The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s first Game Management Plan (GMP) in 2002. The plan was revised/supplemented in 2009 and again in 2015. These plans were in effect for six years. In 2020, the Department elected to extend the timeline of the existing GMP by two years, ending June 30, 2023, to align the GMP process with the three-year season setting process.
In June 2023, the Commission asked Department staff to draft a new Game Management Plan which will undergo a new and separate SEPA review process. Until the new GMP is completed, the old GMP will serve as guidance for season setting. The new GMP will not have a set revision schedule and will be revised as needed when new information is available.
WDFW currently anticipates completing the new GMP in December 2024. This timeline is subject to change. For the latest updates and information about this plan development, please visit our Game management plan development process and timeline webpage.
Game management plans
- Final 2015-2021 Game Management Plan
- 2015-2017 Ungulate Assessment
- Final Management Plan for the Mule Deer
- Final Management Plan for the White-tailed Deer
- Washington Sea Duck Management Strategies: Draft Report to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission
- Washington State Management Plan for Wild Turkey: November 2005 – June 2010
Elk herd management plans
- North Rainier Elk Herd Plan (2020)
- Blue Mountains Elk Herd Plan (2020)
- Colockum Elk Herd Plan
- See also: Colockum Elk Herd Study: 2008-2012 (PDF)
- Mount St. Helens Elk Herd Plan
- North Cascade (Nooksack) Elk Herd Plan
- North Rainier Elk Herd Plan (2002)
- Olympic Elk Herd Plan
- Rattlesnake Hills (Hanford) Elk Herd Plan
- Selkirk Elk Herd Plan
- South Rainier Elk Herd Plan
- Willapa Hills Elk Herd Plan
- Yakima Elk Herd Plan