The deadline is midnight tonight and the options are plenty. Special hunt permit applications are pursued as a chance to take a special animal or take part in a special hunt.

For example: In the category of "Quality Elk Hunts" a hunter could apply for hunt choice 2018. If his number was picked, he would be allowed to hunt any bull elk from Oct. 22 through Nov. 4 in Game Management Units 328, 329 and 335.

The general modern firearm general elk season for these units takes place from Oct. 27 through Nov. 4. The hunter with the special permit would be able to hunt five days before the general public, plus hunt through the general hunting season. This, indeed, is a great advantage.

However, securing a permit is elusive to many hunters for year. The average applications for this hunt last year were 1,608 and the average number of points needed to be successful was 11.

Special hunting permits are available for deer, elk, mountain goat, moose, bighorn sheep, and turkey seasons. Winners will be selected by random drawing in late June.

Applications may be purchased from license vendors statewide or on Fish and Wildlife's special permits website. The cost for each application is $6.60 for residents, $110 for non-residents, and $3.30 for youth under 16 years of age.

One change from last year is the increase in certain tags. If successful in the draw, a second deer tag will cost $68 and a second elk tag $66.50. The cost of a moose, mountain goat and bighorn sheep tag will be $332.

Yes, we have been told the reason for the increase is to compensate for the lack of funding from the legislature. However, increasing the tag fees is also another way to reduce the number of hunters in the state. The end result of a tag price increase as opposed to the number of hunters applying for permits will be interesting to assess at the end of the year.

Applications must be submitted on that website or by calling 1-877-945-3492 toll-free.

Dennis note: I have been applying online for myself and my hunting partners and have found this to be an easy and speedy procedure.

Turkey

The spring turkey hunting season will continue for another 14 days, through May 31.

Raffle permit hunts

Besides the special hunt permits, hunters may apply for raffle permit hunts. These hunts are a way to raise money for the species which the hunter applies.

Fish and Wildlife states: "Proceeds from the sale of single-species raffle tickets will be used for the management and benefit of that species. Proceeds from the sale of multiple-species raffle tickets will be used for general game management."

This is a great way to raise money. There is no limit on the number of tickets a person may purchase. The person buying one ticket may win or the person buying 100 tickets may win. As with any raffle, the more tickets a person purchases, the better her chances to win.

An example of a hunt includes a three-deer raffle where the winner may harvest one additional buck black-tailed deer, an additional mule and an additional white-tailed deer. The season is Sept. 1 through Dec. 31. A ticket costs $6.

Another example is a mule deer hunt in any Game management unit open to mule deer hunting, entitling the hunter to one additional buck mule deer. The hunt dates and ticket cost are the same.

There are raffle hunts for black-tailed deer, white-tailed deer, elk sheep and goat. An interesting raffle-hunt species is moose. The hunt dates are the same, the hunt is open in any open moose unit, two permits are available and the tag allows the hunter one moose of either sex.

Deadline to purchase raffle tickets is July 13.

More from Fish and Wildlife:

Parts of Yakima River open to spring chinook

Beginning last Wednesday, May 16, the lower Yakima River opened to fishing for hatchery spring chinook from the Interstate 182 Bridge in Richland to the Grant Avenue Bridge in Prosser.

Tomorrow, May 19, the salmon fishery will expand to the upper Yakima River from the Interstate 82 Bridge at Union Gap to the railroad bridge below Roza Dam.

The lower river is expected to remain open through June 30, while fishing in the upper section will likely continue through July 31. Fishery managers are predicting a return of approximately 5,000 adult hatchery chinook to the Yakima River.

Anglers will have a daily limit of two adipose-fin-clipped hatchery chinook. All wild salmon, identifiable by an intact adipose fin, must be released unharmed and must not be removed from the water prior to release. The same is true for all steelhead.

Anglers are required to use single-point, barbless hooks with a hook gap from point to shank of 3/4 inch or less when fishing for salmon. Use of bait is allowed.

To participate in the fishery, anglers must possess a Columbia River Salmon/Steelhead Endorsement, along with a valid fishing license. Anglers also have the option of purchasing a two-pole endorsement to fish with two poles during the fishery.

Anglers who have hooked a spring chinook may be approached by a scientific technician as they reel in the fish. If it's a wild fish with an intact adipose fin, the technician will offer to assist in unhooking and releasing it after tagging it and recording information on the fish.

The technicians will also be fishing to catch fish for the study and will release all fish they catch once they have been tagged. At the end of the spawning season, survival rates for all spring chinook that have been tagged and released will be compared against a control group of fish that have not been hooked by anglers.