Air gun hunting in Washington

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Washington is basically 2 states. West of the Cascades is Seattleland, populated with mostly ultra-liberal, anti-gun nut cases. East of the Cascades is, well, mostly desert, populated with mostly ultra-conservative pro-gun nut cases. All the population is in Seattleland. Seattle has taxes on taxes to fund the regulation and enforcement of taxes. They can't tax guns out of existence, so they taxed ammo out of existence. They wrote the regulations for the WDFW such that it requires a Phd to hold any positions of power within the WDFW. How many avid hunters do you know with Phds? I know, they're out there, but they're a minority within a minority. This means that mostly urban, liberal, anti-gun/anti-hunting staffers run the WDFW and the WA state government. There are exceptions, such as the gentleman I spoke with today, but I think he's the exception, not the rule. On the political spectrum, I land somewhere in the middle, more of a pragmatist. If you were to break the two regions into stereotypes this photo would capture the sentiment pretty well:




 
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"ztirffritz"Washington is basically 2 states. West of the Cascades is Seattleland, populated with mostly ultra-liberal, anti-gun nut cases. East of the Cascades is, well, mostly desert, populated with mostly ultra-conservative pro-gun nut cases. All the population is in Seattleland. Seattle has taxes on taxes to fund the regulation and enforcement of taxes. They can't tax guns out of existence, so they taxed ammo out of existence. They wrote the regulations for the WDFW such that it requires a Phd to hold any positions of power within the WDFW. How many avid hunters do you know with Phds? I know, they're out there, but they're a minority within a minority. This means that mostly urban, liberal, anti-gun/anti-hunting staffers run the WDFW and the WA state government. There are exceptions, such as the gentleman I spoke with today, but I think he's the exception, not the rule. On the political spectrum, I land somewhere in the middle, more of a pragmatist. If you were to break the two regions into stereotypes this photo would capture the sentiment pretty well:




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That pretty much somes it up
 
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"ztirffritz"Washington is basically 2 states. West of the Cascades is Seattleland, populated with mostly ultra-liberal, anti-gun nut cases. East of the Cascades is, well, mostly desert, populated with mostly ultra-conservative pro-gun nut cases. All the population is in Seattleland. Seattle has taxes on taxes to fund the regulation and enforcement of taxes. They can't tax guns out of existence, so they taxed ammo out of existence. They wrote the regulations for the WDFW such that it requires a Phd to hold any positions of power within the WDFW. How many avid hunters do you know with Phds? I know, they're out there, but they're a minority within a minority. This means that mostly urban, liberal, anti-gun/anti-hunting staffers run the WDFW and the WA state government. There are exceptions, such as the gentleman I spoke with today, but I think he's the exception, not the rule. On the political spectrum, I land somewhere in the middle, more of a pragmatist. If you were to break the two regions into stereotypes this photo would capture the sentiment pretty well:




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Yeah, you nailed it. I was from Spokane.
 
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"ztirffritz"Washington is basically 2 states. West of the Cascades is Seattleland, populated with mostly ultra-liberal, anti-gun nut cases. East of the Cascades is, well, mostly desert, populated with mostly ultra-conservative pro-gun nut cases. All the population is in Seattleland. Seattle has taxes on taxes to fund the regulation and enforcement of taxes. They can't tax guns out of existence, so they taxed ammo out of existence. They wrote the regulations for the WDFW such that it requires a Phd to hold any positions of power within the WDFW. How many avid hunters do you know with Phds? I know, they're out there, but they're a minority within a minority. This means that mostly urban, liberal, anti-gun/anti-hunting staffers run the WDFW and the WA state government. There are exceptions, such as the gentleman I spoke with today, but I think he's the exception, not the rule. On the political spectrum, I land somewhere in the middle, more of a pragmatist. If you were to break the two regions into stereotypes this photo would capture the sentiment pretty well:




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I live in Seattle and have a Cabin in Plain so that I can get away from all the hippies running around like idiots. 

You pretty much nailed it. At least you aren't stuck living with these loonies. 😳
 
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You can hunt eastern gray squirrels but not western gray squirrels. It's tough to tell them apart though, so I just avoid gray squirrels entirely. The only real difference is the Eastern Gray Squirrel has a bit of brown in the tail and on its head as best I can tell. You can also hunt eastern ground squirrel, fox squirrel and California ground squirrel. If it has wings or is flying from tree to tree don't shoot it. If it has a gray tail, don't shoot it.
 
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The latest information that I've read is that the Eurasian Collared Dove is an unclassified invasive species. You can hunt them year round in unlimited quantities with any means at your disposal...shotguns, .22lr, airgun, flame throwers, blow darts whatever.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01744/wdfw01744.pdf
Predatory Birds (e.g. crow, Eurasian collared dove), Unclassified Wildlife (e.g. coyote): Small game license or big game license, except not required under certain conditions (see WAC 232-12-005).[/quote
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Hello folks. So I just moved to WA from CA and i am thoroughly disappointed in the air gun hunting laws here as CA allowed it. Gun laws seem a whole lot more loose, but not the airgun stuff. Bummer. @Ztirffritz, are there any updates on this? Have do you still need any help? Anybody to email? Ill do it. I think small game hunting should be open to air gunners as the power is not that different from small calibers but the safety is greatly improved. 

Also, I live in Vancouver, is there any good places to go plinking around here? Id love to do some testing but definitely within the law. I see a lot of pictures and forum posts of guys shooting rabbit in WA with an air rifle, but thats illegal. Would love to get plugged into the local airgun community if there is one.
 
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"ztirffritz"Crossman also maintains a list for each state that covers most state's airgun hunting restrictions. Some states are confusing. For example, I've learned that, even though Texas permits airgun hunting at a state level, the warden for each hunting area within TX sets restrictions that trump state laws. It's strange. I'm sure if someone were to challenge it in court, they'd win, but is it worth the effort to spend $10,000 or more for a squirrel?
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Be aware that Crosman's chart is almost completely wrong for most states. It regularly lists animals illegal to take with airguns for that state as legal and visa versa. 

For instance, in reality Florida allows airgun hunting for all furbearers (coon, bobcat, coyote, ect), squirrel, rabbit, hogs, armadillos, mice, rats, and exotics, while prohibiting airguns for deer, turkey, quail, dove, and duck. However, Crosman says that airguns are illegal for the various furbearers, hogs, most exotics, and legal for game birds. The only info Crosman gets right is that they are legal for squirrel, rabbit, armadillos, and iguanas, and illegal for deer, turkey, and waterfowl. 

I don't know why Crosman hasn't taken that chart down when so many have shown that its blantently wrong. 
 
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I've been working to get the regs changed in Wa. They have a three year rule making cycle. I was told that Airgun's for small game would be added as a proposed change. I'm having trouble sorting the wheat from the chaff in the WDFW emails though. They send out several emails each week about rule changes. Many are limited to clam digging rules but others cover a HUGE swath of rules about everything imaginable. So far we're limited to unclassified critters. The biggest of which is coyote. 
 
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Hey, man, thank you for the time and effort. I live in the county just outside Kennewick and shoot ground squirrels and collared doves, both of which create problems. Ground squirrels are underground now until about February next year, but the wheat harvest is on so the doves should be showing up in droves any time now.

If you need anyone to write letters, emails, or sign petitions, I think there are a number of us ready to help.
 
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I was just over the border of Maple Falls hunting fox squirrels today, we can shoot all types of tree squirrels (not flying squirrels) no license, no bag limit. Here's what it says in our regulations regarding them.

Schedule "C" animals can be captured or killed anywhere and at any time in BC. Schedule "C" birds may be hunted using electronic calls. You do not need a hunting licence to hunt or kill the following Schedule "C" wildlife:
(a) Rana catesbeiana - American bullfrog
(b) Rana clamitans - green frog
(c) all species of the family Chelydridae - snapping turtles
(d) Didelphis virginiana - North American opossum
(e) Sylvilagus floridanus - eastern cottontail
(f) Oryctolagus cuniculus - European rabbit
(g) Myocastor coypus - nutria
(h) all species of the genus Sciurus - gray squirrels and fox squirrels
(i) Passer domesticus - house sparrow
(j) Sturnus vulgaris - European starling
(k) Columbia livia - rock dove (domestic pigeon)
 
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