Hunters Must Know These Game Import Rules In Washington State

Three things you need to know before bringing game meat into Washington:

1. All game entering Washington must be deboned with all soft tissue removed.
2. The restrictions are in place to help prevent chronic wasting disease (CWD).
3. Violations are subject to up to a $5,000 fine.

Wildlife police remind hunters to follow game import restrictions

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has recently sent out a public reminder to fall hunters about the game meat import rules.

The import restrictions, which have been in place since July 2022, are meant to prevent the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD). However, they apply to all areas outside of  Washington, regardless of confirmed CWD cases. These restrictions also apply to hunters looking to transport deer, elk, or moose from select eastern Washington Game Management Units near Spokane (124, 127, 130).

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Types of import allowed under the Washington rules

There are five types of items allowed under (WAC) 220-413-030, as described by WDFW:

• Meat deboned where it was harvested and imported as boned-out meat,
• Skulls and antlers (with velvet removed), antlers attached to the skull plate, or upper canine teeth (bugler, whistlers, ivories) from which all soft tissue has been removed,
• Hides or capes without heads attached,
• Tissue imported for use by a diagnostic or research laboratory, and
• Finished taxidermy mounts.

Penalties for violating the Washington game meat import rules

Under RCW 77.15.290, violations are considered a gross misdemeanor, which may result in confiscation of the meat and up to a $5,000 fine.

What is CWD?

Chronic Wasting Disease is a neurological illness that affects white-tailed deer, black-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and moose in Washington. It is a prion disease similar to "mad cow" disease. The disease may remain undetected for years while still infectious. CWD gradually kills the animal's brain cells, until it full incapacitates and kills the animal.

It's still unknown if CWD can affect people or whether it makes an animal unsafe to eat; as such, it is recommended that carcasses be discarded safely with reports to the WDFW. The public at large is also encouraged to stop feeding wildlife.

More information is available on the WDFW Chronic Wasting Disease management page.

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