The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is a department of the
government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is ...
of the state of
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
,
United States of America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
. The WDFW manages over a million acres of land, the bulk of which is generally open to the public, and more than 500 water access sites.
Many of the sites are termed "wildlife areas" and permit hunting during the hunting season, typically in the autumn and early winter for birds, but all year round for coyotes. Due to declining participation, the department has a hunter and angler recruitment, retention and reactivation plan.
A
Discover Pass is required to park in the wildlife areas.
The department's history starts with the appointment of a
fisheries commissioner in 1890 by
Governor of Washington
The governor of Washington is the head of government of Washington and commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.WA Const. art. III, § 2. The officeholder has a duty to enforce state laws,WA Const. art. III, § 5. the power to either a ...
Elisha P. Ferry
Elisha Peyre Ferry (August 9, 1825October 14, 1895) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the List of governors of Washington, first governor of Washington from 1889 to 1893. Ferry was a Republican Party (United States), Republic ...
.
The department is overseen by a director appointed by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission; Kelly Susewind was appointed to the position in June 2018.
Hunting and fishing license sales and income from the Discover Pass recreational access fee make up about one-quarter of the department’s budget.
See also
*
Tarboo Unit
References
External links
*
{{Washington
Government of Washington (state)
1890 establishments in Washington (state)