Restoring and sustaining healthy ungulate populations.

HB 2221 requires Washington's Department of Fish and Wildlife to take specific actions when mule deer or white-tailed deer populations decline 25% below their 10-year average in areas where gray wolves are not federally protected. The bill mandates predator mitigation - including wolf translocation, targeted removal, or nonlethal measures - within 60 days of designation as "at-risk," continuing until populations meet or exceed 2004 harvest levels for two consecutive years. It also requires annual, transparent population surveys conducted with hunters and public reporting of trends, actions, and progress by March 31 each year. The law directly affects rural communities, tribal and nontribal hunters, and wildlife management, aiming to stabilize key ungulate populations that support local economies and recreation.