RCW 77.15.245
Unlawful practices—Black bear baiting—Exceptions—Illegal hunting—Use of dogs—Exceptions—Penalties.
(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of RCW 77.12.240, 77.36.030, or any other provisions of law, it is unlawful to take, hunt, or attract black bear with the aid of bait.
(a) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit the killing of black bear with the aid of bait by employees or agents of county, state, or federal agencies while acting in their official capacities for the purpose of protecting livestock, domestic animals, private property, or the public safety.
(b) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prevent the establishment and operation of feeding stations for black bear in order to prevent damage to commercial timberland.
(c) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit the director from issuing a permit or memorandum of understanding to a public agency, university, or scientific or educational institution for the use of bait to attract black bear for scientific purposes.
(d) As used in this subsection, "bait" means a substance placed, exposed, deposited, distributed, scattered, or otherwise used for the purpose of attracting black bears to an area where one or more persons hunt or intend to hunt them.
(2) Notwithstanding RCW 77.12.240, 77.36.030, or any other provisions of law, it is unlawful to hunt or pursue black bear, cougar, or bobcat with the aid of a dog or dogs.
(a) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit the hunting of black bear, cougar, or bobcat with the aid of a dog or dogs by employees or agents of county, state, or federal agencies while acting in their official capacities for the purpose of protecting livestock, domestic animals, private property, or the public safety. A dog or dogs may be used by the owner or tenant of real property consistent with a permit issued and conditioned by the director.
(b) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit the director from issuing a permit or memorandum of understanding to a public agency, university, or scientific or educational institution for the use of a dog or dogs for the pursuit, capture and relocation, of black bear, cougar, or bobcat for scientific purposes.
(c) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit the director from issuing a permit or memorandum of understanding to a public agency, university, or scientific or educational institution for the use of a dog or dogs for the killing of black bear, cougar, or bobcat, for the protection of a state and/or federally listed threatened or endangered species.
(d) Nothing in this subsection may be construed to prohibit nonlethal pursuit training of dogs by persons selected through the process established in RCW 77.12.077 for future use for the purpose of protecting livestock, domestic animals, private property, or the public safety.
(3) Notwithstanding subsection (2) of this section, the commission may authorize the use of dogs only in selected areas within a game management unit to address a public safety need presented by one or more cougar. This authority may only be exercised after the commission has determined that no other practical alternative to the use of dogs exists, and after the commission has adopted rules describing the conditions in which dogs may be used. Conditions that may warrant the use of dogs within a game management unit include, but are not limited to, confirmed cougar/human safety incidents, confirmed cougar/livestock and cougar/pet depredations, and the number of cougar capture attempts and relocations.
(4) A person who violates subsection (1) or (2) of this section is guilty of a gross misdemeanor. In addition to appropriate criminal penalties, the department shall revoke the hunting license of a person who violates subsection (1) or (2) of this section and order the suspension of wildlife hunting privileges for a period of five years following the revocation. Following a subsequent violation of subsection (1) or (2) of this section by the same person, a hunting license shall not be issued to the person at any time.
[ 2019 c 226 § 2; 2005 c 107 § 1; 2001 c 253 § 31. Prior: 2000 c 248 § 1; 2000 c 107 § 260; 1997 c 1 § 1 (Initiative Measure No. 655, approved November 5, 1996). Formerly RCW 77.16.360.]
NOTES:
Effective date—2000 c 248: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [March 31, 2000]." [ 2000 c 248 § 2.]
Severability—1997 c 1 (Initiative Measure No. 655): "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1997 c 1 § 2 (Initiative Measure No. 655, approved November 5, 1996).]
Structure Revised Code of Washington
Chapter 77.15 - Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Code.
77.15.010 - Exemption for department actions.
77.15.030 - Individual animal unlawfully taken—Separate offense.
77.15.050 - "Conviction" defined.
77.15.060 - Reference to chapters 7.84 and 9A.20 RCW.
77.15.065 - Authority of attorney general if prosecuting attorney defaults.
77.15.070 - Civil forfeiture of property used for violation of chapter.
77.15.075 - Enforcement authority of fish and wildlife officers—Volunteer chaplain.
77.15.085 - Seizure without warrant.
77.15.090 - Search, arrest warrant—Issuance—Execution.
77.15.092 - Arrest without warrant.
77.15.094 - Search without warrant—Seizure of evidence, property—Limitation.
77.15.096 - Inspection without warrant—Commercial fish and wildlife entities—Limitations.
77.15.098 - Willful misconduct/gross negligence—Civil liability.
77.15.110 - Acting for commercial purposes—When—Proof.
77.15.120 - Endangered fish or wildlife—Unlawful taking—Penalty.
77.15.150 - Poison or explosives—Unlawful use—Penalty.
77.15.160 - Infractions—Penalties.
77.15.170 - Waste of fish and wildlife—Penalty.
77.15.180 - Unlawful interference with fishing or hunting gear—Penalty.
77.15.190 - Unlawful trapping—Penalty.
77.15.191 - Revocation of trapper's license—Placement of unauthorized traps.
77.15.194 - Unlawful traps—Penalty.
77.15.196 - Unlawful poison—Penalty.
77.15.198 - Violation of RCW 77.15.194 or 77.15.196—Penalty.
77.15.210 - Obstructing the taking of fish, shellfish, or wildlife—Penalty.
77.15.212 - Damages due to violation of RCW 77.15.210—Civil action.
77.15.230 - Department lands or facilities—Unlawful use—Penalty.
77.15.260 - Unlawful trafficking in fish, shellfish, or wildlife—Penalty.
77.15.270 - Providing false information—Penalty.
77.15.280 - Reporting of fish or wildlife harvest—Rules violation—Penalty.
77.15.290 - Unlawful transportation of fish or wildlife—Penalty.
77.15.300 - Unlawful hydraulic project activities—Penalty.
77.15.340 - Unlawful operation of a game farm—Penalty.
77.15.350 - Inspection and disease control of aquatic farms—Rules violation—Penalty.
77.15.360 - Unlawful interfering in department operations—Penalty.
77.15.380 - Unlawful recreational fishing in the second degree—Penalty.
77.15.382 - Unlawful use of shellfish gear for personal use purposes—Penalty.
77.15.390 - Seaweed—Unlawful taking—Penalty.
77.15.395 - Hunter safety—Visible clothing requirement—Penalty.
77.15.400 - Unlawful hunting of wild birds—Violation of a rule requiring nontoxic shot—Penalty.
77.15.410 - Unlawful hunting of big game—Penalty.
77.15.420 - Illegally taken or possessed wildlife—Criminal wildlife penalty assessed.
77.15.425 - Fish and wildlife enforcement reward account.
77.15.430 - Unlawful hunting of wild animals—Penalty.
77.15.440 - Weapons, traps, or dogs on game reserves—Unlawful use—Penalty.
77.15.450 - Spotlighting big game—Penalty.
77.15.470 - Wildlife check stations or field inspections—Unlawful avoidance—Penalty.
77.15.480 - Certain devices declared public nuisances.
77.15.500 - Commercial fishing without a license—Penalty.
77.15.510 - Acting as a game fish guide, food fish guide, or chartering without a license—Penalty.
77.15.520 - Commercial fishing—Unlawful gear or methods—Penalty.
77.15.522 - Unlawful use of shellfish gear for commercial purposes—Penalty.
77.15.530 - Unlawful use of a nondesignated vessel—Penalty.
77.15.540 - Unlawful use of a commercial fishery license—Penalty.
77.15.550 - Violation of commercial fishing area or time—Penalty.
77.15.552 - Qualifying commercial fishing violations.
77.15.554 - License suspension review committee.
77.15.565 - Wholesale fish buyer a limited fish seller—Accounting of commercial harvest—Penalties.
77.15.568 - Secondary commercial fish receiver's failure to account for commercial harvest—Penalty.
77.15.580 - Unlawful use of net to take fish—Penalty.
77.15.590 - Commercial fishing vessel—Unlawful use for recreational or charter fishing—Penalty.
77.15.600 - Engaging in commercial wildlife activity without a license—Penalty.
77.15.610 - Unlawful use of a commercial wildlife license—Penalty.
77.15.620 - Engaging in fish dealing activity without a license—Penalty.
77.15.630 - Unlawful fish and shellfish catch accounting—Penalty.
77.15.640 - Unlawful wholesale fish buying and dealing—Penalty.
77.15.650 - Unlawful purchase or use of a license—Penalty.
77.15.660 - Unlawful use of scientific permit—Penalty.
77.15.675 - Hunting while intoxicated—Penalty.
77.15.680 - Department authority to suspend privileges—Form and procedure.
77.15.690 - Department authority to revoke licenses.
77.15.700 - Grounds for department revocation and suspension of recreational license—Appeal.
77.15.710 - Conviction for assault—Revocation of licenses and suspension of privileges.
77.15.730 - Wildlife violator compact citations and convictions.
77.15.732 - Citations from wildlife violator compact party state—Failure to comply.
77.15.740 - Protection of southern resident orca whales—Unlawful activities—Penalty.
77.15.750 - Unlawful use of a department permit—Penalty.
77.15.760 - Suspension of a master hunter permit—Appeal hearing.
77.15.770 - Unlawful trade in shark fins—Penalty.
77.15.780 - Disposition of judicially forfeited seized property.
77.15.800 - Engaging in wildlife rehabilitation without a permit—Penalty.
77.15.803 - Inspection of aquatic conveyance.
77.15.805 - Violation of an invasive species law—Warrant.
77.15.807 - Invasive species in or on water body or property—Warrant.
77.15.809 - Unlawful use of invasive species in the second degree—Penalty.
77.15.811 - Unlawful use of invasive species in the first degree—Penalty.
77.15.813 - Unlawfully engaging in fishing guide activity—Penalty.
77.15.815 - Unlawfully engaging in commercial whale watching—Penalty.