Since I shot my first deer, I’ve been borderline obsessed with hunting big game of all types. I’ve taken on this incredible pursuit fairly late in life, proving that it is possible to get into without growing up with it.
The learning curve is steep, steeper than getting salmon to bite in rivers, but the payoff is even bigger!
This page and more like it (coming soon) are here to aide your own hunting research efforts. Washington is one of the worst of the western states in terms of hunter success, so we need all the advantages we can get.
The basis for this page are the harvest statistics WDFW publishes after each hunting year. With these statistics we will rank the best deer hunting opportunities in Washington state based on 3 categories:
- Best place to harvest a deer, period. You can’t eat antlers, right?
- Best place to harvest any deer with the least amount of effort. We only have so much time these days…
- Best place to harvest a trophy deer. For those looking for that deer of a lifetime!
We will also break these 3 categories down by weapon type as not everyone is flexible and sometimes the weapon type really changes the rankings here.
Last caveat: All of this data is based on general seasons, not any of the special hunt opportunities. We really want to highlight what’s possible by anyone anywhere, not what hunts you should “enter the lottery” for.
Are you new to deer hunting? Check out our comprehensive How to get started big game hunting for deer and elk page here
Best place to harvest ANY deer in Washington State in 2024
Our criteria for this ranking is: total harvest among all weapon types divided by total hunters within the GMU. We also, excluded the Puget Sound islands as they dominate the top of the rankings, have very little public land and including them wouldn’t be much help.
Bottom line, if you have permission or access to private land on one of the island opportunities, just do that.
| GMU | GMU Name | Region | Harvest Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 624 | COYLE | South Sound / Olympic Peninsula | 38.00% |
| 667 | SKOOKUMCHUCK | South Sound / Olympic Peninsula | 37.00% |
| 142 | ALMOTA | Eastern Washington | 35.00% |
| 550 | COWEEMAN | Southwest Washington | 34.00% |
| 504 | STELLA | Southwest Washington | 34.00% |
| 209 | WANNACUT | North Central Washington | 34.00% |
| 666 | DESCHUTES | South Sound / Olympic Peninsula | 33.00% |
| 417 | CYPRESS | North Puget Sound | 33.00% |
| 373 | HORSE HEAVEN | South Central Washington | 33.00% |
| 145 | MAYVIEW | Eastern Washington | 32.00% |
Best place to harvest a deer with the least effort in Washington State in 2024
Our criteria for this ranking is: total hunter days among all weapon types divided by total harvest within the GMU. We again excluded the Puget Sound islands
| GMU | GMU Name | Region | Hunter Days per Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 417 | CYPRESS | North Puget Sound | 8 |
| 145 | MAYVIEW | Eastern Washington | 9 |
| 142 | ALMOTA | Eastern Washington | 10 |
| 178 | PEOLA | Eastern Washington | 11 |
| 209 | WANNACUT | North Central Washington | 11 |
| 284 | RITZVILLE | North Central Washington | 12 |
| 149 | PRESCOTT | Eastern Washington | 12 |
| 372 | RATTLESNAKE HILLS | South Central Washington | 12 |
| 186 | GRANDE RONDE | Eastern Washington | 12 |
| 181 | COUSE | Eastern Washington | 13 |
Best place to harvest a trophy deer in Washington State in 2024
Our criteria for this ranking is: total harvest of 5 point deer with all weapon types divided by total hunters within the GMU. We haven’t excluded the Puget Sound islands this time…Go get that big boy!
| GMU | GMU Name | Region | Harvest Percent of Trophy Deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 426 | DIABLO | North Puget Sound | 10.00% |
| 373 | HORSE HEAVEN | South Central Washington | 10.00% |
| 422 | VASHON | North Puget Sound | 9.00% |
| 284 | RITZVILLE | North Central Washington | 8.00% |
| 181 | COUSE | Eastern Washington | 8.00% |
| 278 | WAHLUKE | North Central Washington | 7.00% |
| 149 | PRESCOTT | Eastern Washington | 7.00% |
| 178 | PEOLA | Eastern Washington | 7.00% |
| 127 | MICA PEAK | Eastern Washington | 7.00% |
| 655 | ANDERSON ISLAND | South Sound / Olympic Peninsula | 6.00% |
Best place to harvest ANY deer during Modern Firearm season in Washington State in 2024
Our criteria for this ranking is: total harvest among ONLY Modern Firearm season divided by total hunters during Modern Firearm season within the GMU. We also, excluded the Puget Sound islands as they dominate the top of the rankings, have very little public land and including them wouldn’t be much help.
Bottom line, if you have permission or access to private land on one of the island opportunities, just do that.
| GMU | GMU Name | Region | Harvest Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 417 | CYPRESS | North Puget Sound | 45.00% |
| 666 | DESCHUTES | South Sound / Olympic Peninsula | 39.00% |
| 624 | COYLE | South Sound / Olympic Peninsula | 37.00% |
| 667 | SKOOKUMCHUCK | South Sound / Olympic Peninsula | 37.00% |
| 142 | ALMOTA | Eastern Washington | 36.00% |
| 550 | COWEEMAN | Southwest Washington | 36.00% |
| 373 | HORSE HEAVEN | South Central Washington | 36.00% |
| 372 | RATTLESNAKE HILLS | South Central Washington | 36.00% |
| 178 | PEOLA | Eastern Washington | 33.00% |
| 209 | WANNACUT | North Central Washington | 33.00% |
Best place to harvest a deer during Modern Firearm season with the least effort in Washington State in 2024
Our criteria for this ranking is: total hunter days among ONLY Modern Firearm season divided by total harvest during Modern Firearm season within the GMU. We again excluded the Puget Sound islands
| GMU | GMU Name | Region | Hunter Days per Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 417 | CYPRESS | North Puget Sound | 8 |
| 372 | RATTLESNAKE HILLS | South Central Washington | 8 |
| 142 | ALMOTA | Eastern Washington | 9 |
| 145 | MAYVIEW | Eastern Washington | 9 |
| 284 | RITZVILLE | North Central Washington | 10 |
| 178 | PEOLA | Eastern Washington | 10 |
| 373 | HORSE HEAVEN | South Central Washington | 10 |
| 209 | WANNACUT | North Central Washington | 11 |
| 149 | PRESCOTT | Eastern Washington | 11 |
| 181 | COUSE | Eastern Washington | 12 |
Best place to harvest a trophy deer during Modern Firearm season in Washington State in 2024
Our criteria for this ranking is: total harvest of 5 point deer with ONLY Modern Firearm divided by total hunters during Modern Firearm season within the GMU. We haven’t excluded the Puget Sound islands this time…Go get that big boy!
| GMU | GMU Name | Region | Harvest Percent of Trophy Deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 373 | HORSE HEAVEN | South Central Washington | 12.00% |
| 426 | DIABLO | North Puget Sound | 10.00% |
| 422 | VASHON | North Puget Sound | 8.00% |
| 178 | PEOLA | Eastern Washington | 8.00% |
| 284 | RITZVILLE | North Central Washington | 7.00% |
| 149 | PRESCOTT | Eastern Washington | 7.00% |
| 419 | GUEMES | North Puget Sound | 7.00% |
| 655 | ANDERSON ISLAND | South Sound / Olympic Peninsula | 7.00% |
| 139 | STEPTOE | Eastern Washington | 6.00% |
| 181 | COUSE | Eastern Washington | 6.00% |
Best place to harvest ANY deer during Archery season in Washington State in 2024
Our criteria for this ranking is: total harvest among ONLY Archery season divided by total hunters during Archery season within the GMU. We also, excluded the Puget Sound islands as they dominate the top of the rankings, have very little public land and including them wouldn’t be much help.
Bottom line, if you have permission or access to private land on one of the island opportunities, just do that.
| GMU | GMU Name | Region | Harvest Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 145 | MAYVIEW | Eastern Washington | 52.00% |
| 684 | LONG BEACH | South Sound / Olympic Peninsula | 50.00% |
| 181 | COUSE | Eastern Washington | 44.00% |
| 426 | DIABLO | North Puget Sound | 44.00% |
| 624 | COYLE | South Sound / Olympic Peninsula | 42.00% |
| 260 | FOSTER CREEK | North Central Washington | 42.00% |
| 254 | SAINT ANDREWS | North Central Washington | 40.00% |
| 139 | STEPTOE | Eastern Washington | 40.00% |
| 556 | TOUTLE | Southwest Washington | 39.00% |
| 246 | SLIDE RIDGE | North Central Washington | 38.00% |
Best place to harvest a deer during Archery season with the least effort in Washington State in 2024
Our criteria for this ranking is: total hunter days among ONLY Archery season divided by total harvest during Archery season within the GMU. We again excluded the Puget Sound islands
| GMU | GMU Name | Region | Hunter Days per Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 426 | DIABLO | North Puget Sound | 6 |
| 145 | MAYVIEW | Eastern Washington | 8 |
| 181 | COUSE | Eastern Washington | 9 |
| 246 | SLIDE RIDGE | North Central Washington | 9 |
| 260 | FOSTER CREEK | North Central Washington | 9 |
| 556 | TOUTLE | Southwest Washington | 10 |
| 139 | STEPTOE | Eastern Washington | 11 |
| 334 | ELLENSBURG | South Central Washington | 12 |
| 382 | EAST KLICKITAT | Southwest Washington | 14 |
| 684 | LONG BEACH | South Sound / Olympic Peninsula | 14 |
Best place to harvest a trophy deer during Archery season in Washington State in 2024
Our criteria for this ranking is: total harvest of 5 point deer with ONLY Archery divided by total hunters during Modern Firearm season within the GMU. We haven’t excluded the Puget Sound islands this time…Go get that big boy!
| GMU | GMU Name | Region | Harvest Percent of Trophy Deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 422 | VASHON | North Puget Sound | 22.00% |
| 181 | COUSE | Eastern Washington | 13.00% |
| 127 | MICA PEAK | Eastern Washington | 11.00% |
| 278 | WAHLUKE | North Central Washington | 11.00% |
| 334 | ELLENSBURG | South Central Washington | 7.00% |
| 284 | RITZVILLE | North Central Washington | 7.00% |
| 101 | SHERMAN | Eastern Washington | 4.00% |
| 105 | KELLY HILL | Eastern Washington | 4.00% |
| 335 | TEANAWAY | South Central Washington | 4.00% |
| 133 | ROOSEVELT | Eastern Washington | 4.00% |
Best place to harvest ANY deer during Muzzleloader season in Washington State in 2024
Our criteria for this ranking is: total harvest among ONLY Muzzleloader season divided by total hunters during Muzzleloader season within the GMU. We also, excluded the Puget Sound islands as they dominate the top of the rankings, have very little public land and including them wouldn’t be much help.
Bottom line, if you have permission or access to private land on one of the island opportunities, just do that.
| GMU | GMU Name | Region | Harvest Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 334 | ELLENSBURG | South Central Washington | 52.00% |
| 513 | SOUTH RAINIER | Southwest Washington | 50.00% |
| 504 | STELLA | Southwest Washington | 47.00% |
| 250 | SWAKANE | North Central Washington | 44.00% |
| 667 | SKOOKUMCHUCK | South Sound / Olympic Peninsula | 40.00% |
| 186 | GRANDE RONDE | Eastern Washington | 39.00% |
| 209 | WANNACUT | North Central Washington | 39.00% |
| 142 | ALMOTA | Eastern Washington | 38.00% |
| 684 | LONG BEACH | South Sound / Olympic Peninsula | 36.00% |
| 505 | MOSSYROCK | Southwest Washington | 33.00% |
Best place to harvest a deer during Muzzleloader season with the least effort in Washington State in 2024
Our criteria for this ranking is: total hunter days among ONLY Muzzleloader season divided by total harvest during Muzzleloader season within the GMU. We again excluded the Puget Sound islands
| GMU | GMU Name | Region | Hunter Days per Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 334 | ELLENSBURG | South Central Washington | 5 |
| 250 | SWAKANE | North Central Washington | 6 |
| 142 | ALMOTA | Eastern Washington | 8 |
| 209 | WANNACUT | North Central Washington | 9 |
| 513 | SOUTH RAINIER | Southwest Washington | 10 |
| 186 | GRANDE RONDE | Eastern Washington | 10 |
| 111 | ALADDIN | Eastern Washington | 12 |
| 246 | SLIDE RIDGE | North Central Washington | 12 |
| 145 | MAYVIEW | Eastern Washington | 12 |
| 381 | KAHLOTUS | South Central Washington | 13 |
Best place to harvest a trophy deer during Muzzleloader season in Washington State in 2024
Our criteria for this ranking is: total harvest of 5 point deer with ONLY Muzzleloader divided by total hunters during Muzzleloader season within the GMU. We haven’t excluded the Puget Sound islands this time…Go get that big boy!
| GMU | GMU Name | Region | Harvest Percent of Trophy Deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 335 | TEANAWAY | South Central Washington | 17.00% |
| 181 | COUSE | Eastern Washington | 14.00% |
| 373 | HORSE HEAVEN | South Central Washington | 11.00% |
| 139 | STEPTOE | Eastern Washington | 10.00% |
| 272 | BEEZLEY | North Central Washington | 9.00% |
| 215 | SINLAHEKIN | North Central Washington | 8.00% |
| 250 | SWAKANE | North Central Washington | 8.00% |
| 142 | ALMOTA | Eastern Washington | 8.00% |
| 284 | RITZVILLE | North Central Washington | 8.00% |
| 149 | PRESCOTT | Eastern Washington | 7.00% |