AmmoSight

Washington Draw Odds

Washington runs one weighted-random special-permit drawing for residents and nonresidents together: there is no nonresident cap or quota, and every applicant's points in a category are squared to set their chances (a hunter with 10 points has 100 names in the hat against a first-year applicant's one). You must buy the nonresident deer ($599.07) or elk ($685.60) license and the transport tag for the hunt's method before you can buy a $152.30 application per category, and none of that is refunded if you do not draw — but there is no extra permit fee when you do.

Applications run from about April 20 to late May (May 27 in 2026) and results post to your WILD account by the end of June. WDFW publishes applicants and permits per hunt but not by residency or point level, so the odds here are unweighted whole-pool ratios.

Sources: Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife documents, last verified August 31, 2026. · 18 sources

Odds by Species

Deer

485 hunt codes
0 public-access hunts a 0-point nonresident had an even chance at in 2026
Tags 2026, All Residencies
6,123
See every deer hunt →

Elk

415 hunt codes
0 public-access hunts a 0-point nonresident had an even chance at in 2026
Tags 2026, All Residencies
5,834
See every elk hunt →

The Rules, Side by Side

Nonresident and resident rules for every species. Small numbers are sources.

Deer, Elk
Rule Everyone
System Bonus² 7
Choices 4
Lower Choice Burns Points Yes
Point-Only Yes
Points Expire Yes
Party Averages Yes
NR Share —

Points Expire

Deer and elk
WDFW publishes no expiry rule for special-permit points; points reset when you are drawn.
How This Draw Works, With an Example

Bonus points (squared): Every applicant gets points², counting the application you buy now entries in a random draw, so more points mean more chances, but never a guarantee.

Buying Points

You can buy a Point Saver in Washington without applying for a tag. Choose the Point Saver / Points Option when you submit the special permit application; buy an application and never submit it and you are given a Points Option hunt and one point anyway.

Taking any permit for that species spends the points you built. Washington's rule for losing them: WDFW publishes no expiry rule for special-permit points; points reset when you are drawn.

Species Resident Nonresident
Deer On The Application · can lapse 1 $152.30 2 $152.30 2
Elk On The Application · can lapse 1 $152.30 2 $152.30 2
  1. 1.WDFW publishes no expiry rule for special-permit points; points reset when you are drawn.
  2. 2.A nonresident pays $152.30 per category; a resident pays $9.61, or $18.72 for a quality category, and deer and elk applicants must already hold the licence and transport tag, while moose, sheep and goat applicants need no licence unless drawn

Source: Point Saver — wdfw.wa.gov

Fees

2026 Fee Nonres. Resident
Deer
Deer license (includes deer transport tag; must be bought before applying, not refundable) 5 To apply $599.07 $61.70
Special hunt permit application (per deer category; buys one point) 5 To apply $152.30 $9.61
Second deer tag (only if drawn in the Second Deer category) 5 Paid to apply, refunded if you miss Only for Second Deer hunts. No other permit fee is charged when you draw. $356.90 —
Elk
Elk license (includes elk transport tag; must be bought before applying, not refundable) 5 To apply Must be bought before you apply and is not refunded. A deer and elk combination license is $1,020.06. $685.60 $69.29
Special hunt permit application (per elk category; buys one point) 5 To apply One application per category, with up to four hunt choices (two in Quality Elk). $152.30 $9.61
Cash to Apply, One Species $751.37–$837.90 $71.31–$78.90

Cash to apply adds up every fee due with an application; each extra species adds its own application fee.

Next Application Deadlines

You pay the full tag fee when you apply.

  1. All species 6

    results about Jun 30

    (Last cycle ran Apr 20 – May 27, 2026.) You must buy a deer or elk license, with its transport tag, before you can buy an application, and neither is refunded. There is no permit fee if you draw. Results are posted by the end of June.

    Apr 20 – May 27, 2027 222 days expected

Dates marked expected are last cycle's schedule rolled forward by Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife's own rule; confirm them once the new dates are published.

Legal cartridges in Washington by species and weapon

Sources (18)

Draw Rules, Fees and Deadlines

  1. 1. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife · 2022 Washington State Big Game Hunting Regulations (WDFW publication 02407)
  2. 2. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife · 2023 Washington State Big Game Hunting Regulations (WDFW publication 02422)
  3. 3. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife · 2024 Washington State Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations (WDFW publication 02498)
  4. 4. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife · 2025 Washington Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules (WDFW publication 02608)
  5. 5. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife · 2026 Washington Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules (WDFW publication 02706)
  6. 6. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife · 2026 Washington big game hunting regulations now available; special hunt submissions begin April 20 (news release, April 13, 2026; update May 14, 2026)
  7. 7. Washington State Legislature / Fish and Wildlife Commission · WAC 220-412-080 Special hunting season permits · 2026

Draw Results, Hunt Lists and Harvest Reports, 2021–2026

2026 · 1 document
2025 · 2 documents
2024 · 2 documents
2023 · 2 documents
2022 · 2 documents
2021 · 2 documents
Report an error on this page

Every report is checked against the agency source before we change anything.

About These Numbers

Rules, fees and deadlines are copied from Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife documents and change by commission action; a date marked expected is last cycle's schedule rolled forward. The odds on each species page are last draw's results. Check the agency's site and apply there; we don't take applications. How we compute these.