New to hunting in Washington

[Atroxus]

I am going to learn to hunt this year and am looking for some info/advice. I am in my mid 30s now, and have wanted to learn how to hunt since I was a kid, just never had the opportunity. I plan on getting my hunting license this January. I have taken the on-line exam, and just need to take the skill and attitude evaluation portions of the hunter safety class now. I have zero hunting experience though. I have been reading up on-line. I have also tried picking the brains of people I run into at local ranges and gun shops but the information I get this way has been pretty minimal. I don't think I have BO, or an abrasive personality, but I have not had much luck in getting people to chat with me about hunting. I got one guy to chat for a good 45 minutes about .22 rifles and target shooting, but he doesn't hunt.

I have a Marlin 60 that I am planning to use on small game to start, with the hopes of buying a .30-06 in time for deer/elk season. My plan is to start out hunting squirrels, rabbits, and raccoons until big game time. I figure this will get me some experience in the woods, and while hunting the small critters I am hoping to scout out potential spots to hunt deer/elk when those seasons come. I am mainly interested in hunting things I can eat, and that can be hunted outside of deer/elk season for now. According to the WDFW web site squirrels, and European rabbits are open year round for hunting, and cottontail, snowshoe hares, raccoons are open till mid march. I am hoping some people here will have some advice/pointers to help me get started. I also have no idea where to start looking for animals to hunt. I live in Marysville and am hoping maybe someone can tell me some areas where I might have some success finding small game within a few hours drive. Also if there are any other edible critters that could be hunted with a .22 I am open to suggestions on that as well. I am not really interested in bird hunting though since I don't own a shotgun, and will be saving all my spare change towards deer/elk rifle this year.

I am also curious about the edibility of certain animals. Just about everyone I talked to that has eaten it says that rabbit is tasty, so I feel pretty good about hunting those. I am getting mixed messages though about squirrels, and very little at all about raccoons or any other small game. From what I read on-line squirrels are supposed to be pretty tasty if prepared properly. I have had several people tell me not to hunt squirrels in washington though because they "eat trash". I am wondering if I get far enough into the woods to not be getting "city squirrel" if the trash eating would be less of an issue? Same for raccoons; according to internet they are tasty, but the few people I got to comment in Washington have said "You don't want to hunt those, they eat trash." Anyone here eat washington squirrels and/or raccoons? If so how do they taste, and how far into the woods do you have to go to avoid the trash eaters?

[Straight Shooter]

Welcome aboard...

While you're in the process of completing Hunter's Safety, do your research on the areas that you are interested in hunting... i.e., obtaining BLM/topo maps, studying the regs, etc.  Hopefully, you will find someone that you know and trust that can take you out and teach you hunting methods.

I like both rabbit and squirrel.  Wouldn't eat raccoon unless I absolutely had to.  Make sure that you know your seasons.

Good luck!

[Gutpile]

Welcome to the site. You can hunt grouse with a .22 and they're tasty. Probably be easier than anything for a brginner to hunt.

[shoot-em-dead]

I agree with Gutpile- grouse are great eating. I might be wrong but I thought squirrel was protected in WA. I would also really encourage you to get into hunting coyotes for the first couple months of the year while they still have a good winter coat. You don't eat them but I sell the hides for 10 bucks each so at least they don't just go to waste. I have also heard that you should only eat rabbits during the months that have an R in them. Has something to do with them not carrying worms during that time. Best advice for a beginner is to say that I hunt every week of the year and usually once or twice a week. I consider it a bonus to harvest an animal though as most of the time I am not that fortunate. I just love to be out hiking and watching them. Good luck.

[turkey slayer]

Welcome to the site. I would recommend reading thru the different post, you can learn alot of this site. Welcome again

[Atroxus]

Unofortunately I don't know anyone that hunts, so I been using the internet, ranges, and gun shops to try to learn as much as I can. Sadly I have been getting an abundance of very general or vague information, but very little in the way of substantive or specific information. The things I am looking for most and having the hardest time finding is about what small game animals are good eating, and where a beginner hunter can go to find them.

I have been research regs best i can, so I know what small game will be legal and what the seasons are for them. I was thinking about forest grouse, but that season will be closed before I get my license, and IIRC doesn't reopen till end of 2010. I am hoping to get started mid-late January if I can get my license that soon. As far as the squirrels go there are certain squirrels that are protected, but some varieties that are open year round to hunt with no bag/possession limit. I have been told by 2 different people not to eat washington squirrels/raccons though because they "eat trash", so I am hesitant to hunt them as I don't want to hunt something I can't eat. Although if there not enough edible game to satisfy my hunting urge, I may consider coyotes. If anyone has eaten washington squirrels and/or raccoons though I would love to hear from you.

[Gutpile]

That sounds like bunk to me about WA squirrels eating trash. I wouldn't hestitate to eat a squirrel from WA versus anywhere else. It's not like they eat carrion. That said, I'm 42 and have never met one person who has hunted squirrel in WA. Now coons on the other hand. I would never eat one no matter where they're from.

Hate to say it and don't take this wrong but you picked the wrong time of year to pick up hunting. Keep poking around here and you may get some good info. People may be a little hesitant to help you much at first thinking you may be a bunny hugger in diguise though.

Good luck to you.

[Big10gauge]

Maybe he means Ground Squirrels? 

[Gutpile]

Never thought of that. I'm thinking tree squirrels like the southers love so much.

[Big10gauge]

Just give him one of your coyote reciepes, He'll change his mind about eating yotes.

[Gutpile]

TRUE DAT!

[Huntbear]

All squirrels, and chipmunks are protected in Wa. for some  unknown reason, since there are a jillion of the dang things in the woods. 

Where are you located in the state, may help you get some better info. 

[Atroxus]

All squirrels, and chipmunks are protected in Wa. for some  unknown reason, since there are a jillion of the dang things in the woods.  

Where are you located in the state, may help you get some better info.  

Here is the info I got from the WDFW web site. http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/seasons.htm
Forest grouse* limit=4/12 Sept. 1-Dec. 31 Mixed Bag
Cottontail rabbit and Snowshoe hare limit=5/15 Sept. 1-Mar. 15, 2010
European rabbit limit=None Year Round Hunting license required
Gray and fox squirrels limit=None Year Round Except western gray squirrels
Ground squirrels limit=None Year Round Except golden-mantled and Washington ground squirrels
Raccoon limit=None Statewide: Sept. 1, 2009- Mar. 15 2010 Closed on Long Island within Willapa National Wildlife Refuge

Oh and btw whats bag/possesion limit? Does bag/possession limit of 5/15 mean I can get 5 per day until I have 15 total? If so say I get 15 total and eat 5, then can I go out and get 5 more?
 
I am in Marysville, WA. I am starting to wonder if everyone read my entire post though, as I stated in my original post "I live in Marysville and am hoping maybe someone can tell me some areas where I might have some success finding small game within a few hours drive."  
  

[Huntbear]

ya got me, i am a speed reader and skimmed your post.  My apologies. 

You have some great areas, East and North of you.  Talk to the local gameys, and the guys teaching your classes.  They will be a world of help.  Also, just get out and put the boots to the dirt, with a map.  Best way to learn an area.

[Atroxus]

That sounds like bunk to me about WA squirrels eating trash. I wouldn't hestitate to eat a squirrel from WA versus anywhere else. It's not like they eat carrion. That said, I'm 42 and have never met one person who has hunted squirrel in WA. Now coons on the other hand. I would never eat one no matter where they're from.

Hate to say it and don't take this wrong but you picked the wrong time of year to pick up hunting. Keep poking around here and you may get some good info. People may be a little hesitant to help you much at first thinking you may be a bunny hugger in diguise though.

Good luck to you.

Definitely not a bunny hugger....unless you count feeding bunnies to an 11 foot columbian red-tailed boa and letting it "hug" them to death.   According to WDFW web site there are plenty of small game that I can hunt either year round or until mid-march 2010. I am just trying to find out which ones are tasty, and where they live so I can add them to my menu.