OLYMPIA – Recreational fishing and hunting licenses for the 2017-2018 season, which begins April 1, 2017, are now available for sale.
Typically, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) begins to sell the upcoming year’s licenses in December.
“With the release of our new licensing system last month, we opted to delay selling 2017-18 licenses in order to avoid printing licenses from two separate systems, with slightly different formatting, for a single license year,” said Peter Vernie, the department’s licensing division manager.
With an additional month to refine the system, WDFW is now ready to process 2017-18 licenses, Vernie added.
Additional dates to note:
- Special hunt applications for most big game species will be available after the Fish and Wildlife Commission approves the 2017-2018 hunting season framework at its meeting in April in Spokane.
- Spring bear hunters hoping to draw a permit for 2017 can purchase their application now, and will be able to submit for their preferred hunt choice online from Feb. 15 through midnight, Feb. 28. The spring bear drawing will occur in early March.
License fees for the 2017-2018 season have not changed from the previous year.
Customers can access WDFW’s licensing system at: https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/
WDFW sells 2.5 million licenses annually through its website, by telephone, and through a network of 600 retail stores across the state.
