with requirements listed above regarding WDFW collection of subspecies information, authorization will be invalidated by the department and the hunter will not be able to hunt geese in Goose Management Area 2 for the remainder of the season. It is unlawful to fail to comply with all provisions listed above for Goose Management Area 2. Taking one dusky Canada goose is punishable as an infraction under RCW 77.15.160 (5)(b). Other violations of Area 2 goose hunting rules are punishable as an infraction under RCW 77.15.160 (2)(e) or as a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor under RCW 77.15.400 unlawful hunting of wild birds, depending on the circumstances of the violation.

Goose Management Area 3

Includes all parts of Western Washington not included in Goose Management Areas 1 and 2.

September Canada Goose Season

Sept. 10-15, 2016.

Daily Bag Limit: 5 Canada geese.

Possession Limit: 15 Canada geese.

Regular Season

Oct. 15-27, 2016 and Nov. 5, 2016 - Jan. 29, 2017.

Daily Bag Limit: 4 geese.

Possession Limit: 12 geese.

Eastern Washington Goose Seasons

September Canada Goose Season (Eastern Washington)

Sept. 10-11, 2016.

Daily Bag Limit: 5 Canada geese.

Possession Limit: 10 Canada geese.

Goose Management Area 4

Adams, Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Lincoln, Okanogan, Spokane, and Walla Walla counties.

Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesdays only during Oct. 15, 2016 - Jan. 22, 2017; Nov. 11, 24, and 25, 2016; Dec. 26, 27, 29, and 30, 2016; Jan. 16, 2017; and every day Jan. 23-29, 2017.

Goose Management Area 5

Includes all parts of Eastern Washington not included in Goose Management Area 4.

Oct. 15-17, 2016 and every day from Oct. 22, 2016 - Jan. 29, 2017.

Bag Limits for all Eastern Washington Goose Management Areas during regular seasons:

Daily Bag Limit: 4 geese.

Possession Limit: 12 geese.

BRANT

Open in Skagit County only on the following dates: Jan. 7, 8, 11, 14, 15, 18, 21, and 22, 2017.

If the 2016-17 preseason brant population in Skagit County is 3,000-6,000 (as determined by the midwinter waterfowl survey), the brant season in Skagit County will be open only on the following dates: Jan. 7, 11, and 14, 2017.

If the 2016-17 preseason brant population in Skagit County is below 3,000 (as determined by the midwinter waterfowl survey), the brant season in Skagit County will be canceled.

Open in Pacific County only on the following dates: Jan. 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, and 22, 2017.

AUTHORIZATION AND HARVEST RECORD CARD REQUIRED TO HUNT BRANT

Hunters must possess a special 2016-17 migratory bird hunting authorization and harvest record card for brant when hunting brant. A hunter who has not previously possessed a brant harvest report card must submit an application form to Washington state department of fish and wildlife (WDFW). Immediately after taking a brant into possession, hunters must record in ink the information required on the harvest record card.

Bag Limits for Skagit and Pacific counties:

Daily Bag Limit: 2 brant.

Possession Limit: 6 brant.

SWANS

Season closed statewide.

MOURNING DOVE

Sept. 1 - Oct. 30, 2016, statewide.

Daily Bag Limit: 15 mourning doves.

Possession Limit: 45 mourning doves.

BAND-TAILED PIGEON

Sept. 15-23, 2016, statewide.

Daily Bag Limit: 2 band-tailed pigeons.

Possession Limit: 6 band-tailed pigeons.

AUTHORIZATION AND HARVEST RECORD CARD REQUIRED TO HUNT BAND-TAILED PIGEONS

Hunters must possess a special 2016-17 migratory bird hunting authorization and harvest record card for band-tailed pigeons when hunting band-tailed pigeons. A hunter who has not previously possessed a band-tailed pigeon harvest report card must submit an application form to Washington state department of fish and wildlife (WDFW). Immediately after taking a band-tailed pigeon into possession, hunters must record in ink the information required on the harvest record card.

FALCONRY SEASONS

DUCKS, COOTS, SNIPE, GEESE, AND MOURNING DOVES (EXCEPT BRANT) (Falconry)

Same season dates for each species in each area as listed above.

Daily Bag Limit: 3, straight or mixed bag, including ducks, coots, snipe, geese, and mourning doves during established seasons.

Possession Limit: 3 times the daily bag limit.

MOURNING DOVE (Extended Falconry)

Oct. 31 - Dec. 16, 2016.

Daily Bag Limit: 3, straight or mixed bag, including ducks, coots, snipe, and geese during established seasons.

Possession Limit: 3 times the daily bag limit.

HIP REQUIREMENTS:

All hunters of migratory game birds (duck, goose, coot, snipe, mourning dove, and band-tailed pigeon) age 16 and over are required to complete a harvest information program (HIP) survey at a license dealer and possess a Washington migratory bird permit as evidence of compliance with this requirement when hunting migratory game birds. Youth hunters are required to complete a HIP survey and possess a Washington migratory bird permit (free for youth) as evidence of compliance with this requirement when hunting migratory game birds.

[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, § 232-28-436, filed 5/31/16, effective 7/1/16. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.055, 77.12.047, and 77.32.070. WSR 15-18-032 (Order 15-275), § 232-28-436, filed 8/25/15, effective 9/25/15; WSR 14-17-081 (Order 14-213), § 232-28-436, filed 8/18/14, effective 9/18/14. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047, 77.12.240, 77.32.070. WSR 13-17-083 (Order 13-186), § 232-28-436, filed 8/19/13, effective 9/19/13. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.055, 77.12.047, 77.32.070, and C.F.R. Title 50, Part 20; Migratory Bird Treaty Act. WSR 12-18-001 (Order 12-191), § 232-28-436, filed 8/22/12, effective 9/22/12.]

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, § 232-28-436, filed 5/31/16, effective 7/1/16. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.055, 77.12.047, and 77.32.070. WSR 15-18-032 (Order 15-275), § 232-28-436, filed 8/25/15, effective 9/25/15; WSR 14-17-081 (Order 14-213), § 232-28-436, filed 8/18/14, effective 9/18/14. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047, 77.12.240, 77.32.070. WSR 13-17-083 (Order 13-186), § 232-28-436, filed 8/19/13, effective 9/19/13. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.055, 77.12.047, 77.32.070, and C.F.R. Title 50, Part 20; Migratory Bird Treaty Act. WSR 12-18-001 (Order 12-191), § 232-28-436, filed 8/22/12, effective 9/22/12.