Some Hunters Will Need a Discover Pass

OLYMPIA, Wash. - It appears some hunters will need a Discovery Pass in some areas of Washington State. As seasons get underway in September, The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife tells KBKW News that hunters need to know where the new pass is needed. Purchase of a Washington big, or small game hunting license, as well as a pheasant permit will include a vehicle access pass to nearly 1 million acres of WDFW land, not State Parks, or DNR lands.

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The Discover Pass is a vehicle access pass for nearly 7 million acres of Washington state recreation lands managed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Washington State Parks and Recreation (State Parks).

Purchase of a Washington big game or small game hunting license, or a Western Washington pheasant permit, includes a free vehicle access pass to the nearly one million acres of WDFW lands, which can be found by county and wildlife area at  http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/ . This WDFW vehicle access pass is not valid on State Park or DNR lands.

Hunting is allowed on more than two million acres of state trust lands managed by DNR, but hunters will need the Discover Pass to park on the larger,developed blocks of state land, identified by signs and on maps and lists available at www.dnr.wa.gov/recreation .  

Hunters do not need a Discover Pass to hunt on the scattered small parcels (less than 1,000-acres) of undeveloped DNR-managed land, mostly in the southeastern part of the state.

Hunting is not allowed on Washington state park lands.

Purchase of a Discover Pass helps keep all of these state recreation lands available by funding maintenance of hiking trails, trailheads, campgrounds and garbage collection, providing security, and addressing vandalism .

An annual pass costs $30, or $35 with transaction and dealer fees if purchased at a license dealer, by phone or online.  A one-day pass costs $10, or $11.50 with transaction and dealer fees if purchased at a license dealer, by phone or online.

For more information about the Discover Pass, including how to purchase it, where it's required, and what exemptions apply, see www.discoverpass.wa.gov .