I am at a loss, where to go

[removebe4flight]

I just moved here from Maryland and have no idea where to go to hunt here in Washington.  I am a bow hunter and hunting in Maryland I took for granted.  Plenty of public lands and easy to find information on. I live on Whidbey Island, which is region 4.  Anytime I ask anyone about public hunting land no ones where to go and just tells me that everywhere is private land.  So, can someone throw me a bone and tell where I can go to hunt.  I don't mind traveling a couple hours to get on some deer or elk.  Thanks

Chris

[gonehuntin68]

Get on I90 and head east for about 6 hours.

[removebe4flight]

Get on I90 and head east for about 6 hours.

sounds like a great plan

[cdriver]

Most of Whidbey is locked up, as you have found out. Look at where the national forests are, many areas on the Olympic Peninsula, a short ferry ride for you to get to.

[predatorG]

Kitsap would be the closest for you. That's where I live and hunt.

[removebe4flight]

Kitsap would be the closest for you. That's where I live and hunt.

Are there WMA's there

[fishnfur]

WDFW website:

http://apps.wdfw.wa.gov/gohunt/app.html?theme=bigGame
.
On the Basemap tab in the upper right, pick public land.  I'd look across(west) towards/past Port Townsend.  DNR land is light orange, national forest - light green.  Ignore the other colors as you will have to do a lot of research to determine whether you can hunt there or not.    Zoom in to a spot, switch the basemap to aerial and topography to find the places you think look good.

[bobcat]

Lots of places to hunt.

If you don't want the hassle of private land, hit the National Forests- Olympic, Colville, Okanogan.

Those are the three I'd look at for the late archery season.

[Injun kid]

That's sad when westsiders can't even tell a fellow westsider where to hunt over there, you guys just send them east, plenty of national forest over there to hunt just funny how all the westsider people drive that far every season just to shoot a deer, I've just never gotten that I guess cause I don't drive 5 to 6 hours to go hunting kind of ridiculous if you ask anybody who live on the east side of the state lol

[2labs]

How those treaties treating ya kid?

[bobcat]

That's sad when westsiders can't even tell a fellow westsider where to hunt over there, you guys just send them east, plenty of national forest over there to hunt just funny how all the westsider people drive that far every season just to shoot a deer, I've just never gotten that I guess cause I don't drive 5 to 6 hours to go hunting kind of ridiculous if you ask anybody who live on the east side of the state lol

Three out of four posts suggested locations on the west side. What is your suggestion? Please don't post again unless you have something positive to say.

[Injun kid]

 

[highside74]

Whitetail? Head to the Northeast units...101 is a good bet, plenty of access in all the units over there in that corner.

Mule Deer? Follow the flow of traffic to unit 250. Pick a canyon rd and get after it. A 4x4 with chains on all 4 tires is pretty much required if it gets any kind of snowy weather.  Steep canyons, nasty roads plenty of people. 

Blacktail? That's a tough hunt for the late season because it starts so late. You are mainly looking for logged units with clearcuts through out. That pretty much is all of western washingtons hunting units. Timber companies own a lot of the prime areas. Some access is free, some costs. Check with Hancock recreation or Weyerhaeuser recreation to see if there still access passes available for any of their areas.

Don't forget a Discovery Pass if your going to hunt State land you will get a ticket without it.

[removebe4flight]

thanks for all the info.  Way more than I got asking people I work with.  Most of them are like yeah I hunt, just don't hunt here in Washington.  It is driving me crazy not being in the woods. 

[zike]

A good GPS (Garmin) with a WA state chip will give you ownership for most of the state.

[nwwanderer]

Check with the Three Sisters on Whidbey, the dad may make you suffer through some Montana elk stories but might have a local blacktail patch for future reference

[sneakyjake]

I would get the OnXMaps app for your phone.  Use it for the gmu boundaries, topo, and sat. I haven't hunted in this area but from looking at it quickly I would hunt the late 437 archery blacktail.  Wait for the snow to hit and hunt as far East in the unit as you can.  Watch the snow levels vrs the topo.  2500' and above.

[Bob33]

Green areas are National Forest (public and huntable). Purple areas are National Parks (public but not huntable.) Yellow areas are Indian Reservations (huntable, dependent on specific reservation regulations.) Salmon colored areas are US military (huntable with specific regulations.) White areas are private.

In Washington you can legally hunt everywhere, except where you can't. Sounds crazy but once you think it through it makes sense.

[fish vacuum]

Start exploring the Skagit Valley from Sedro Woolley to Rockport.

[ghosthunter]

Pm sent

[predatorG]

Kitsap would be the closest for you. That's where I live and hunt.

Are there WMA's there

WMAs?

And in the map above, alot of the white area is still timber company, so you can hunt in alot of it.

[CAMPMEAT]

That's sad when westsiders can't even tell a fellow westsider where to hunt over there, you guys just send them east, plenty of national forest over there to hunt just funny how all the westsider people drive that far every season just to shoot a deer, I've just never gotten that I guess cause I don't drive 5 to 6 hours to go hunting kind of ridiculous if you ask anybody who live on the east side of the state lol

Three out of four posts suggested locations on the west side. What is your suggestion? Please don't post again unless you have something positive to say.

You can't tell a member not to post a comment because you don't like it bobcat. That's totally inappropriate for you to say that. He said nothing wrong.

[bobcat]

That's sad when westsiders can't even tell a fellow westsider where to hunt over there, you guys just send them east, plenty of national forest over there to hunt just funny how all the westsider people drive that far every season just to shoot a deer, I've just never gotten that I guess cause I don't drive 5 to 6 hours to go hunting kind of ridiculous if you ask anybody who live on the east side of the state lol

Three out of four posts suggested locations on the west side. What is your suggestion? Please don't post again unless you have something positive to say.

You can't tell a member not to post a comment because you don't like it bobcat. That's totally inappropriate for you to say that. He said nothing wrong.

I sure can, and no it's not inappropriate for me to ask him to only post if he has something positive to say.

I'll be doing the same with any more of these east versus west type of posts that I see. I realize there have recently been plenty of others just like it, or worse, that didn't get a warning and didn't get removed. But that's only because I've been busy with hunting season.

[runamuk]

Kitsap would be the closest for you. That's where I live and hunt.

Are there WMA's there

WMAs?

And in the map above, alot of the white area is still timber company, so you can hunt in alot of it.

WMA probably = wildlife management area

and if you are not from here and not accustomed to our land areas and the way its divided it can be hard to sort out what can and cannot be hunted.  The map posted earlier with the notations about state and forest lands is a good start.  I actually would not suggest going east unless you have someone to go east with because the land over there can be even more confusing depending where you go.

I would say try Kitsap as suggested or even Olympic Peninsula.  Whidbey from my understanding doesn't have much public land.   Skagit county has lots but I have no idea where it is I dont have maps for this part of the state.

[fishnfur]

Whatever.  I think the OP has enough information positive information to get going.  He's a WT hunter from the east coast.  It makes perfect sense for him to head east to hunt WT here.  I suggested BT areas because I want everyone to suffer as I do when I can't find a single animal in an entire day.   

Sorry Injun kid - IMO - I don't think any of the east side businesses and people that benefit monetarily from the west side guys going over there to hunt deer and elk think that it is ridiculous for them to do so.  I think they'd be unhappy to loose the business if they didn't. 

[Injun kid]

It is what it is I guess lol

[JakeLand]

PM sent and if you want some info for the 460 and 448 units just PM me and we'll get you some areas

[jkthomps]

I would recommend 448 and 460 and 437 as well. If I recall muzzleloading season in 448 and 460 overlap with archery so I would suggest 437 for archery late season for BT.

I archery hunt but suck at finding places to hunt lol. Hey Jakeland, can I PM you for help too?

[JakeLand]

Yep no problem

[predatorG]

PM sent and if you want some info for the 460 and 448 units just PM me and we'll get you some areas

Just read Jakes post about his buck this year, he definitley knows his stuff so good luck to you guys who got spots from him!

[removebe4flight]

Kitsap would be the closest for you. That's where I live and hunt.

Are there WMA's there

WMAs?

And in the map above, alot of the white area is still timber company, so you can hunt in alot of it.

Yes a WMA is a wildlife management area.  what us east coast guy call public land. 

[removebe4flight]

PM sent and if you want some info for the 460 and 448 units just PM me and we'll get you some areas

Yeah man do tell.  I am all about getting on some good spots.  for the past five years I have had great honey holes and helped many many people with finding deer.  even lost a few bruisers to my buddies.  But, it is great to be apart of other pepoles successful hunts even if it isn't my harvest. 

[gonehuntin68]

That's sad when westsiders can't even tell a fellow westsider where to hunt over there, you guys just send them east, plenty of national forest over there to hunt just funny how all the westsider people drive that far every season just to shoot a deer, I've just never gotten that I guess cause I don't drive 5 to 6 hours to go hunting kind of ridiculous if you ask anybody who live on the east side of the state lol
[/quote




We are not all Indians and can hunt where ever we want. Why dont you guys stick to the reservations? O yeah you guys killed everything.

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

I drive six + hour per week in travel to hunting spots.  Travel to other states.  And like said my money spends the same there and small towns live on the hunting seasons and revenue generated. 

[predatorG]

Kitsap would be the closest for you. That's where I live and hunt.

Are there WMA's there

WMAs?

And in the map above, alot of the white area is still timber company, so you can hunt in alot of it.

Yes a WMA is a wildlife management area.  what us east coast guy call public land.

There might be a bit. Most of it is timber companies which is basically open.

[washingtonmuley]

That's sad when westsiders can't even tell a fellow westsider where to hunt over there, you guys just send them east, plenty of national forest over there to hunt just funny how all the westsider people drive that far every season just to shoot a deer, I've just never gotten that I guess cause I don't drive 5 to 6 hours to go hunting kind of ridiculous if you ask anybody who live on the east side of the state lol

I wouldn't drive that far either if I had thousands of acres with liberal seasons to hunt as well.

[huntingbaldguy]

I suggested BT areas because I want everyone to suffer as I do when I can't find a single animal in an entire day.   

 

[BABackcountryBwhntr]

lots of deer on the island, start knocking on doors.

[bracer40]

Sorry Injun kid - IMO - I don't think any of the east side businesses and people that benefit monetarily from the west side guys going over there to hunt deer and elk think that it is ridiculous for them to do so.  I think they'd be unhappy to loose the business if they didn't.
[/quote]

 

[Injun kid]

That's sad when westsiders can't even tell a fellow westsider where to hunt over there, you guys just send them east, plenty of national forest over there to hunt just funny how all the westsider people drive that far every season just to shoot a deer, I've just never gotten that I guess cause I don't drive 5 to 6 hours to go hunting kind of ridiculous if you ask anybody who live on the east side of the state lol
[/quote




We are not all Indians and can hunt where ever we want. Why dont you guys stick to the reservations? O yeah you guys killed everything.

Well I'm not the one that wrote the treaty's lol, funny how you say we killed everything on our reservations there are still Indians out there that kill only what they need to survive on, but thanks for caring about the reservation and I think we got it covered on managing our animals and wolves, something you guys need to work on because there is plenty of game on the Rez

[2labs]

So you gotta killer deal you and anyone your generation had nothing to do with and you come on here and rub it in people's faces!! Class act.

You could learn from some of the awsome Natives on this site!

[Injun kid]

So you gotta killer deal you and anyone your generation had nothing to do with and you come on here and rub it in people's faces!! Class act.

You could learn from some of the awsome Natives on this site!

No reason to be jealous about it, and If I was coming off like you said I was well your wrong pal, also I respect my elders for all they have done in the past, that is why I only take what I need from our reservation

[fishnfur]

Why are you guys still talking to the "kid". 

It's pointless and will have no good resolution.  You're not going to change his mind, and he obviously is not old enough or experienced enough in life to understand the bigger picture that exists outside his little world.  Leave him alone and give him a few years to grow up.

[Injun kid]

  you guys are funny