is white tail only legal in eastern WA? (modern firearm)

[Buck Rub Jr]

I have also seen whitetails around the Morton area in the late 80s and early 90s.  Having spoken to some locals around there it was an area that NW trek would deposit whitetails when they would get too many.  I have also witnessed some blacktail bucks come out of this area that appeared to be hybrids.  I no longer hunt this area and do not know if NW trek still deposits deer here but I would assume that it is out of the range for a Columbia Whitetail, additionally they appeared to be of normal size not small like the Columbias.

My dad told me a story about seeing one in Mineral around that time frame and his buddy saw one in packwood as well!

[huntnfmly]

Srry but nw trek did not deposit whitetails in morton area. When they had to many they had a sniper from ft. Lewis come in and thin the heard. I do believe the locals did see whitetails tho.

[Colville]

The simple answer to the OP's question is that "it depends". The general deer seasons are explicit in what type of deer may be taken, and there are not westside GMUs that allow whitetail deer to be harvested. However, many special permits allow "any deer", "3 pt or better", "any buck", or "anterless deer" without limitations on specie. In these instances, a whitetail could be legally hunted and killed.

Page 81 of last year's regs:

8. Endangered Species:
It is illegal to hunt, possess, or control protected
wildlife or endangered species. Endangered species
are: pygmy rabbit; fisher; gray wolf; grizzly bear;
sea otter; sei, fin, blue, humpback, black right, killer
(orca) and sperm whales; Columbian white-tailed
deer; woodland caribou;.......

Even if your permit says "any deer" you'd better take that to mean antlerless blacktail are included rather than includes whitetail.  Or be prepared to prove that the WWA whitetail in your possession is a non columbian species.