WDFW offers special hunt drawing

OLYMPIA - Hunters reporting their results before Jan. 10 can win a special deer or elk tag for the fall of 2022.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) offers the chance for hunters reporting 2021 black bear, deer, elk, or turkey hunting results.

The department is offering the special permits, which will be awarded through a drawing this spring, as an incentive to encourage hunters to report their results as soon as possible. The special permits are valid from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31, 2022, said WDFW Game Division Manager Anis Aoude.

"Incentive hunts include five deer permits and four elk permits in various areas of the state," said Aoude. "This is a great opportunity for hunters to submit their hunter reports early."

To qualify for the drawing, hunters must submit a report by Jan. 10 for each black bear, deer, elk, or turkey tag they purchased, and each special hunting permit they received in 2021.

All hunters, regardless of their success in the field, must submit hunting reports for each transport tag by Jan. 31. Failure to meet the deadline can result in a $10 reporting fee, which hunters must pay before they buy a license for the 2022 season.

"We use these annual hunting reports to guide how we manage game populations and develop future hunting seasons," Aoude said.

Hunters can report online.