Archery requirements.
(1) The following provisions apply to all archery hunting seasons:
(a) It is unlawful for any person to carry or have in his possession any firearm while archery hunting in the field during an archery season specified for that area, except for modern handguns carried for personal protection. Modern handguns cannot be used to hunt big game or dispatch wounded big game during an archery big game hunting season.
(b) It is unlawful to have any electrical equipment or electric device(s), except for illuminated nocks, attached to the bow or arrow while hunting.
(c) It is unlawful to discharge a bow from a vehicle or from, across, or along the maintained portion of a public highway.
(d) It is unlawful to use any device secured to or supported by the bow for the purpose of maintaining the bow at full draw or in a firing position.
(e) It is unlawful to hunt big game animals with any arrow or bolt that does not have a sharp broadhead, or with a broadhead blade or blades that are less than seven-eighths of an inch wide.
(f) It is unlawful to hunt wildlife with any bow equipped with a scope. A verifier peep sight that magnifies the sights is not considered a scope and is lawful.
(2) The following provisions apply to long bow, recurve bow and compound bow archery equipment:
(a) It is unlawful for any person to hunt big game animals with a bow that does not produce a minimum of 40 pounds of pull measured at 28 inches or at full draw.
(b) It is unlawful to hunt big game animals with any arrow measuring less than 20 inches in length.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
77.04.012,
77.04.055, and
77.12.047. WSR 22-13-110 (Order 22-70), § 220-414-070, filed 6/15/22, effective 7/16/22. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.04.090,
77.04.130,
77.15.568,
77.08.010,
77.65.510,
77.65.515, and
77.65.520. WSR 19-10-011 (Order 19-79), § 220-414-070, filed 4/19/19, effective 5/20/19. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.04.012,
77.04.013,
77.04.020,
77.04.055, and
77.12.047. WSR 17-05-112 (Order 17-04), recodified as § 220-414-070, filed 2/15/17, effective 3/18/17. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.04.012,
77.04.055,
77.12.047,
77.12.150, and
77.12.240. WSR 15-10-035 (Order 15-97), § 232-12-054, filed 4/28/15, effective 5/29/15. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.12.047,
77.12.240, and
77.32.070. WSR 14-10-019 (Order 14-95), § 232-12-054, filed 4/25/14, effective 5/26/14; WSR 13-11-078 (Order 13-94), § 232-12-054, filed 5/16/13, effective 6/16/13. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.12.047. WSR 12-11-005 (Order 12-70), § 232-12-054, filed 5/2/12, effective 6/2/12. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.12.047,
77.12.020,
77.12.570,
77.12.210,
77.12.150,
77.12.240,
77.32.070,
77.32.530. WSR 10-10-061 (Order 10-94), § 232-12-054, filed 4/30/10, effective 5/31/10. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.12.047,
77.12.020,
77.12.570,
77.12.210,
77.12.150,
77.12.240. WSR 09-09-083 (Order 09-53), § 232-12-054, filed 4/15/09, effective 5/16/09. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.12.047. WSR 06-11-032 (Order 06-92), § 232-12-054, filed 5/8/06, effective 6/8/06. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.12.047 and
77.12.020. WSR 04-11-036 (Order 04-98), § 232-12-054, filed 5/12/04, effective 6/12/04. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.12.047. WSR 03-13-047 (Order 03-129), § 232-12-054, filed 6/12/03, effective 7/13/03; WSR 01-17-068 (Order 01-167), § 232-12-054, filed 8/15/01, effective 9/15/01. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.12.040,
77.12.010,
77.12.020,
77.12.770,
77.12.780. WSR 00-11-137 (Order 00-50), § 232-12-054, filed 5/23/00, effective 6/23/00. Statutory Authority: RCW
77.12.040. WSR 90-03-092 (Order 427), § 232-12-054, filed 1/24/90, effective 2/24/90; WSR 88-13-012 (Order 310), § 232-12-054, filed 6/6/88; WSR 81-12-029 (Order 165), § 232-12-054, filed 6/1/81. Formerly WAC 232-12-140.]
