Makah is a Native American tribe that resides at the extreme northwestern corner of Washington State, where the Pacific Ocean meets the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Together with the Nuu-chah-nulth bands of Vancouver Island, Canada, the Makah form the Nootkan subgroup of Northwest Coast Native cultures. The first recorded European contact was in 1790 with the Spanish ship Princesa Real. The 1855 Treaty of Neah Bay established the reservation while preserving hunting and fishing rights in "usual and accustomed" areas. The aboriginal population of perhaps 2,000 was reduced to 654 by 1861, largely through smallpox epidemics. Tribal enrollment at the beginning of the twenty-first century was approximately 2,300, and 70 percent of tribal members lived on the 44-square-mile reservation, mostly at the settlement of Neah Bay.
In 1999 the tribe drew international attention for its resumption of subsistence whale hunting. The Treaty of Neah Bay is the only U.S.–Indian treaty that specifically mentions whaling rights, a reflection of the importance of whaling in local culture. Tribal whaling ended in the 1920s, after non-Indian commercial hunters decimated whale populations. The California gray whale was removed from the endangered species list in 1994, and the tribe began controversial preparations to resume hunting this species. In 1997 the International Whaling Commission approved a subsistence quota that included up to five gray whales per year for the Makah. On 17 May 1999, amid protests, media attention, and Coast Guard protection, a single whale was taken using a combination of ancient and modern technology. Whale meat and blubber were consumed by Makah families for the first time in decades, and indigenous representatives from around the world attended a ceremonial potlatch feast. The tribe at that time made clear its intention to continue subsistence hunting as long as the whale population can support a sustainable harvest.
Paper color Mint Used on license
MK 6 1986 Validation (fishing) orange on sliver —–
MK 7 1987 Validation (fishing) black on yellow —–
MK 8 1988 Validation (fishing) black on green —–
MK 9 1989 Validation (fishing) black on red —–
MK10 1990 Validation (fishing) black on blue —–
MK11 1991 Validation (fishing) black on silver —–
Mint validation stickers have original backing. Used copies have been removed from licenses and may have faults.
MK 11 1992 Validation green on white
MK 12 1993 Validation orange on white
MK 13 1994 Validation black on white
MK 14 1995 Validation dk green on white
MK 15 1996 Validation red on white
MK 16 1997 Validation black on white
MK 17 1998 Validation red on white
MK 18 1999 Validation red on white
MK 19 2001 Fishing green on white 100.00 50.00 150.00
MK 20 2001 Upland Game green on white 150.00 75.00 200.00
MK 21 2001 Waterfowl green on white 175.00 75.00 200.00
There was no Prairie Dog season in 1998, 2000 or 2001, so no stamp was issued
PaMKr color Mint Used on license
MK 22 2002 Fishing purple on white 100.00 50.00 150.00
MK 23 2002 Prairie Dog purple on white 150.00 75.00 200.00
MK 24 2002 Upland Game purple on white 175.00 75.00 200.00
MK 25 2003 Fishing maroon on white 100.00 50.00 150.00
MK 26 2003 Prairie Dog maroon on white 140.00 75.00 200.00
MK 27 2003 Upland Game maroon on white 140.00 75.00 200.00
MK 28 2003 Waterfowl maroon on white 150.00 75.00 200.00
PaMKr color Mint Used on license
MK 29 2004 Fishing blue on white 100.00 50.00 150.00
MK 30 2004 Prairie Dog blue on white 140.00 75.00 200.00
MK 31 2004 Upland Game blue on white 140.00 75.00 200.00
MK 32 2004 Waterfowl blue on white 150.00 75.00 200.00
MK 33 2005 Fishing black on white 100.00 50.00 150.00
MK 34 2005 Prairie Dog black on white 140.00 75.00 200.00
MK 35 2005 Upland Game black on white 140.00 75.00 200.00
MK 36 2005 Waterfowl black on white 150.00 75.00 200.00
MKC1 1997 Camping black on white 250.00
MKC2 1998 Camping orange on white 25.00
MKC4 2000 Camping red on white 45.00
MKC5 2001 Camping green on white 95.00
No camping stamp for 1999 has been recorded
PaMKr color Mint Used on license
MK 37 2006 Fishing green on white 100.00 50.00 150.00
MK 38 2006 Prairie Dog green on white 140.00 75.00 200.00
MK 39 2006 Upland Game green on white 140.00 75.00 200.00
MK 40 2006 Waterfowl green on white 150.00 75.00 200.00
MK 41 2007 Fishing maroon on yellow 100.00 50.00 150.00
MK 42 2007 Prairie Dog maroon on yellow 140.00 75.00 200.00
MK 43 2007 Upland Game maroon on yellow 140.00 75.00 200.00
MK 44 2007 Waterfowl maroon on yellow 150.00 75.00 200.00

LEECH LAKE INDIAN RESERVATION

MAKAH TREATY AREA

Makah Page 1

MK #9

MK #8

MK #7

MK #6

MK #11

MK #10

MK #21

MK #20

MK #19

MK #18

MK #17

MK #16

MK #15

MK #14

MK #13

MK #12

Makah Page 2

MAKAH TREATY AREA

LEECH LAKE INDIAN RESERVATION

Paper color Mint Used on license
MK 12 1992 Validation (fishing) black on orange —–
MK 13 1993 Validation (fishing) black on turquoise —–
MK 14 1994 Validation (fishing) black on purple —–
MK 15 1995 Validation (fishing) white on maroon —–
MK 16 1996 Validation (fishing) white on green —–
MK 17 1997 Validation (fishing) white on blue —–
MK 18 1998 Validation (fishing) white on green —–
MK 19 1999 Validation (fishing) white on red —–
MK 20 2000 Validation (fishing) white on blue —–
MK 21 2001 Validation (fishing) black on orange —– 250.00
MK 11 1992 Validation (fishing) green on white
MK 12 1993 Validation orange on white
MK 13 1994 Validation black on white
MK 14 1995 Validation dk green on white
MK 15 1996 Validation red on white
MK 16 1997 Validation black on white
MK 17 1998 Validation red on white
MK 18 1999 Validation red on white
MK 19 2001 Fishing green on white 100.00 50.00 150.00
MK 20 2001 Upland Game green on white 150.00 75.00 200.00
MK 21 2001 Waterfowl green on white 175.00 75.00 200.00
There was no Prairie Dog season in 1998, 2000 or 2001, so no stamp was issued
PaMKr color Mint Used on license
MK 22 2002 Fishing purple on white 100.00 50.00 150.00
MK 23 2002 Prairie Dog purple on white 150.00 75.00 200.00
MK 24 2002 Upland Game purple on white 175.00 75.00 200.00
MK 25 2003 Fishing maroon on white 100.00 50.00 150.00
MK 26 2003 Prairie Dog maroon on white 140.00 75.00 200.00
MK 27 2003 Upland Game maroon on white 140.00 75.00 200.00
MK 28 2003 Waterfowl maroon on white 150.00 75.00 200.00
PaMKr color Mint Used on license
MK 29 2004 Fishing blue on white 100.00 50.00 150.00
MK 30 2004 Prairie Dog blue on white 140.00 75.00 200.00
MK 31 2004 Upland Game blue on white 140.00 75.00 200.00
MK 32 2004 Waterfowl blue on white 150.00 75.00 200.00
MK 33 2005 Fishing black on white 100.00 50.00 150.00
MK 34 2005 Prairie Dog black on white 140.00 75.00 200.00
MK 35 2005 Upland Game black on white 140.00 75.00 200.00
MK 36 2005 Waterfowl black on white 150.00 75.00 200.00
MKC1 1997 Camping black on white 250.00
MKC2 1998 Camping orange on white 25.00
MKC4 2000 Camping red on white 45.00
MKC5 2001 Camping green on white 95.00
No camping stamp for 1999 has been recorded
PaMKr color Mint Used on license
MK 37 2006 Fishing green on white 100.00 50.00 150.00
MK 38 2006 Prairie Dog green on white 140.00 75.00 200.00
MK 39 2006 Upland Game green on white 140.00 75.00 200.00
MK 40 2006 Waterfowl green on white 150.00 75.00 200.00
MK 41 2007 Fishing maroon on yellow 100.00 50.00 150.00
MK 42 2007 Prairie Dog maroon on yellow 140.00 75.00 200.00
MK 43 2007 Upland Game maroon on yellow 140.00 75.00 200.00
MK 44 2007 Waterfowl maroon on yellow 150.00 75.00 200.00

MK #27

MK #26

MK #25

MK #24

MK #23

MK #22

Makah Page 3

MAKAH TREATY AREA

LEECH LAKE INDIAN RESERVATION

Paper color Mint Used on license
MK 22 2002 Validation (fishing) white on dark green 95.00
MK 23 2003 Validation (fishing) white on red 75.00
MK 24 2004 Validation (fishing) white on blue 75.00
MK 25 2005 Validation (fishing) black on orange 75.00
MK 26 2006 Validation (fishing) white on dark green 75.00
MK 27 2007 Validation (fishing) white on red 75.00
MK 28 2008 Validation (fishing) white on blue 60.00
MK 29 2009 Validation (fishing) white on orange 60.00

MK #29

MK #28

NORTHWEST INDIAN FISHERIES COMMISSION

LEECH LAKE INDIAN RESERVATION

Validation stickers are required for tribal members to fish in their Tribes area. Each tribe issues identification cards to their members. Validation stickers are given to tribal members who request them (at no charge) for the purpose of controlling how many stamps are issued. The validation sticker is affixed to the back of the individual identification card. There are five areas in Washington State as follows:
Area 1: Medicine Creek (consists of Nisqually, Puyallup and Squaxin Island)
Area 2: Point Elliot (consists of Lummi, Muckelshoot, Nooksack, Sauk-Suiattle, Stillaguamish, Suquamish, Swinomish, Tulalip and Upper Skagit)
Area 3: Point No Point (consistes of Jamestown, Lower Elwha, Port Gamble S’Klallum and Skokomish)
Area 4: Makah
Area 5: Quinault (consists of Hoh, Quinault, and Quileute)
These validation stickers are die cut with pressure sensitive adhesive and have serial numbers on the front.