About Hunting in Washington
Whether deer, elk, waterfowl, or upland game, the hunt of a lifetime can be found in Washington. Hunting remains a vital way of life for many residents and non-residents in Washington and contributes to statewide conservation efforts. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife maintains opportunities for seasoned and first-time hunters alike.
Modern Firearm General Deer Seasons 2021
| Season | Dates | GMUs | Type |
| Black-tailed Deer | Oct. 16-Oct. 31 | 407, 418, 426, 437, 448, 450, 454, 460, 466, 501 – 505, 506a, 510 – 520, 524 – 556, 560, 568, 572, 574, 601 – 621, 624 (except Deer Area 6020), 627 – 654, 658 – 699d | Any buck |
| 410, 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 416, 417, 419, 420, 421, 422, 423, 424, 564a*, 655, Deer Area 6020 | Any deer | ||
| 578d | 3 pt. min. | ||
| White-tailed Deer | Oct. 16-29 | 101, 105, 108, 111, 113, 117d, 121, 124 | Any buck |
| Oct. 16-26 | 203 – 284 | Any buck | |
| 127 – 145, 149d, 154, 162 – 186 | 3 pt. min. | ||
| 373d, 379d, 381 | Any deer | ||
| Mule Deer | Oct. 16-26 | 101 – 145, 149d, 154, 162 – 186, 203 -272, 278d, 284, 328, 330 – 368, 372, 373d , 379d , 381, 382 (except closed in Deer Area 5382), 388 | 3 pt. min. |
a: See Big Game Closures on page 89. Columbian White-tailed Deer (CWTD) have recently been transplanted to the Ridgefield
National Wildlife Refuge and may now be found in GMU 564 – as a reminder CWTD cannot be harvested as they are protected
state and federally listed endangered species. Please refer to page 20 for visual characteristic between white-tailed and blacktailed deer. If you have any questions please call the Ridgefield NWR Manager at 360-887-2122 or visit http://www.fws.gov/
jbh/translocation.html.
d: Visit: http://www.fws.gov/ for information about hunting on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge lands.
*GMUs 372, 382 and 564 are mainly private property. Hunters are advised to research ownership and access before hunting in these units.
** Includes Buckhorn, Brother’s, Wonder Mountain, Mount Skokomish, and Colonel Bob Wilderness Areas.
Archery General Deer Seasons 2021
| Season | Dates | GMUs | Type |
| Black-tailed Deer | Sept. 1-24 | 407, 410, 411h, 412h, 413h, 414h, 415h, 416, 417, 418, 419, 420h, 421, 422h, 426, 437, 448, 450, 454, 466, 501, 504, 505, 554, 564a*, 568, 621 – 636, 648 – 652, 654 – 673, 684d | Any deer |
| 460, 503, 574, 601 – 618, 638, 642, 653, 681, 699d | Any buck | ||
| 578d | 3 pt. min. | ||
| Sept. 1-19 | 510, 513, 516, 520, 524, 530ad, 556 | Any deer | |
| 506a, 550, 560, 572 | Any buck | ||
| White-tailed Deer | Sept. 1-24 | 101 – 124 | Any buck |
| 204 – 250, 254 – 284d, 373d, 379d, 381 | Any deer | ||
| 145, 149d, 172, 181, 186 | 3 pt. min. or antlerless | ||
| 127 through 142, 166, 169, 175 | 3 pt. min. | ||
| Sept. 1-19 | 154, 162, 163, 178 | 3 pt. min. or antlerless | |
| Mule Deer | Sept. 1-24 | 101 through 136, 166 – 175, 181, 243, 334, 382 (except closed in Deer Area 5382), 388 | 3 pt. min. |
| 139, 142, 145, 149d, 186, 244 through 247, 249, 250, 260, 284, 372*, 373d, 379d, 381, Deer Area 3334 | 3 pt. min. or antlerless | ||
| Sept. 1-19 | 163, 178 | 3 pt. min. or antlerless | |
| 154, 162, 251, 328, 335, 336, 340, 346, 352, 356, 360, 364, 368 | 3 pt. min. | ||
| Sept. 1-15 | 204 – 242, 248, 254, 262, 266, 269, 272, 278d | 3 pt. min. | |
| Sept. 16-24 | 204 through 242, 248, 254, 262, 266, 269, 272, 278d | 3 pt. min. or antlerless |
Late Archery General Deer Seasons 2021
| Season | Dates | GMUs | Type |
| Black-tailed Deer | Nov. 24-Dec. 15 | 437, 466, 510 through 520, 524 | Any deer |
| 448, 460, 506a, 530ad, 560, 572, 601, 603 – 618, 638, 642, 681, 699d | Any buck | ||
| Nov. 24-Dec. 31 | 407, 410, 411h, 412h, 413h, 414h, 415h, 416, 417, 419, 420h, 421, 422h, 423, 424, 454, 505, 564a*, 624, 627, 636, 648, 652, 654, 655, 660 – 672 | Any deer | |
| Nov. 10-Dec. 15 | 101 | Any buck | |
| Nov. 25-Dec. 15 | 105, 108, 117d, 121, 124 | Any buck | |
| 127 | 3 pt. min. | ||
| Nov. 20-Dec. 8 | 145, 163, 178, 272, 278d | 3 pt. min. or antlerless | |
| Nov. 20-Dec. 8 | 373d | Any deer | |
| Nov. 24-Dec. 15 | 204, 209, 215, 233, 243 | Any deer | |
| Mule Deer | Nov. 24-30 | 209, 215, 233, 243, 250 | 3 pt. min. |
| Nov. 24-Dec. 8 | 336, 342, 346, 352, 364, 388, Deer Area 3682 | 3 pt. min. | |
| Nov. 20-Dec. 8 | 145, 163, 178, 272, 278d, 373d, Deer Area 3372 | 3 pt. min. or antlerless |
a: See Big Game Closures on page 89. Columbian White-tailed Deer (CWTD) have recently been transplanted to the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge and may now be found in GMU 564 – as a reminder CWTD cannot be harvested as they are protected state and federally listed endangered species. Please refer to page 20 for visual characteristic between white-tailed and blacktailed deer. If you have any questions please call the Ridgefield NWR Manager at 360-887-2122 or visit http://www.fws.gov/jbh/translocation.html.
d: Visit http://www.fws.gov/ for information about hunting on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge lands.
h: Must wear hunter orange and/or hunter pink
*GMUs 372, 382 and 564 are mainly private property. Hunters are advised to research ownership and access before hunting in these units
Muzzleloader General Deer Seasons 2021
| Season | Dates | GMUs | Type |
| Black-tailed Deer | Sept. 25-Oct. 3 | 407, 418, 426, 437, 448, 450, 501, 503, 504, 505, 506a, 510, 513, 516, 520, 530ad, 550, 554, 560, 568, 572, 574, 603, 607, 612, 615, 624 (except Deer Area 6020), 621, 633 – 651, 660, 663, 672, 673 | Any buck |
| 410, 411h, 412h, 413h, 414h, 415h, 416, 417, 419, 420h, 421, 422h, 423, 424, 454, 564a*, 627, 652, 655, 666, 684d, Deer Area 6020 | Any deer | ||
| 578d | 3 pt. min. | ||
| White-tailed Deer | Sept. 25-Oct. 3 | 101 – 124, 203, 204, 209, 215, 231, 233, 239, 242 – 246, 247, 248, 250, 251, 254, 260, 262, 266, 269, 272, 278d, 284 | Any buck |
| 145, 149d | 3 pt. min. or antlerless | ||
| 127, 130, 133, 136, 139, 142, 175, 181, 186 | 3 pt. min | ||
| 373d , 379d | Any deer | ||
| Mule Deer | Sept. 25-Oct. 3 | 101 – 145, 149d, 175, 181, 186, 203, 204, 209, 215, 231, 233, 239, 242 – 246, 248, 250, 251, 254, 260, 262, 266, 269, 272, 278d, 284, 328, 330 – 342, 352 – 368, 373d, 379d | 3 pt. min. |
| Deer Areas 3334, 3372 | 3 pt. min. or antlerless | ||
| Black-tailed Deer | Nov. 24-Dec. 15 | 407, 410, 411h, 412h, 413h, 414h, 415h, 416, 417, 419, 420h, 421, 422h, 423, 424, 454, 504, 564a*, 633, 654, 666, 667, 684d | Any deer |
| 448, 460, 501, 602, 621, 651, 658, 673 | Any buck | ||
| White-tailed Deer | Nov. 24-Dec. 8 | 113 | Any buck |
| Nov. 25-Dec. 8 | 130, 133, 136, 139, 142 | 3 pt. min | |
| Nov. 20-Dec. 8 | 172, 181 | 3 pt. min. | |
| Nov. 25-Dec. 8 | 379d, 381 | Any deer | |
| Mule Deer | Nov. 25-Dec. 8 | 379d, 381 | 3 pt. min. |
| Nov. 20-30 | 382* (except closed in Deer Area 5382) | 3 pt. min. |
a: See Big Game Closures on page 89. Columbian White-tailed Deer (CWTD) have recently been transplanted to the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge and may now be found in GMU 564 – as a reminder CWTD cannot be harvested as they are protected state and federally listed endangered species. Please refer to page 20 for visual characteristic between white-tailed and blacktailed deer. If you have any questions please call the Ridgefield NWR Manager at 360-887-2122 or visit http://www.fws.gov/jbh/translocation.html.
d: Visit http://www.fws.gov/ for information about hunting on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge lands.
h: Must wear hunter orange and/or hunter pink.
GMU 382 and 564 are mainly private property. Hunters are advised to research ownership and access before hunting in these units.
** Includes Buckhorn, Brother’s, Wonder Mountain, Mount Skokomish, and Colonel Bob Wilderness Areas.
Washington Big game license costs 2021
| License type | Resident | Non-resident | Resident senior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer+Elk+Bear+Cougar License | $95.50 | $860.00 | $95.50 |
| Deer+Elk+Bear+Cougar License W/discounted Small game license *** | $117.50 | $956.80 | $117.50 |
| Deer+Elk License | $84.50 | $739.00 | $84.50 |
| Deer+Elk License W/discounted Small game license *** | $106.50 | $835.80 | $106.50 |
| Deer License | $44.90 | $434.30 | $44.90 |
| Deer License W/discounted Small game license *** | $66.90 | $531.10 | $66.90 |
Links to Official Sites
Washington State Regulation Site