WA Hunting Seasons & Public Land

Washington Hunting Seasons 2026 & GMU Map

Elk Jul 1–Sep 4. Deer Sep 1–Dec 15. Deer Sep 1–Dec 15.

2,772 Seasons49 Species

Direct Answer

Washington hunting seasons cover 2,772 season dates across 415 GMUs for Elk, Mule Deer, White-tailed Deer and more. Most seasons are open to any licensed hunter within the posted dates. Use the tables below for exact opening and closing dates by species and gmu.

Season data sourced from the Washington wildlife agency. Always verify dates and regulations on the official site before hunting—regulations can change during the season.

Washington Hunting Seasons by Species

Elk

GMUWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
Zone GMU-101ArcherySep 12Sep 24
Zone GMU-101MuzzleloaderOct 3Oct 9
Zone GMU-101MuzzleloaderOct 3Oct 9
Zone GMU-101FirearmOct 31Nov 8
Zone GMU-101FirearmOct 31Nov 8
Zone GMU-101ArcheryNov 25Dec 8
Zone GMU-105ArcherySep 12Sep 24
Zone GMU-105MuzzleloaderOct 3Oct 9
Zone GMU-105MuzzleloaderOct 3Oct 9
Zone GMU-105FirearmOct 31Nov 8
Zone GMU-105FirearmOct 31Nov 8
Zone GMU-105ArcheryNov 25Dec 8
Zone GMU-108ArcherySep 12Sep 24
Zone GMU-108MuzzleloaderOct 3Oct 9
Zone GMU-108MuzzleloaderOct 3Oct 9
Zone GMU-108FirearmOct 31Nov 8
Zone GMU-108FirearmOct 31Nov 8
Zone GMU-108ArcheryNov 25Dec 8
Zone GMU-111ArcherySep 12Sep 24
Zone GMU-111MuzzleloaderOct 3Oct 9
Zone GMU-111MuzzleloaderOct 3Oct 9
Zone GMU-111FirearmOct 31Nov 8
Zone GMU-111FirearmOct 31Nov 8
Zone GMU-111FirearmOct 31Nov 8

+ 977 more Elk seasons

Deer

GMUWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
Zone GMU-101ArcherySep 1Sep 25
Zone GMU-101ArcherySep 1Sep 25
Zone GMU-101MuzzleloaderSep 26Oct 4
Zone GMU-101MuzzleloaderSep 26Oct 4
Zone GMU-101FirearmOct 17Oct 27
Zone GMU-101FirearmOct 17Oct 30
Zone GMU-101ArcheryNov 10Dec 15
Zone GMU-105ArcherySep 1Sep 25

+ 492 more Deer seasons

Deer

GMUWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
Zone GMU-101ArcherySep 1Sep 25
Zone GMU-101ArcherySep 1Sep 25
Zone GMU-101MuzzleloaderSep 26Oct 4
Zone GMU-101MuzzleloaderSep 26Oct 4
Zone GMU-101FirearmOct 17Oct 27
Zone GMU-101FirearmOct 17Oct 30
Zone GMU-101ArcheryNov 10Dec 15
Zone GMU-105ArcherySep 1Sep 25

+ 492 more Deer seasons

GMUWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
StatewideTrappingNov 1Mar 15

Band Tailed Pigeon

GMUWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
StatewideFirearmSep 15Sep 23
GMUWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
StatewideTrappingNov 1Mar 15

Bighorn Sheep

GMUWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
Zone Sheep Unit 12FirearmSep 15Oct 10
Zone Sheep Unit 13FirearmOct 1Oct 31
Zone Sheep Unit 14FirearmSep 15Oct 10
Zone Sheep Unit 14FirearmOct 11Oct 31
Zone Sheep Unit 14FirearmOct 11Oct 31
Zone Sheep Unit 18FirearmSep 15Oct 10
Zone Sheep Unit 18FirearmSep 15Oct 10
Zone Sheep Unit 18FirearmOct 11Oct 31

+ 6 more Bighorn Sheep seasons

Black Bear

GMUWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
Zone BBMU-1FirearmAug 1Nov 15
Zone BBMU-10FirearmAug 1Nov 15
Zone BBMU-11FirearmAug 1Nov 15
Zone BBMU-12FirearmAug 1Nov 15
Zone BBMU-13FirearmAug 1Nov 15
Zone BBMU-14FirearmAug 15Nov 15
Zone BBMU-2FirearmAug 1Nov 15
Zone BBMU-3FirearmAug 1Nov 15

+ 6 more Black Bear seasons

GMUWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
StatewideFirearmSep 1Mar 15
StatewideTrappingNov 1Mar 15
StatewideFirearmApr 1Apr 7
StatewideFirearmApr 15May 31
GMUWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
Zone Clallam CountyFirearmJan 17Jan 17
Zone Clallam CountyFirearmJan 21Jan 21
Zone Clallam CountyFirearmJan 24Jan 24
Zone Pacific CountyFirearmJan 10Jan 25
Zone Western WashingtonFirearmJan 31Jan 31
Zone Whatcom CountyFirearmJan 17Jan 17
Zone Whatcom CountyFirearmJan 21Jan 21
Zone Whatcom CountyFirearmJan 24Jan 24

Washington Hunting Season FAQ

When does hunting season start in Washington?

Washington hunting season currently spans Jul 1 to Sep 4 for Elk, with other species opening at different times. Dates vary by gmu and weapon. This page lists 2,772 Washington season dates across 415 GMUs.

What can you hunt in Washington?

Washington offers hunting for 49 species, including Elk, Mule Deer, White-tailed Deer and more. Each species has its own season dates, weapon rules and bag limits.

How many hunting GMUs does Washington have?

Washington is divided into 415 GMUs. Season dates, harvest rates and public-land access differ by unit—use the tables above to compare units before you apply or buy a tag.

State Resource

Always verify season dates and regulations with the official state wildlife agency:

Washington Official Hunting Regulations

View Washington on the map

See GMU boundaries, public land, and walk-in access areas for Washington on our interactive hunting map.

Also see Washington public land, license, and regulations.

Hunt Washington with offline maps