Moving to Seattle

[Insomnia]

Hey y'all, I'm almost definitely moving to Seattle near the end of this year from south Texas. Because of my job, I won't be able to spend as much time driving around and scouting as I would like, and I have next to no knowledge of what lands are even legal to hunt on near Seattle, or what big game is in what area. If anyone who hunts near the King county region, or in NW Washington in general, please reach out to me so I can ask a few simple questions, I promise I'm not going to ask for anything more than a very general area or legal areas.

 

[VinoVino]

Lots of blacktail over on the Olympic peninsula. Elk, too.

Tons of elk up in Whatcom county.

Black bears can be found all over (fall only, for now).

Methow Valley, about 3.5 hours from Seattle, has good mule deer, but also overrun by other hunters.

 

[highside74]

Join hunting Washington forum and start reading

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Make sure to familiarize yourself with the upcoming and likely to pass gun legislation. Not saying you need to comply, but you should be informed. Good run down on the article below.

NRA-ILA | Washington: House and Senate Committees to Hear Anti-Gun Bills on Tuesday

The 2023 session is still in its first week and anti-gun lawmakers are wasting no time scheduling bill hearings to keep attacking your rights. On Tuesday, January 17th, the Senate Law and Justice Committee, and the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee, will hear anti-gun bills. The...

www.nraila.org

OnX/GoHunt/etc for public land research, but also do a google check for no shooting areas in whichever county you're in, particularly King or Snohomish (and probably other western wa counties to be safe). Regs are pretty straightforward. .243 cal minimum for big game. Second the recommendation to join Hunting-Washington forums.

 

[Still Hunter]

Ever consider changing jobs?

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Get a hold of the regs and start reading. It can be very confusing. It all depends on what you want to hunt and with what weapon. For deer and elk you have to choose a weapon, either rifle, muzzleloader or archery. You can't do more than one unless you apply and recieve a "Multi-Season" tag. For elk, you also must choose either eastern WA or Western. Here's a high level breakdown:

Elk: OTC tags available statewide (mostly), most of eastern WA is spike only with select units in the north and east portion either any elk or any bull. I believe most of western WA is 3 point min (I have never hunted elk on the west side).

Deer: OTC in most areas of the state. Eastern WA is 3 point min on muley, most whitetail is any buck, blacktail in the west is any buck

Black bear: OTC, they are everywhere but no baiting or dogs

Cougar: OTC, they are everywhere but no baiting or dogs

Moose, Sheep, Goat: Draw only and once in lifetime only

Then there are the draw only special permits (deer, elk, sheep, moose, goat, etc.). That's a whole different ball game that I don't wish to try and explain. You put in every year with the results being mostly bitter disappointment.

Good luck to you.

 

[Insomnia]

Join hunting Washington forum and start reading

Already applied, waiting to get approved

 

[Insomnia]

Ever consider changing jobs?

Nope, I like my job too much. That also reminds me, perks of helping me out include side benefits of me cooking good food with game meat (I'm a chef) and me sharpening your shit obsessively if you want (I'm a chef).

 

[GSPHUNTER]

I'm sorry.

 

[SuspiciousFish]

I was born and raised in Seattle and Spokane. Get some good raingear and I also recommend a natural-light lamp for the winter. Seasonal depression is real in Seattle when the grey clouds move in for the winter. Seattle is about as opposite to Texas as it gets in regards to politics, climate, terrain and weather so be prepared for that. The woods are very dense out there and it can be claustrophobic at first driving around because you cant see much beyond the road. There are some cool areas to explore around the Peugeot Sound and the Olympic Peninsula is extremely remote and its cool to go out there and see the coast.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

I was born and raised in Seattle and Spokane. Get some good raingear and I also recommend a natural-light lamp for the winter. Seasonal depression is real in Seattle when the grey clouds move in for the winter. Seattle is about as opposite to Texas as it gets in regards to politics, climate, terrain and weather so be prepared for that. The woods are very dense out there and it can be claustrophobic at first driving around because you cant see much beyond the road. There are some cool areas to explore around the Peugeot Sound and the Olympic Peninsula is extremely remote and its cool to go out there and see the coast.

Western Washington is dense. Not so bad east of the PCT.

 

[VinoVino]

Western Washington is dense. Not so bad east of the PCT.

Very true. There are areas that get logged, and those tree lines are a good place to look. But be prepared for competition for those spots in western Washington.

 

[BigTimber56]

There is quite a bit of public land and private timberland that allows recreation access within 2 hrs in all directions from Seattle. A fair amount of the private timberland owners are pay to play, so you'll have to do some research who requires a permit and who doesn't. The permits are generally capped and sell out fast. They go on sale in the spring, but different companies are at different times. Some permits are motorized and some are non motorized access. The non-permit private landowners generally only allow day use and non motorized use. There is a gate at most every private timberland access point. Hike/pedal bike/horse are usually all allowed for travel. The private/state timber industry is active meaning lots of land management activities year round(logging, hauling, construction, reforestation, etc). Welcome to Washington, please bring some Texas sense to King County. That county is pushing the rest of us out of this state.

Buy solid rain gear and don't be hesitant to use it. Some of the best hunting to be had is in a good downpour.

 

[SuspiciousFish]

Its all private land but I am pretty sure you can bow hunt for deer on a lot of the islands such as Bainbridge and Vashon island. The deer are pretty fat from eating people's gardens and the have become a pretty significant nuisance in some places.

 

[SuspiciousFish]

Buy solid rain gear and don't be hesitant to use it. Some of the best hunting to be had is in a good downpour.

Also buy some quality gaiters. Even if its not drizzling the grass and ferns are going to be damp and covered in dew all year. Its insane how wet it gets back there when things get tight.

 

[BigTimber56]

Also buy some quality gaiters. Even if its not drizzling the grass and ferns are going to be damp and covered in dew all year. Its insane how wet it gets back there when things get tight.

Definitely a good idea. Even the rare days its not damp, tramping through woody/thorny/thick brush can shred pant legs.

 

[Clete]

Other than California, Washington is the most densely populated western state…rifle season is pumpkin patch most everywhere you go. You gotta really work for solitude, but that’s usually were find the mature critters anyway. Plan on putting a lot of miles on your boots and get off trail. The muzzleloader seasons for both deer and elk are sleeper tags, that second muzzy deer season might be the best OTC hunt in the state

 

[NorthIDHunter]

Something to check into is, from what I was told, have not confirmed this, but Washington landowners are not required to post their land. The responsibility is put on the potential trespasser to know where they are at. I'm guessing with OnX that might not be as difficult though nowadays.

 

[Insomnia]

Something to check into is, from what I was told, have not confirmed this, but Washington landowners are not required to post their land. The responsibility is put on the potential trespasser to know where they are at. I'm guessing with OnX that might not be as difficult though nowadays.

Yeah, I already have been mapping out public spots on OnX. Planning on hunting mostly cap forest, I think.

 

[VinoVino]

Yeah, I already have been mapping out public spots on OnX. Planning on hunting mostly cap forest, I think.

Go deep there. I hear it can be a show during hunting season. I haven’t experienced it, so take that advice with a grain of salt.
I mostly stick to the east side of the state, but do some in the Olympics.