Washington
312,100
Duck Statewide Harvest
58,300
Goose Statewide Harvest
26,300
No. Waterfowl Licenses Sold Annually
13.1
Ducks Per Hunter
5.0
Geese Per Hunter
$40.50
Cost of Resident Waterfowl Hunting License
$17 stamp, $13.20 state authorization
Cost of Resident State Stamps and Permits
$25
Federal Duck Stamp
Annual $183.50; three-day $68
Cost of Non-Resident Waterfowl Hunting License
$17 stamp, $13.20 state authorization
Cost of Non-Resident State Stamps and Permits
$25
Federal Duck Stamp
Photo by Tom Reichner
I live in Washington, so forgive the admitted bias. However, The Evergreen State deserves an A rating because — well, it's that good.
It has nine species of Canada geese, plus specklebellies and Wrangell Island (Russia) snow geese, too. Plus, you'll find clouds of puddle ducks, rafts of divers and sea ducks aplenty. Sure, it's a little spendy for nonresidents, and harlequin duck hunting has been closed for 2022-'23 because of decreasing populations. And we won't even discuss the convoluted goose hunting scenario in southwestern Washington.
However, despite those glitches, The Evergreen State offers some of the finest waterfowling in the United States. As for public lands, there's plenty on the eastern side and a few on the western side, plus the Columbia River and the coast.
— Compiled and written by M.D. Johnson
