WDFW has announced that they will no longer provide printed documents on waterproof "paper" . You get to print them on your home printer. Or, you can use their fancy new app and do it all on t=your phone.

Sorry office, I dropped my phone while crossing the crik. It's dead. But IO do have a license and deer tag....

think i'll have AI do and print up my licenses

Wonder what "protections" they'll have too keep me from printing a couple extra tags or CRCs.

What is the point even…. I think we are near a point when people are not going to care,, they will just start doing whatever they want regarding rules and regulations.. It’s already happening in mass regarding building regulations and permits,, septic systems and it will bleed over to everything else..

3/11/2026



I agree...............

I've, lived in my house 54+ years, bought it, 1972, for $23,000. Current accessed at $328,721 and my taxes this year $3,517....grrrrrrr

Filled my 2018 F150, 35 gallon tank====$131.67, it only took 33 gallons, $3.99 a gallon.

A side story on price of gas, I was stationed at Fort Campbell, KY, had a 49 Chevolet car, when I want to go "any where" I'd just make it known that I was going, charged $5.00, there and back, always had, 5 riders.....now here's the killer, gas off post was $.13 - .14 cents a gallon, I'd drive to Nashville, see the town/drink and drive back still have over 1/2 tank......oh for those days......

What the heck do the poor people do?????????

Good comment, Cman. From an old law enforcent prospective I see problems. Just like you stated. "Yes I recorded my catch but now my battery is dead." How I will designate my "harvester? I'm a handicaped hunter now and only have one printed harvester card. Looks like I might be able to designate anyone I know, or many of them.

I hate doing away with traditional methods that have worked for years.
It appears that WDFW is only interested in making it easy for certain staff, not to please the hunting/fishing public. Nothing new about that.

It's probably a lot cheaper. Money rules. I also suspect that the folks making the decisions don't do a lot of hunting or fishing. Plus, how's the Discover Pass gonna work?

My thought, for all the crabbers and anglers out there is to make a bunch of copies and just use a new one when the old one is filled.

I can't imagine that they talked to actual field enforcement folks. plus, I wonder if they talked to the Tribes.

You really think the tribes give a rip? They are laughing at WDFW. Stupid is, stupid does. I actually think this is the future anyways. Hard to stop progress. Also, us "Harvesters" are a dying breed these days, and it won't matter for the next generation if recording works or not. It won't be long until the tribes take over all harvest for themselves, and shut the recs out. The only thing you be able to do is observe the fish and wildlife and the tribes catching/harvesting. The general public is fine giving it all back. Glad I lived when, and got to experience what, I did.

Obviously the next step is no access at all,, not legal access anyways... These are the kind of moves you make when that is the plan...

See you got the license app on your phone and they got a GPS tracker of your location,, can activate your camera and mic.. Know exactly where you are and what you are doing... Can activate any other camera in the area to your location... AI program can do it all,, no people needed...

3/13/2026



You are correct, really scary how fast technology has changed the way things are done in the world.

IF EVERYONE, 100%, had a smart phone and the WDFW program worked(????), then there would be instantaneous updates, on anything that required limits and close monitoring of fish in rivers, out on the ocean, probably even go to some kind of program to have fast updates on clams, ducks, deer, etc., the list could be endless.


Big brother is watching!!!!!!!

The best thing to do is to not voluntarily participate in the process,, because by voluntarily participating you are agreeing to the terms,, penalties and process regardless if you know or not...

Every device,, household appliance,, automobile,, telephone poles,, traffic lights,, the list is endless,, now has cameras and microphones attached to the internet grid.. Your phone is the personal tracker legally associate with your person/body as you have a service contract for the phone and the data on it is attached to you much like a fingerprint according to legal precedence...

This is why I do not own a smart phone... Its bad juju...

as soon as you are in whatever range,, within any other smart device,, the grid knows via AI...

Welcome to the age of "Skynet" Terminator is not just a movie,, it was telling you what was coming and what has already been here for the last 20 years... Now the truth about reality that has been is coming to light...

When I accidently shot the cow elk last season,, we called Fish and Wildlife from the location,, they knew our coordinates at the instant they answered the phone... If needed they could also obtain any other data from that phone that would be pertinent to any possible investigations...

With the app warrants or court orders would not be needed...

I'll get a paper license no matter what. My 80 year old friend doesn't have a cell phone or computer.

With the new paper licenses and catch record cards being on printer paper how does WDFW expect an angler to mark his paper catch record card in the rain after he lands a fish? if the paper gets wet you will have a soggy piece of paper with ink smeared on it if any ink at all. If LE asks to see your card do you hand him/her a soggy piece of paper? The license is easy to keep dry in a ziplock but the catch record card should have remained plastic. Am I missing something?

Remember from Raiders of the Lost Ark? They have their best people working on it. The best. What could possibly go wrong?

I think it is obvious that the folks who developed this never fished or hunted in the rain, from a boat, were out in the tule-weeds for a week, never fell in the water, or recreated in an area without cell coverage. But the do have a cell phone surgically attached to their hand.

When it comes time to send in the paper catch cards I am going to send in my old wringkled dried out cards with smeared ink on them. How is WDFW going to get the catch data off those? So much for accurate catch data. I already got my plastic license and catch record card for this year for the last time. If you get your new license and catch card before July 8 you can get the plastic ones for the last time.

During one of the NOF meetings I ask the head FRAM guy if he used the catch record card data to validate his models. The reply from the state was they didn’t use this data. Catch record cards are for enforcement to check marking compliance of catch by individuals. I think the state and tribes believe the data is corrupted. So why even mark a card? Enforcement can check your catch for non compliance and make sure you have a valid license without it.

The current (old) ones almost always went black from heat on me. Just handed the black paper to the warden and figured he could deal with it. That paper really sucked, at least for me.

I buy my out of state and B.C. licenses online and print out a copy at home from my computer. It's regular printer paper, and I trim them to fit in my wallet. I hope the WA license doesn't take up the whole 8.5" x 11" page so that it can also be trimmed to be a reasonable fit. As for it not being waterproof, well, that's the way it goes.

As an old retired enforcement guy,I agree.

I can almost gurantee you that the licensing folks didm't coordinate this new program with enforcement. It's common knowledge that fish management doesn't check with enforcement. Big flaw in regulatory process.

While we're on the subject of our wonderful WDFW, Where is the result of the Commission investigation? Gosh, I'm certain that there's no politics or skullduggery involved. Could there be?

Nah, Tug. As I said earlier, WDFW and the Commission have "The best people" woprkingf on it. The very best. Just as Indiana Jones or DJT.

The license being printer paper is not the problem. Wll be relatively to keep dry. The problem is with the catch record cards being paper and not plastic. Marking the card in the weather will be a problem. Like Thumburner said earlier maybe the cards are for LE for enforcement only and not the catch data.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/licenses/fishing/catch-record-card

This is link to WDFW's website to take a read on the agencies view.

That reads good; I'll still use paper.

But, when I read the Turkey Regs, they have a "Special regs" section that requires the electronic tags/licenses. And then you have to still physically tag the animal per the instructions. This, even though the website says you have both options.

From my past time writunbfg regulations I was told that WDF could write regs only for time/place/manner of hunting and fishing. They could, for example, ban fishing from a boat but could not ban boats.

Does WDFW have the authority to require anglers and hunters to have an iPhone or whatever it actually takes to have the e-stuff? That seems a stretch to me.

I do not think they can require you to possess a smart phone but on the other hand they have determined Hunting and Fishing is not a right,, meaning we do not have the right to forage for food off the land to feed ourselves... Instead it has been redefined as a privilege by our state government where permission must be granted under specific terms and one of those terms seems to be possession of a smart phone,, with the proper app and documents/digital papers...

So now if you choose not to have the phone you cannot participate in the privilege...

I guess if you are hungry and have no smart phone then either you need money to buy food or you go hungry...

I'm sticking with the hard copy license and CRC. I'm not smart enough to ensure that my smart phone will always do what I want it to. I like my smart phone so much that I gave it a name. I call it "Glitch."

Spoiler Alert!....I'm sure no one suspected that WDFW might release this without testing it first but...The app doesn't work. Many times I cant get past the login screen without it glitching and freezing up. No way to use it without cellular coverage or wi-fi since the MFA is required to login. Many places that we fish, it's not usable at all. None of us could access the catch record card last week on the boat so none of our blackmouth catches were recorded.

I've emailed "customer service" and received an auto reply but nothing relevant about how to comply.

Surprise surprise. It costs money to test out the system..

I understand the concept of using all the new tech but not fully field testing the app is more than a little strange. The tech out and about is good with Amazon's system and many social meda platforms examples that work. WDFW is not that but the process to make sure all functions work is! Ah well I think it will be interesting when enforcement gets involved and tries to bust somebody for not reporting when they don't have a signal. I live on the river and two maybe three bars is normal but couple places near you can loose the towers. Like I said should be interesting!

Or if you go on extended backwoods trips. Perhaps (yeah) I am somewhat of a fossil but I just don't want all that electronic connection and tracking all the time. I recreate to get away from that, not tied to it.

I agree, when enforcement and the judicial system get involved it will be fun. Followed by the lawsuits.

Good vs Bad

Good part,, the system is being set up for AI to take over 95% of government jobs,, "Skynet" Terminator was not just a movie,, more like a prophecy...

Bad part,,, Terminator was not just a movie,, more like a prophecy...

in order for this to all work the people have to give up more freedoms,, pretty much voluntarily totally give up their 4th and 5th amendment... Also something has to happen in order to force the hold outs in...

On the bright side as this shift is forced again there will be no need for a large human staff and it will be easy to cheat,, all you will have to do is leave the tracking device at home...

Imagine when this takes full effect,,, AI will be able to monitor each participant in real time for violations via the tech they have on their person... imagine how this transfers to the non fishing world,,, basically the country turns into "Minority Report",,, Obviously that is the projection,,, we get to the point where thoughts are monitored and you get a ticked for thinking or dreaming about breaking the rules...

I thought you guys might like this!


WDFW to discontinue sale of waterproof, tear-resistant paper licenses as early as May 13, 2026, amidst global shortage of petroleum-based paper


OLYMPIA – Due to a global shortage of petroleum-based materials, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and its 600 license dealer locations will no longer sell waterproof, tear resistant licensing paper as early as May 13, 2026.
While customer experiences may vary across license dealers, in the interim, customers may find that dealers are running low or out of this style of petroleum-based licensing paper entirely. As early as May 13, customers won’t be able to buy waterproof, tear-resistant WDFW licensing documents any longer. Customers will be able to print licensing documents on standard printer paper at home or at a license dealer location. Alternatively, customers can select to become a mobile license holder and use the new MyWDFW mobile licensing application.

“We appreciate everyone’s understanding during these global supply chain challenges,” Jennine Griffo, WDFW Licensing Division manager said. “Whether you’re one of the nearly 100,000 license customers who has made the shift to mobile licensing this year, or continue to prefer a standard printer paper option, we appreciate your commitment to fish and wildlife conservation and hunting and fishing in Washington, and ask that you practice patience and grace with our license dealers as we navigate this change together.” Washington is one of several states navigating a global shortage for petroleum-based paper.

How to enroll as mobile license holder:
1. Log in to fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov.
2. Verify your Washington Interactive Licensing Database (WILD) licensing account.
3. Select “Mobile License Holder” for the 2026-2027 license year. If you select this option, you will use mobile licenses only for the 2026-2027 license year.
4. Download the MyWDFW app from the Google Play or Apple's App Store stores.
5. Log in to the MyWDFW app using your WILD username and password.


Updates about MyWDFW mobile application functionality

WDFW heard concerns about some functionality within the MyWDFW mobile application, including the login and verification process. The Department is also aware of a system issue preventing mobile licensing customers from printing their Vehicle Access Pass and is working with its vendor to resolve both issues. In the meantime, customers can write their confirmation number and license plate number on a piece of paper and place it on their dashboard, visible from outside the vehicle. Additional guidance is available on WDFW’s website.

“The Department is working diligently with its vendor to remedy application functionality challenges,” Griffo said. “We will share updates as they’re available.”

To help protect their information, mobile customers must have a passcode or biometrics (like face identification or fingerprint functionality) enabled on their phone to use the MyWDFW mobile application. The application also features two-factor authentication, which is a process that requires a user to provide two distinct forms of identification to sign in. WDFW encourages customers to make sure their phone number and email are up to date in their account.
For more information about the MyWDFW mobile app, including frequently asked questions and how-to videos, visit WDFW’s website. WDFW is available for app support via email or by phone at 360-902-2464, Option 1.


The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife works to preserve, protect and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities.



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Request this information in an alternative format or language at wdfw.wa.gov/accessibility/requests-accommodation, 833-885-1012, TTY (711), or CivilRightsTeam@dfw.wa.gov.

Cue the music "Enter the Clowns"

I was wondering how the mobile user is supposed to display the vehicle access pass. And it won't come with easily identifiable holder, either.

5/01/2026

"Cluster xuck" comes to mind!!!!!!!

To admit there are problems with the software but continue to push a 5/13/2026 as ending date for "paper license" is just another "fly by the seat of your pants management style"....grrrrrrrrrrr

yea right, a Surprize Not !

It’s just another line item to add to upcoming licensing cost increases needed to continue with rising costs needing higher taxes...

We now have got what we allow , while rolling over to BS cost increases our state government claims it needs to survive. Lite railroads to Mercer comes to mind, as do more wolves and grizzlies and the support programs and administration needed to roll that over the state.