WA Fish and Wildlife sold thousands of licenses in 2025. How many were revoked?

For several reasons, 2025 was a big year for the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The department saw a record number of sockeye salmon return to the Skagit River system and welcomed a bevy of new wildlife laws, including a historic ban on commercial finfish net pens and updated requirements for the distance boats must keep from orca whales.

Washingtonians across the state spent the year hunting, fishing and recreating in state-owned lands.

Many did so legally, using the required permits and permissions.

However, there were several cases of illegal poaching and other unlawful practices that led to license revocations, fines and even jail time in some cases.

Why does Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife revoke licenses?

The Revised Code of Washington outlines numerous reasons Fish and Wildlife might revoke someone’s fishing or hunting license.

Criminal charges for hunting and fishing offenses can also lead to hefty fines and jail time.

You can lose your license if you’re convicted of unlawful big game hunting, recreational fishing or wild bird hunting, as well as illegally taking endangered or protected fish or wildlife, among other offenses.

Fish and Wildlife can also revoke your license if you’ve proven to have “demonstrated a willful or wanton disregard for conservation of fish or wildlife,” state law says.

Additionally, your license may be revoked if you failed to appear at a hearing or had an unvacated fine related to the unlawful hunting, killing or possession of big game twice within 10 years.

In 2025, multiple hunters lost their licenses for the illegal practice of spotlighting, which involves shining a bright light on animals while it’s dark out so they freeze and are easier to shoot.

You can even lose your hunting and fishing privileges for violations committed in other states. In 2025, four Tri-Cities hunters had their licenses revoked for multiple years after illegally poaching bull elk and mule deer in Montana’s Bull Mountains.

According to the Revised Code of Washington, fishing regulations are complex, and violations committed by “well-meaning and otherwise law-abiding fishers” within an acceptable margin of error do not need to result in license suspension.

How many fishing and hunting licenses did Washington sell in 2025?

In 2025, the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife sold approximately 866,000 fishing licenses and 201,000 hunting licenses, according to community outreach liaison Becky Elder with the Washington State Fish and Wildlife Police.

How many hunters and fishers lost licenses in 2025?

Over the course of 2025, the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife revoked hunting privileges for 61 hunters and fishing privileges for 32 anglers, Elder told McClatchy Media.

In addition, Elder said, a total of 107 people lost both hunting and fishing privileges in Washington state in 2025.

How can I apply for a hunting or fishing license in Washington?

To get a hunting license in Washington state, you need to take a hunter education class, unless you were born before 1972, according to Fish and Wildlife. This rule applies to people seeking all varieties of hunting licenses.

Once you’ve completed the class, you can get your hunting license online, by calling 360-902-2464 or by visiting a license dealer.

You do not need to take a class to get a fishing license in Washington state.

You can get your fishing license online, call 360-902-2464 or visit a license dealer.

How much do Washington hunting and fishing licenses cost?

Hunting license costs depend on the type of license as well as the age and state of residency of the applicant. Discounts are available for hunters with disabilities.

For Washington state residents, a standard big game license can cost between $32.86 and $322.98, with fees of up to $457.50 for special hunt big game.

Small game options range from $18.22 to $115.85.

Fishing license costs vary based on the license type, plus the age and state of residency of the applicant. Anglers with disabilities can get discounts.

For Washington state residents ages 16 to 69, fishing licenses range from $17.44 to $322.98 for annual options, with short-term licenses costing less than $26.

Residents ages 70 and older pay between $9.59 and $136.21 for annual licenses, but do not get discounts for short-term licenses.

Non-resident licenses range in cost from $28.07 to $170 for annual options, with short-term licenses available for less than $50.