Information is subject to changes and amendments over time. March 1-2, 2019, WDFW Commission Meeting Presentation1Information is subject to changes and amendments over time.

WAC 220-413-030,220-415-020, and WAC 220-415-030

Deer General Seasons, Deer Special Permits, and Carcass Importation

Sara HansenStatewide Deer Specialist, Game DivisionWildlife Program

Information is subject to changes and amendments over time. March 1-2, 2019, WDFW Commission Meeting Presentation2Information is subject to changes and amendments over time.

Deer Management Goals

• Maximize opportunity

• Maintain general season opportunity whenever possible

• One of the highest values for Washington hunters

• Avoid major perturbations of the deer populations

• Keep populations in check – maintaining social tolerance and the habitat’s ability to support deer

• Maintain sustainable hunting season structures without negatively impacting the resource

Information is subject to changes and amendments over time. March 1-2, 2019, WDFW Commission Meeting Presentation3Information is subject to changes and amendments over time.

Statewide Deer Harvest 2001 to 2017

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

45,000

50,000

De

er

General Season and Special Permit Combined

Total Deer Harvest (Avg. 36,723)

Information is subject to changes and amendments over time. March 1-2, 2019, WDFW Commission Meeting Presentation4Information is subject to changes and amendments over time.

Mule Deer Surveys

• Methow

• Chelan

• Douglas

• Klickitat

• South Snake River

2018 Surveys

Information is subject to changes and amendments over time. March 1-2, 2019, WDFW Commission Meeting Presentation5Information is subject to changes and amendments over time.

Mule Deer Surveys

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Methow Chelan Douglas Klickitat South SnakeRiver

Per

10

0 D

oes

Mule Deer Post-hunt Ratio Estimates 2018

Buck Ratio Estimate Fawn Ratio Estimate

Information is subject to changes and amendments over time. March 1-2, 2019, WDFW Commission Meeting Presentation6Information is subject to changes and amendments over time.

Black-tailed Deer

• Reliant on harvest data and field observations to manage black-tailed deer

• No major concerns being identified at this time for black-tailed deer

Information is subject to changes and amendments over time. March 1-2, 2019, WDFW Commission Meeting Presentation7Information is subject to changes and amendments over time.

White-tailed Deer

• Harvest data

• Field reports

• Some ancillary data collected during mule deer aerial surveys

• Road surveys conducted in some Districts

Information is subject to changes and amendments over time. March 1-2, 2019, WDFW Commission Meeting Presentation8Information is subject to changes and amendments over time.

August White-tailed Deer Buck Ratios

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

GMUs 105-121

Bucks:100 Does and 90% CIs (Avg. = 27)

Information is subject to changes and amendments over time. March 1-2, 2019, WDFW Commission Meeting Presentation9Information is subject to changes and amendments over time.

Deer General SeasonsWAC 220-415-020

• Second year of three-year package

• No major changes for black-tailed or mule deer

• Archery: White-tailed Deer – Add five days to early, antlered opportunity in

GMUs 169 and 175

• Muzzleloader: Black-tailed Deer– Add early, antlered opportunity in GMU 621

– Add late, antlerless opportunity in GMU 667

– Remove late opportunity in Deer Area 6020

Information is subject to changes and amendments over time. March 1-2, 2019, WDFW Commission Meeting Presentation10Information is subject to changes and amendments over time.

Deer General Seasonscontinued

Recommended Adjustments:

• Eliminate antlerless, white-tailed deer opportunities in GMUs 101-121 for:

• Modern Youth and Hunters with Disabilities (Page 12)

• Early and late archery (Page 13)

• Early muzzleloader (Page 14)

• Retain late muzzleloader, antlered, black-tailed deer opportunity in GMU 654 (Page 15)

Information is subject to changes and amendments over time. March 1-2, 2019, WDFW Commission Meeting Presentation11Information is subject to changes and amendments over time.

Deer Special PermitsWAC 220-415-030

• Adjust quality special permits up or down through the special permit allocation process

• Reduce quality archery and modern permits in GMUs 382, 388, 578, and 574

• Adjust antlerless special permits up or down depending on management goal

Information is subject to changes and amendments over time. March 1-2, 2019, WDFW Commission Meeting Presentation12Information is subject to changes and amendments over time.

Deer Special Permitscontinued

Recommended Adjustments:

• Eliminate antlerless, white-tailed deer opportunities in GMUs 101-121 for:

– Antlerless (Page 25)

– Senior 65+ (Page 26)

– Second deer (Page 10)

• Increase modern, antlered opportunity in GMU 284 (Page 29)

Information is subject to changes and amendments over time. March 1-2, 2019, WDFW Commission Meeting Presentation13Information is subject to changes and amendments over time.

Importation and Retention of Dead Nonresident Wildlife

WAC 220-413-030

• One of the intentions of this WAC is to reduce the risk of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) entering Washington

• To date, Washington has not detected CWD in the state

• In recent months, the state of Tennessee has detected CWD in wild, free-ranging deer

• Propose to add the state of Tennessee to the list of states and provinces in this WAC

• The WAC requires that hunters conduct additional processing to deer, elk, and moose harvested in those states, before the carcasses can be brought home to Washington

Information is subject to changes and amendments over time. March 1-2, 2019, WDFW Commission Meeting Presentation14Information is subject to changes and amendments over time.

Questions?

Information is subject to changes and amendments over time. March 1-2, 2019, WDFW Commission Meeting Presentation15Information is subject to changes and amendments over time.

Northeast WA Winter Severity Index

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

35.0

40.0

45.0

Winter Severity Index Average Severe

Information is subject to changes and amendments over time. March 1-2, 2019, WDFW Commission Meeting Presentation16Information is subject to changes and amendments over time.

Deer Harvest: District 1

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Dee

r

Total Deer Harvest All Weapons

Deer Harvest

Information is subject to changes and amendments over time. March 1-2, 2019, WDFW Commission Meeting Presentation17Information is subject to changes and amendments over time.

Hunter Success Rates

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Deer Hunter Success Rates District 1

Modern Firearm Archery Muzzleloader