Washington Fish and Wildlife Carnivore Talk!

Carnivores were on the docket when the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission held a virtual meeting on July 19. They discussed proposed changes to cougar hunting seasons and the state listing status of gray wolves. Here are the key decisions made: 

Spring Black Bear Depredation Permit Season: 

• The Commission delegated a rule-making petition for establishing a spring black bear depredation permit season to the WDFW director, who will review and decide whether to initiate rule making. 

Cougar Hunting Season Changes: 

• The new rule establishes the cougar hunting season from September 1 to March 31. 
• A cap of 13 percent of each population management unit (PMU) is set using a specific statewide density. 
• All known human-caused cougar mortalities will count towards this cap to determine PMU closures during the season. 
• An amendment clarifies that human-caused cougar mortalities will be counted from April 1 of the current year to March 31 of the subsequent year. 
• In PMUs reaching the 13 percent cap before the season starts, the cap increases to 20 percent to provide hunting opportunities. 
• Staff were directed to initiate rule-making for the 2025-26 cougar hunting season. 

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Gray Wolves Status: 

• The Commission voted 5-4 against reclassifying gray wolves as a protected sensitive species, meaning they remain listed as state endangered. 
• This decision does not affect their federal classification, where they are federally listed as endangered in the western two-thirds of Washington and federally de-listed in the eastern third. 
• WDFW will revisit the state conservation status of wolves as part of a future periodic status review or if recovery objectives are met within five years. 

The meeting recording will be available on the Commission's webpage, and updated rule-making documents will be posted on WDFW’s rule-making webpage. The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, appointed by the governor, sets policies for WDFW, which aims to preserve and protect fish, wildlife, and ecosystems while providing sustainable recreational and commercial opportunities.