Ungulate populations

AN ACT Relating to restoring and sustaining healthy ungulate 1
populations; and adding a new chapter to Title 77 RCW.2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that:4
(a) The wolf management plan, as previously implemented and 5
directed by the fish and wildlife commission, must be annually 6
adaptive within each of the three wolf management zones and standing 7
upon their own respective characteristics and own individual wolf 8
populations for delisting; 9
(b) Washington's mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, moose, and 10
other ungulate species provide significant ecological, cultural, and 11
economic value to the state; 12
(c) Outdoor recreation and hunting contribute hundreds of 13
millions of dollars annually to rural communities through tourism, 14
hospitality, sporting goods sales, guides, outfitters, land access 15
fees, and fuel purchases; 16
(d) Rural economies, tribal and nontribal hunters, and wildlife 17
observers depend upon predictable and sustainable ungulate 18
populations; 19
(e) In portions of Washington where the gray wolf is federally 20
delisted, increasing predator-prey conflicts have contributed to 21
S-3705.1
SENATE BILL 5960
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senator Short
Prefiled 01/05/26.
p. 1 SB 5960
declines in ungulate populations with white-tailed deer and mule deer 1
as they are the primary food source for wolves and other predators; 2
and 3
(f) The long-term stability of ungulate populations requires 4
active predator-prey management, timely intervention, and greater 5
collaboration with sportsmen. 6
(2) It is the intent of the legislature to support sportsmen and 7
rural economies, establish clear thresholds and mandatory actions to 8
restore at-risk ungulate herds, and require immediate transparent, 9
collaborative population surveys. 10
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The definitions in this section apply 11
throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires 12
otherwise.13
(1) "At-risk population" means any ungulate population that falls 14
25 percent below its 10-year rolling average within a game management 15
unit. 16
(2) "Federal delisting area" means the portion of the state east 17
of state route number 97 from the British Columbia border south to 18
Monse, U.S. route 395 from Mesa to the Oregon border, and state route 19
number 17 from Monse south to Mesa, in which the gray wolf is not 20
federally listed. 21
(3) "Predator" has the same meaning as "large wild carnivore" in 22
RCW 77.08.010. 23
(4) "Predator mitigation" includes, but is not limited to, 24
translocation of wolves within Washington, targeted removal, 25
diversionary feeding, hazing, and other actions consistent with law.26
(5) "Sportsmen" means licensed hunters and recognized wildlife 27
associations that utilize required licensing or permits for wildlife 28
interactions providing revenue to the department. 29
(6) "Ungulate" means mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, moose, 30
mountain goat, mountain caribou, and bighorn sheep.31
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) If any ungulate species within the 32
federal delisting area experiences a reduction of 25 percent or more 33
below its 10-year rolling average, the department shall designate the 34
population as at-risk and initiate predator mitigation within 60 35
days.36
(2) Upon designation, within already existing department 37
resources, in order to implement the draft game management plan, the 38
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2011 gray wolf conservation and management plan, the white-tailed 1
deer policy plan, and the game management policy, the department 2
shall: 3
(a) Implement predator mitigation actions, including:4
(i) Seasonal or geographic predator reduction around sensitive 5
ranges; 6
(ii) Translocation of gray wolves within Washington; and7
(iii) Targeted removal or nonlethal mitigation.8
(b) Monitor to determine population increases over time.9
(3) Mitigation must continue until mule deer and white-tailed 10
deer populations (i) meet or exceed 2004 harvest levels for two 11
consecutive years and (ii) both the mule deer and white-tailed deer 12
populations exceed their 10-year rolling average. 13
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) The department shall conduct and 14
resume annual population counts of white-tailed deer in partnership 15
with sportsmen.16
(2) Survey methods shall be collaboratively designed and publicly 17
transparent. 18
(3) A report of the population counts and the annual deer season 19
harvest reports shall be published annually by March 31st or two 20
weeks before the current seasons can be set. 21
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The department shall annually report to 22
the legislature by March 31st ungulate population trends, at-risk 23
designations, mitigation actions, and progress toward 2004 population 24
benchmarks.25
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The department may adopt rules to 26
implement this chapter, including survey standards, partnership 27
protocols, and predator mitigation planning requirements.28
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Sections 1 through 6 of this act 29
constitute a new chapter in Title 77 RCW.30
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