Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission issues cougar and wolf decisions

OLYMPIA - The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission met virtually on July 19 to discuss several carnivore topics including proposed changes to cougar hunting seasons and the state listing status of gray wolves.

First, the Commission delegated a rule making petition to establish a spring black bear depredation permit season to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) director. The director will review the merits of the petition and decide whether to accept the petition to initiate rule making.

Next, the Commission approved changes to cougar hunting seasons. The new rule establishes the Washington cougar hunting season from Sept. 1 to March 31, sets a cap of 13 percent of each population management unit (PMU) using a specific statewide density, and includes all known human-caused cougar mortalities to determine when to close a PMU during the season.

The Commission incorporated an amendment in the cougar hunting rule to clarify that all known human-caused cougar mortalities contributing to the 13 percent cap will be counted between April 1 of the current year and March 31 of the subsequent year. Additionally, the Commission decided that, in PMUs that reach the 13 percent cap prior to the cougar hunting season starting on Sept. 1, the cap would be increased to 20 percent of the population to provide hunting opportunity in those PMUs. The Commission also directed staff to initiate rule making for the 2025-26 cougar hunting season.

Finally, the Commission decided against the staff recommendation to reclassify gray wolves as a protected sensitive species in Washington. As such, gray wolves remain listed as state endangered in Washington. This vote does not impact the federal classification of gray wolves, which remain 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 process, or sooner if the recovery objectives of the state's Wolf Conservation and Management Plan are met within five years.

The meeting was recorded and will be made available on the Commission webpage so the public can watch at their convenience. Updated rule making documents related to today's decisions will be posted on WDFW's rule making webpage.

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission is a panel appointed by the governor that sets policy for WDFW. WDFW works to preserve, protect, and perpetuate fish, wildlife, and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities.