Washington’s 2026 big-game application period closes May 20, 2026, at midnight (PDT). Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules are available in printed form at Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) offices and statewide hunting license vendors. For online access to the regulations, visit http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations. Results of the draw should be available by the end of June.
Washington continues their special permit draws system with extremely low draw odds. However, if you have youth hunters under the age of sixteen, have a robust application budget, or you want to apply for some great trophy opportunities and feel you can justify the $152.30 cost per application, you may want to look at adding Washington. If not, Washington remains one of the first states to cut for applicants.
• The Selah Butte California sheep unit will be reopened with 2 tags available in the 2026 draw.
• The Cleman Mountain California sheep unit doubled the ram tags available and will have 8 tags available in 2026 draw.
• Electronic tagging is now available for all big game tags in the MyWDFW app.
| Washington Species Specific Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Washington Bighorn Sheep | Washington Moose | Washington Mountain Goat |
| Washington Bear | Washington Mountain Lion | |
Washington special permit applications are separated into categories within each species. For example, there are multiple categories for moose, including “any antlered moose”, “antlerless moose”, and “youth antlerless moose”. As a result, a youth under the age of sixteen could apply for all three categories of moose. To do so, a special permit application fee would need to be paid for each of the categories. Bonus points are built separately in each category. The bag limit for a hunter is one moose, one goat, and one bighorn sheep, even if a hunter draws permits in more than one category for a given species in the same year.
There is a two-part process to apply for a Washington special permit hunt. Step one requires applicants to purchase a special permit application for each category they want to apply in. These applications can be purchased in person at license vendors or online at www.wdfw.wa.gov. Step two requires applicants to submit their special permit application(s) with their hunt choices. They can be submitted at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov. Once submitted, applications cannot be withdrawn. However, amendments can be made on your online account prior to the draw taking place.
Washington provides applicants with a points-only option. However, this is never recommended, as it is the same cost to apply for points only as it is to apply for a permit, and the draw odds are long. A maximum of two applicants may apply as a party for sheep, moose, and goat hunts. For party applications, the group leader is responsible for creating the application, adding each group member’s WILD ID, entering the hunt choices, submitting the application, and sharing the confirmation number with other group members. Other group members apply separately using the same confirmation number. The points accumulated by each hunter in the group are averaged and applied to the group application. We highly recommend that nobody applies for sheep, moose, or mountain goat permits with a group application because of the limited number of permits available.
You will be given four hunt choices when applying for the special drawings. It is possible to draw a permit for any of your listed choices. All of your choices will be considered before the next applicant is drawn. There is no non-resident quota or cap for any species, so the draw odds are the same for residents and non-residents. If you were drawn for an any-ram license and were unsuccessful in harvesting, you may not apply for that species again. Anyone who has harvested a mountain goat since 1998 may not apply again. However, if you previously harvested a mountain goat on the now discontinued Conflict-Reduction Hunts, there is no waiting period or once-in-a-lifetime bag limit.
Draw results will be available in the middle of June. To see if you have been awarded a special permit, you must visit WDFW website. In Washington, it is the applicant’s responsibility to verify if they have been selected for sheep, moose, and goat permits. Special hunting licenses for sheep, moose, and goat must be purchased within fifteen days of the notification date or the permit will be void and offered to an alternate.
A non-refundable special permit application fee of $152.30 will be assessed for each category of hunt under each species applied for. For youth under the age of sixteen, the non-refundable fee is only $5.05 for each special permit application. If successful, the license for the species drawn must be purchased within fifteen days of drawing. Adults pay $2,729 license while youth pay $77.90 license.
Consult with Hunters Who Have Hunted in Your Unit, Join Now!
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1972, must show proof that they have completed a hunter education class or that they are not hunting during the year in Washington when applying. Online applicants should apply early, as hunter education documentation must be submitted before a license can be purchased.
Hunter orange is not required during the sheep, goat, or moose seasons unless a modern-firearm season is open for deer or elk in the same unit. The use of one leashed dog for the purpose of tracking wounded big-game animals is now allowed
There is no minimum age to apply, build points, or hunt in Washington. However, you must have and provide proof of completed hunter education courses if you were born on or after January 1, 1972.
A single bonus point is accrued for each year of application for each species category. For example, submitting an application for an any-ram sheep and a separate application for a ewe sheep permit would result in two separate bonus point groups per applicant. Accumulated bonus points are squared in the draw. No permits are set aside for those with maximum points. An applicant can only draw one permit per species per year. Once drawn for a special permit, bonus points for that species category will revert to zero.
The draw odds we list are not the true odds of drawing a particular permit, as they do not reflect the number of bonus points each applicant has accumulated. These simple odds are calculated by dividing the total number of applications by the total number of permits issued for a particular hunt. All applicants are included in one drawing, with no limits or quotas on resident permits.
Hunters who have completed a hunter education class and are under sixteen years of age at the time of application may purchase youth-priced special permit applications for $5.05 each. Additionally, if youth are drawn for moose, sheep, or goat permits, they are only required to pay a youth permit fee of $77.90 (as opposed to the $2,729 fee for non-resident adults). Youth can apply for the trophy hunts for sheep, moose, and goat, but they can also apply for youth-only permits for sheep and antlerless moose.
All hunts for bighorn sheep, moose, or mountain goat are designated as any weapon hunts. For archery hunters, it is unlawful to use any of the following: a bow equipped with a scope, electronic equipment, or electronic devices on your bow; any device that helps keep the bow at full draw; a bow that does not produce a minimum of 40 pounds of draw weight; any arrow that measures less than 20 inches; or a broadhead that has blades less than 7/8 inches wide. Crossbows are illegal to use during the archery-only season unless you have a disabled hunter permit. Illuminated nocks, verifier peep sights, and mechanical broadheads are legal in Washington.
To be legal for muzzleloader-only hunts, a muzzleloader must be loaded from the muzzle using black powder or black powder substitute and a single projectile; have a single or double barrel; be at least .45 caliber; possess open, peep, or fiber optic sights; and utilize a wheellock, matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap ignition system. (Primers designed to be used in modern cartridges are legal.) It is illegal to carry a modern firearm in the field while muzzleloader hunting during a muzzleloader-only season unless the firearm is a modern handgun carried for personal protection.
There are no landowner permits for sheep, moose, or goat in Washington. Additionally, due to high demand, there are nearly no leftover permits.
Washington offers raffle permits for California bighorn sheep, moose, mountain goat, deer, and elk. Multi-species tickets are $23.27, California bighorn sheep tickets are $15.68, and all other tickets are $8.09. The deadline to purchase raffle tickets is July 15, 2026. These tickets must be purchased in person at license vendors in Washington state. A Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep raffle permit will also be available this year from the Washington chapter of the Wild Sheep Foundation. Refer to the raffle permit section in the article for more information.
Very few opportunity hunts exist for bighorn sheep or moose in any state in the West. However, in Washington, there are 24 antlerless moose permits and 4 ewe-only California bighorn sheep permits available in the draw this year to all applicants. Additionally, there are 1 antlerless moose permit and 3 ewe-only California bighorn sheep permits available exclusively to youth under the age of sixteen. There are also other permits set aside for hunters with disabilities and for hunters over the age of sixty-five. Draw odds are still not great for these hunts, but if you are looking for a moose or sheep hunt experience in one of these special species categories, Washington may have what you’re looking for. It is important to note that the $152.30 application fee per category still applies for these female permits hunts. If you have a hunter under the age of sixteen, the price of applying is cheap ($5.05 per category), so it may be worth applying youth hunters while they are still under the age limit.
Earlier this year, in our May 2026 issue of the magazine, we covered special hunt drawings for bighorn sheep, moose, and mountain goat in depth. Most non-residents do not apply for these special permits because of the extremely long odds and high application cost ($152.30 per application category). In order to apply for special permits for elk and deer, you must pay the same $152.30 per species and purchase a non-refundable general elk or deer license before you apply in the May application period. Because of this high cost and the requirement to hold a general license, we do not recommend that non-residents apply for special permits unless they would like to hunt the general season and use their license in the fall.
On July 1, 2025, Washington raised all non-resident licenses by roughly 38%. This really makes this state tougher to justify, but it still offers over-the-counter tags, which a lot of states are moving away from. As western states continue to lose non-resident opportunities, you may find yourself needing to consider Washington. The ability to hunt both species of elk, whitetail deer, blacktail deer, or mule deer allows any hunter a chance to find a hunt that suits them. Combine that with the multiple weapon options, and Washington may be a state worth considering.
Success rates on bull elk in general-season are usually below 10%, so expect a tougher elk hunt. For mule deer and whitetail deer, Washington’s success rates are similar to those of other general hunts in western states. Some great bucks from all three species are harvested each year on both public and private land. While over 50% of Washington’s private land, the Private Lands Program has opened roughly 1.8 million acres of private land to public hunting. There are four different kinds of access offered through the program:
Do not be discouraged when looking at a unit that is primarily made up of timber company land or other forms of private land until you do a little more research, as many of these properties may be enrolled in the Private Lands Program.
With the exception of multi-season permits that are obtained in the special draw, Washington is a “choose your weapon” state when it comes to hunting deer or elk. When you purchase your deer license, you are required to select a weapon choice: archery, muzzleloader, or modern firearm (rifle). Once you have selected your weapon, you are allowed to hunt with that weapon in any open general-season unit that offers a hunt for the weapon choice on your license. It’s important to study Washington’s regulations thoroughly to identify units that have seasons for your weapon. In many cases, season dates vary quite a bit from unit to unit, providing license holders multiple opportunities to fill their license throughout the fall. For elk, you must choose your weapon as well as an “Eastern Washington” or “Western Washington” designation.
Keep in mind that muzzleloader restrictions in Washington apply to all big-game hunts if you choose to use a muzzleloader. There is a .40 caliber minimum requirement for deer hunting and a .45 caliber minimum requirement for elk hunting. Sabots are allowed. Sights must be fiber optic, peep, red-dot, or scopes with no more than a 1x magnification. Hunters may use archery equipment during the muzzleloader season.
ELK
General-season elk licenses are not valid statewide; instead, they are split into eastern and western types. Western Washington includes all 400-, 500-, and 600-series game management units (GMUs). Eastern Washington includes all 100-, 200-, and 300-series GMUs. These types are geographically separated by the Pacific Crest Trail (the Cascade divide). If you choose a western license, you can hunt both Roosevelt elk west of Interstate 5 and Cascade Roosevelt elk (recognized as Rocky Mountain elk by most record-keeping organizations) from Interstate 5 eastward to the Pacific Crest Trail. The eastern license only offers opportunities for Rocky Mountain elk. Many of the western units allow for the harvesting of any elk or have a three-point minimum for bulls. However, with the exception of the northeast corner of the state, the majority of the eastern elk units that have decent elk populations are only open to spike or antlerless hunting with a general-season elk license, ensuring the mature bull tags can be issued through the special permit draw. There are more than thirty eastern elk GMUs in Regions 1 and 2 that offer any-elk seasons, but these units have very low elk populations or very difficult access due to private land. For the majority of hunters, the western elk license offers a better opportunity to pursue bull elk.
In 2025, the overall harvest success statewide for the general-season units was 10%. There were 47,278 hunters in the field. Successful hunters took 3,446 bulls across all weapon types and 1,337 antlerless elk. The breakdown of weapon choices across all hunters was 23% archery, 21% muzzleloader, and 56% firearm.
Washington’s early archery season runs from September 12 through 24, which provides an opportunity to try to locate a bull during the rut. Late archery seasons start as early as October 31 and end as late as December 8. Some of the late-season archery hunts overlap the muzzleloader seasons, so we recommend that you study the regulations for all species and all weapon types before attempting the late archery hunts.
If you are a muzzleloader hunter, Washington’s 2026 season was rolled back to begin one day earlier than it did in 2025, meaning it will run from October 3 through 9. This will make it a little better than last year’s dates for catching some late rut activity. The late muzzleloader season available in some units starts in late October and runs until mid-December. It is important to keep in mind that scopes with magnification greater than one power are not legal in Washington for muzzleloader-only seasons. Check the state regulations to confirm that your muzzleloader complies with the weapon restrictions before planning your muzzleloader hunt.
For modern firearm (rifle) licenses, the western elk season runs from November 7 through 18, while the eastern elk rifle season runs from October 31 through November 8 or 15, depending on the unit. Any legal hunting weapon is allowed during the modern firearm season.
Western elk licenses for Roosevelt elk provide generous season dates for over-the-counter licenses due to the thick vegetation and tough terrain hunters will have to contend with to find elk. This part of the state is home to some steep, thick, and unforgiving country. If you want to hunt Rocky Mountain bulls with the eastern elk license, units 101 through 121 in the northeastern part of the state along the Idaho and Canadian borders have plenty of public land and good season dates, though harvest success remains low. If you don’t care about harvesting a branch antlered or mature bull and care more about meat in the freezer, look to hunt the antlerless or spike bull units, as those areas are managed for higher-quality hunting and have more game to chase.
Washington offers a user-friendly mapping tool for hunt planning on their website that will help you identify the units open to each specific license. It is also highly recommended that you review the “hunting prospects” produced by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife on an annual basis; they will have decent information on hunt planning specific to the region and units you are most interested in hunting.
The following tables provide a reference for general-season western hunts for Roosevelt elk and Cascade Roosevelt elk that have above-average success rates and accessible land.
DEER
General-season deer licenses are valid statewide for all three deer subspecies (mule deer, blacktail, or whitetail). These licenses are available over the counter but are weapon specific (archery, muzzleloader, or modern firearm). Blacktail deer hunters will want to focus on the western portion of the state below the Cascade Mountains divide. Mule deer and whitetail are more prominent in the central and eastern half of the state. Washington’s best whitetail bucks and the highest deer densities are usually found in the northeast corner of the state in Region 1 near the Canadian border. Most of the weapon seasons will give you plenty of days in the field, but keep in mind that these general hunts are popular, and hundreds—if not thousands—of sportsmen will be in the field. Remember that you must select your weapon of choice when you purchase your license. This will lock you in for the season dates you’ll be able to hunt, but you may jump around on multiple units.
In 2025, statewide general-season harvest success for deer was 26%. There were 87,860 hunters in the field. Successful hunters took 21,423 bucks across all weapon types and 1,626 antlerless deer. The breakdown of weapon choice across all hunters was 12% archery, 6% muzzleloader, and 82% firearm.
For the archery deer license, there is an early season and a late season. The early season starts September 1 and goes until September 20 or 25, depending on the unit and species. The late season typically opens between November 10 and 25 and runs until mid to late December, again depending on the unit and species.
For the muzzleloader general-season deer license, there are three seasons to hunt. The first is referred to as a “High Buck Hunt” that runs from September 15 through 25. This hunt will put you in the high country for a season, hopefully allowing you to find a high-alpine buck. There is a three-point minimum antler restriction on this hunt. In addition to the High Buck Hunt, there are early and late muzzleloader hunts. The early season opens September 26 and runs through October 4, and the late season starts between November 20 and 25 and runs until November 30, December 8, or December 15, depending on the unit and species.
There are three seasons for the modern-firearm general-season deer license. The early High Buck Hunt runs concurrently with the muzzleloader High Buck Hunt from September 15 through 25. This happens frequently in Washington, so be sure to check the regulations for other seasons with different weapon hunts that may overlap your season dates. The general season begins on October 17 and ends between October 27 and November 1, depending on the unit and subspecies. The late season for blacktail deer runs from November 19 through 22, while the late season for whitetail deer runs from November 7 through 19.
For whitetail deer, a good place to start scouting for a big buck is Region 1 (including units 101, 105, 108, 111, 113, 117, and 121) in the northeast corner of the state along the Canadian and Idaho borders. Nearly half of the region is open to public access, and there is plenty of forest cover for bucks to get some age on them if they can avoid predators.
The units that offer the best success for blacktail deer on accessible land (public lands or accessible timber lands) are 501, 520, 530, 550, 568, 612, 621, 642, and 667 along the western coastline. If you’d like to focus on chasing mule deer, refer to the following table for some units to consider as you plan a general season hunt.
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) rules need to be considered when hunting. Mandatory submission is required within five days of harvest for deer or elk in the 100 series (Region 1) area. If you will be hunting in that area, be sure to study the regulations and know what you need in order to submit a sample. If you don’t know how to remove the lymph node, you will need to bring in the entire head and at least three inches of the neck. We recommend learning how to remove the lymph node so that you don’t have to pack out as much weight if you will be hiking in to hunt. Also, mobile licensing is now available and recommended. The state will no longer provide hunting licenses on waterproof, tear-resistant paper.
The only raffle that you can participate in as a non-resident without being physically present in the state of Washington is the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep raffle conducted by the Washington Wild Sheep Foundation. Individual ticket prices for the raffle are $20 each, but there is no limit to the number of tickets you may purchase. The mail-in form found at www.washingtonwsf.org is the only way to submit payment and obtain tickets; phone, fax, online, and emailed orders cannot be accepted due to Washington State gambling rules. Mail-in orders must be received by July 3, 2026.
Tickets for the state-held raffle must be purchased by July 15, 2026, in person at authorized license dealers in Washington State only. There is no way to purchase raffle tickets remotely or through the mail. Odds are still terrible because of the number of residents who participate. If you can make the trip to Washington to buy tickets in person before the deadline, the best odds for a sheep permit are to buy raffle tickets ($15.68 each) for the California bighorn sheep raffle. You can purchase nine tickets for these raffles ($141.12 total) for less money than a special application for the state sheep drawing ($152.30 total). The 2025 California bighorn sheep raffle, there were 7,652 tickets sold. As such, your nine tickets would have resulted in 1 in 850 odds. These odds are way better than (you found in the regular sheep draw (without respect to bonus points). If we take the same thought but apply it to moose and mountain goat, your odds are just as better, as those raffle tickets are just $8.09 each. For the moose raffle in 2025, there were 5,254 tickets sold for two tags, so your eighteen tickets would have resulted in 1 in 146 odds. For the mountain goat raffle in 2025, there were 3,637 tickets sold, and your eighteen tickets would have resulted in 1 in 202 odds.
The total number of tickets purchased for each category is tracked real-time on the WDFW site, providing insight into the demand for each of these opportunities. The once-in-a-lifetime harvest restriction is waived for all raffle hunts. The tag and licenses will be provided at no cost to the winners. Proceeds from the state-held raffles will be used for the management and benefit of wildlife in the state of Washington.
Other state-held raffles that include bighorn sheep, moose, or mountain goat permits are listed in the table. Additional raffles are available for elk, deer, and other species. See the WDFW website for more information.
There are no refunds for hunting licenses. Exchanges of hunting licenses will not be made after applying for a special permit or after the hunting season opens. Washington allows successful applicants for all big-game special permits to return their permit to the WDFW any reason up to two weeks prior to the opening day of the season and have their points restored.
Hunter reports are required for all turkey, deer, elk, black bear, sheep, moose, and goat hunters. Reports are due by January 31, 2027, even if you did not hunt or harvest. There is a $10 penalty for not reporting on time or at all. Reports can be filed online at fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov or over the phone at 360-902-2464.
Anyone who harvests a bighorn sheep or mountain goat must present the head and horns completely attached for inspection and marking within ten days of harvest. Successful hunters need to call a WDFW Regional or District office to schedule an appointment with a biologist for horn marking. The inspection is not a substitute for the mandatory harvest reporting. For sheep and goat, both processes are required for proper reporting
Washington has provided a new hunt planning map tool at https://geodataservices.wdfw.wa.gov/hunt-planner/ free of charge, and it should be utilized by all Washington hunters.
The WDFW’s Private Lands Program strives to provide access to hunters, but western Washington timber companies continue to increase the number of acres that are “pay to play” when it comes to access. In spite of that, over one million acres are enrolled in public access and habitat development agreements through WDFW’s Private Lands Program. Washington has multiple types of access passes required in various areas. Before your hunt, visit https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/hunting/access/ and familiarize yourself with the opportunities and access requirements specific to your hunt.
Wolf populations in Washington continue to grow and expand into new areas, but the state has not released any current population estimates. The last population count was 230 wolves across forty-three different packs. Overall, reports show the wolf population is growing yearly across the state. We hope that Washington is able to address the growing population of wolves in the eastern portion of the state before their moose population is lost. However, with a Game Commission intent on completely removing hunting as a management tool, the future may not be too bright for Washington’s wildlife.
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