Quick Tips
- In this patchwork of private lands, know your shot angles
- Private landowner network is paramount
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Columbian Blacktail Deer | 90"-110" | 120"+ |
| Roosevelt Elk | 260"-290" | 290"+ |
On The Ground
Both deer and elk continue to be managed with liberal seasons designed to reduce road kills and human wildlife conflicts. Most of this unit is privately owned and hunters should be mindful of safety concerns and firearm restrictions. Preseason scouting and gaining access to private lands is paramount as approximately 90% of the unit is privately owned. The very western edges offer larger, more continuous tracts, and include state, city, parks, Muckleshoot and state forest land. There are hunting opportunities within this largely populated GMU for those willing to do some preseason planning.
Getting access to prime private ground is getting harder. This is a good unit for tree stand hunting with a bow.
Terrain
There is a thin patchwork of timber left standing from years of permanent timber cutting to make room for farming and other human based land uses. The western portion along Puget Sound is mostly urban sprawl. The remainder of the unit is small, privately owned pieces of land consisting of personal use properties from summer homes, horse properties and hobby farms.
Roughly 1,148 square miles
5% public land
Elevations range from Sea Level – 3,600 feet
Vegetation
Beyond the vast amount of urban sprawl, there’s a patchwork of timber and small farmlands which are largely hay meadows utilized for horse properties, as well as hobby farms growing everything from vegetables, grains, and berries. Due to a large influx of people, there is a significant amount of non-native decorative trees, shrubs and flowers here as well, some of which are growing feral.
Access
Most access is on private lands and can take a bit of research to gain access to. The very eastern edges offer larger contiguous tracts, and include state, city, parks, Muckleshoot and state forest land.
Secure private land access early
Use a GPS to know your private land boundaries
Camping and Lodging
There are very limited camping options, however, there are endless hotel and motel options.
Historical Temperatures
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