Washington Canned Hunt Statutes and Regulations

Complete Ban

Statute

A permit is required in Washington to operate a game farm. R.C.W. §77.32.010(1)(e). The commission is required to "establish the qualifications and conditions for issuing a game farm license." Id. at §77.12.570.

Those permitted to operate a game farm must submit reports pursuant to rules developed by the director. Id. at §77.32.220 

Regulation

A game farm licensed under the provisions of chapter 77.12 R.C.W. "may function as a private shooting preserve and dispose of game birds produced or acquired by released them on the designated preserve for hunting." W.A.C. 232-12-037.

Private shooting preserves "must contain a minimum of one hundred acres to a maximum of one thousand acres in a contiguous block," Id. at §232-12-037(3), and "may not be located on land having a projected fall population of wild upland game birds in excess of twenty birds per one hundred acres." Id. at §232-12-037(4).

A license is required to operate a game farm. Id. at §232-12-027. Game farms licensed after January 1, 1992 "may purchase, possess, propagate, sell or transfer...pheasant…gray partridge...chukar partridge...quail...waterfowl." Id. at §232-12-027(2)(a).

Game farms licensed prior to January 1, 1992, may continue to possess, propagate, sell and transfer wildlife they lawfully possess on January 1, 1992, by virtue of their license issued by the department. Id. at §232-12-027(1).

To obtain a game farm license the applicant must demonstrate that "the rearing and holding facilities are adequate and structurally sound to prevent the egress of game farm wildlife," "operating conditions are clean and humane," and "no hazards to state wildlife exist from the operation." Id. at §232-12-027(4)(b,c,d).

Game farm licensees "must make annual reports no later than the 15th of January to the director..." Id. at §232-12-027(5).

The Lieutenant of the State of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Program stated in a letter that, "With the exception of game birds, the Department of Fish and Wildlife does not permit the captive propagation wildlife (as defined by statute). Also, the Department does not permit the hunting of captive wildlife."

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