Beginner Hunter Looking For Guidance

[Brotems360]

Still looking for some tips and areas to hunt blacktail for this years open deer in northwest Washington, preferably somewhere we can camp and fish as well.

Thanks.

[fishnfur]

 

Good luck.  Let us know how it turns out. 

[Skyvalhunter]

 

[The Marquis]

Still looking for some tips and areas to hunt blacktail for this years open deer in northwest Washington, preferably somewhere we can camp and fish as well.

Thanks.

All west side public land is probably a decent bet for Blacktail so long as the regs don't prohibit.  Nobody is going to give up a "spot" on this forum, you can bank on that.  Blacktail are fairly abundant all over the west side, but they are hard to find because of the nature of their habitat.  It's not that brand of hunting where you post up and watch for a deer to come by... if you do that, you'll have 20 orange clad folks doing the same thing in the same clear cut and largely without much success. 

[kselkhunter]

Study the harvest stats in the GMUs:  https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/management/game-harvest#2018-harvest

Based on success rate % for modern firearm and # bucks harvested, for west side these are the top units.  Pick one and start scouting.  You'll see areas to camp while you're out there.  Just verify which units have public land vs. private, and what passes are needed where before heading out. 
667
651
602
648
658
672
660
407
501
505
530
550
564

[Brotems360]

What can I expect when I go in to buy my permit/tags? I have my hunters safety course card and my parks passes. I'm ready to start investing time in scouting the grounds I've been researching but i want to know more about how the actual buying process goes down. Do I only get to hunt in the GMU I choose or is the permit good state wide?

Appreciate any responses.



Brotems

[fishnfur]

What to expect?:  Expect to pay too much money for hunting an animal that the state doesn't manage.  The fee is a usage tax and does not contribute to improving the herd, nor their habitat.  (IMHO)  I digress.....

Go to Walmart or any sporting goods store.  Tell them you want a Modern Firearm (MF) Deer Tag.  Show your hunter education card if necessary, which may not be necessary.  Once it is on file in the computer system, you're good for the rest of your life, so if the Hunter Ed. people registered you with the state, then you're in the database.  All that is left to do is pay the fee which covers you for the entire state.  Once you figure out where in the state you want to hunt, check the regs for the dates that you can hunt during the MF season for the GMU you chose.  On the Westside, the dates for Blacktail Deer are generally all the same, with a couple minor exceptions.  Carry the transport tag with you whenever you hunt, and attach it to a kill as you take possession of it, prior to dragging it out or field dressing the animal.

[BeerBugler]

Just out of curiosity, which state is your “out of state friend” from?

[Brotems360]

Thank you @fishnfur, that information was very helpful.

Just out of curiosity, which state is your “out of state friend” from?

Florida