Elk and Deer Tag Surplus Announced

Deer and elk hunters who bought a Washington multi-season application this year will have a chance to buy one of 3,137 remaining multi-season deer tags and 187 remaining multi-season elk tags in August. According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), remaining multi-season elk tags will go on sale on Aug. 25 and multi-season deer tags will go on sale on Aug. 27.

Both will be sold first come, first served. The agency said multi-season elk tags are available in-person at WDFW offices and authorized license dealers, while multi-season deer tags can be purchased online, over the phone at 360-902-2464, or in-person at a WDFW office or authorized license dealer. “We recommend all Washington hunters select the ‘Find a dealer location’ button on the online licensing system login page to double-check the current list of authorized license dealers before these surplus multi-season tags go on sale, especially if you intend to buy a multi-season elk tag in person.

Your nearest license dealer location may have changed compared to last year,” said Jennine Griffo, WDFW licensing division manager. There is no deadline to purchase surplus multi-sea- son tags, according to WDFW. Hunters who want to buy a multi-season tag must have submitted a 2026 multi-season application earlier this year, the agency noted. Staff added that hunters who already have a physical 2026 general season transport tag must dis- card it after purchasing a multi-season tag.

Unlike in years past, WDFW stated that they are not requiring multi-season hunters to return their physical general season tags to a WDFW office or license dealer location. “If you’re a mobile licensing customer who already has a general season tag, you don’t need to take any action after buying a multi-season tag. Your mobile general season transport tag(s) is no longer valid after purchasing your mobile multi-season tag(s),” Griffo explained. For more information about Washington multi-sea- son hunting opportunities, visit wdfw.wa.gov/hunting.