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Skagit County, WA Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)

Heavy Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Scope
Six mapped no-hunting zones, not countywide
Prohibited
Hunting/killing birds and firing firearms
Penalty
Up to $300 fine and/or 90 days jail
Example zone
1/2 mile around Fidalgo School, Anacortes
Adopted
Ord. R20020080

Summary

Skagit County bans hunting, taking or killing any game birds, migratory birds, upland game birds, predatory birds, songbirds or other birds, and firing any gun within six specifically mapped no-hunting areas across the county, including land near Bayview State Park, south Burlington and within a half mile of Fidalgo School. Violators face a misdemeanor.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Skagit County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, take or kill any game birds, migratory birds, upland game birds, predatory birds, nongame birds or song birds, or any other kind of game or fowl, or to shoot, fire or discharge any firearms, gun, rifle, pellet gun or any pistol, revolver or hand gun or any type or character in or within the following described areas of Skagit County, to wit: ... (5) All lands located within one-half mile of the buildings or grounds of the Fidalgo School, Anacortes Public School District. ... Any person who shall violate SCC 7.12.010 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment up to 90 days in the Skagit County Jail, or a fine of not more than $300 or both such fine and imprisonment.

Full Breakdown

010 does not protect birds countywide; it creates six precisely described no-hunting zones where it is unlawful to hunt, take or kill any game birds, migratory birds, upland game birds, predatory birds, nongame birds or songbirds, or any other game or fowl, and equally unlawful to shoot, fire or discharge any firearm, gun, rifle, pellet gun, pistol, revolver or handgun. The mapped areas include land north of Bayview State Park along Section 30, Township 35 N; the area south of the Burlington city limits bordered by Highway 99 and Pease Road; the Cape Horn on the Skagit and Cape Horn Division No.

2 plats; the Cedargrove on the Skagit plat; all lands within one-half mile of the buildings or grounds of Fidalgo School in the Anacortes Public School District; and the Shangri-La on the Skagit plat along the Skagit River. Outside these six zones, hunting is governed by state Fish and Wildlife rules, not this chapter. 020 makes any violation of the no-hunting zones a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 90 days in the Skagit County Jail, a fine of up to $300, or both. The ordinance predates modern codification (Ord.

R20020080) and its boundary descriptions still run by metes-and-bounds section, township and range references rather than street addresses, so anyone hunting near these areas should confirm the exact boundary with Skagit County before assuming it is outside the closure.

Violations & Fines

Hunting, taking or killing any bird, or discharging a firearm, inside one of the six no-hunting areas described in SCC 7.12.010 is a misdemeanor under SCC 7.12.020: up to 90 days in the Skagit County Jail, a fine of up to $300, or both.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is bird hunting banned everywhere in Skagit County?
No. SCC 7.12.010 only closes hunting and firearm discharge within six specifically described areas, such as land near Bayview State Park, south of Burlington's city limits, and within a half mile of Fidalgo School in Anacortes. Outside those mapped zones, hunting is governed by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations.
What is the penalty for hunting in one of Skagit County's closed zones?
SCC 7.12.020 makes it a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 90 days in the Skagit County Jail, a fine of up to $300, or both. The same penalty applies whether the violation is hunting a protected bird or simply discharging a firearm inside a listed zone.
Does the Skagit County ban cover songbirds and non-game birds?
Yes. SCC 7.12.010 lists nongame birds and song birds alongside game birds, migratory birds, upland game birds and predatory birds as protected within the six described zones, so the closure is not limited to species that are otherwise legal to hunt.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Skagit County

All Skagit County rules

Compare Skagit County to another location·View the Washington animal ordinances overview

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