Resources
Big Game Hunting
Special Permit Species (Goat, Moose, Bighorns)
Bird Hunting
Big Game Units
Bird Areas
Extras
Landowner Access Advice Deer browse information
Game Processing & trophy care/taxidermy
Whitetail Butt
Washington State Whitetail Deer Tips
If you can contribute information click here Submit information (tips, area suggestions, etc)
This hunting information is provided as advice only. It is the duty of the hunter to ensure that he or she is complying with all current laws and regulations.
For this species there are a few basics you need to understand in order to hunt them legally with the proper licenses and tags. The WDFW regulations have a number of exceptions to the information provided below, these are general statements meant to help point the beginning hunter in hunting this particular species. It is also the duty of the hunter to ensure that he or she is complying with all rules and regulations put in place for that season, species, and area they are hunting
Whitetail deer reside on the eastern side of Washington State with a small protected subspecies herd in Western Washington called Columbian Whitetailed deer. The whitetail population is thought to be increasing all over Eastern Washington and moving into habitats where only mule deer were found a few decades ago. Whitetail deer hunting generally has the most liberal seasons and allows for general late season rut hunting. A hunter purchases a deer license (transport tag) and must choose a weapon (Modern Firearm, Archery, or Muzzleloader) The deer license allows you to hunt any open area statewide and for all three managed species. You do not have to hunt just this species. The WDFW has allotted seasons and areas for each of the weapon types. You cannot hunt any other area or season outside of your weapon choice. The general season limit is one animal per year.
There is no single "right" way to hunt whitetail deer... being flexible and paying attention to your surroundings will increase your success.
Gear
More and more timber company lands are being gated. Buy a nice mountain bike and pedal into the area. You’ll be amazed at how much area you can cover. If you are handy or go to the local bike shop, you can have the freewheel noise disabled for a really silent bike. HWS staff
Tree stands are very effective on Whitetail deer in Washington. Simply find a secluded game trail with fresh sign and place your stand on the downwind side of the trail. Get into the stand well before light, to let the area calm down. Whitetails will move at all times of the day, but, mostly in the early morning and late evening. HWS staff
When using a tree stand, stay in it all day, if possible. Bring the following items to make your stay up there comfortable: Food, book for slower times, soda/coffee, pee bottle (don't urinate off your stand you'll spook every deer within a mile) hand warmers, extra hats & gloves.
When using a tree stand don't prune everything around you and on the tree you are using. Use blind material and branches to hide yourself better. Break up your outline, even when you are up a tree. It is also important to set up and test your shooting lanes well before you hunt. There is nothing more frustrating than going to all the work of getting a good spot and 20 feet up in the air and finding out that you have no shooting lanes. What may look like a great spot from the ground could look much different than down on the ground.
Early season hunting in Washington can be quite warm and some areas can contain hordes of flying insects (mosquitoes, deer flies, no se-ums, etc) Wear long sleeve shirts, light gloves and perhaps a face mask. With the potential for West-Nile virus, it’s better to take precautions of being bitten. HWS staff
Bring an inexpensive digital camera with you. The pictures will prevent your hunting buddies from lying or for them thinking you are a liar. Hint: (You can use photo editing software later to either add or subtract details from your hunting pictures.) HWS staff
Purchase a hunting muff. You can jam thick dry gloves and heating pads into it. Then you can hunt in cold weather with gloveless hands. HWS staff
Pay strict attention to your smell. Deer will spook easily. Cover up scents (like raccoon) work well and put deer at ease. HWS staff
When using scents and gear pay attention to what you are using. Many chain stores and online supply companies will try to sell you scents and gear that have no applicability to any hunting situation in Washington. Scent tips HWS staff
Gather some vegetation from the area you plan to hunt. Store all of your hunting clothes in garbage bags with the vegetation. Even your underwear, pack, etc. This is the best scent mask I have found. (tip: courtesy Jeff D)
-
I would recommend a 25-06 or larger, also dress head to toe in camo these deer are smart wear it even if you are going to put orange over it, and wear a lot of clothes, you can always take it off, but you cant put it on if you do not have it!!! (courtesy Craig N.)
Habitat
Whitetail deer typically will be found in the lowland areas around agricultural areas. Look for areas between bedding and food sources to set up a stand and wait for deer to trade between the two areas. HWS staff
When hunting in areas where Mule Deer and Whitetail share space, you will typically find the whitetails down low and the Mule Deer up high. HWS staff
Washington State has an abundance of wild apple trees. It is not uncommon to find whitetails frequenting these trees when browse is scarce. HWS staff
Many Eastern Washington areas contain both whitetails and mule deer. Washington State hunting regulations are split out between both species and different rules apply. Know your target before you take the shot. Remember, most mule deer seasons and regulations are far more restrictive than the rules and regulations for Whitetails. HWS staff
Washington State Whitetail numbers are ever increasing. The WDFW offers generous permits and seasons for these deer. Take advantage of the youth seasons/tags to get a young one involved and successful!
-
Whitetail deer generally shed their antlers anywhere between late December and late February.
When tracking a deer, pay attention to its tracks in the dirt or snow. A meandering path signals a deer which is feeding or is looking for a place to bed. A straight path signals that a deer is on the move and is moving from one point or other. A path which is straight but shows the deer stopped and turned around is a sign that a deer knows it is being stalked.(courtesy Mike D)
Deer are diurnal, meaning that they are most active at dusk and dawn. Cloudy days increase the time that a deer will spend in the open as the lower light levels will be more spread out. (courtesy Mike D)
When observing browse or feeding areas, remember that the lighter the color of the nipped shrub or twig, the fresher the sign. Older browse browns with age. (courtesy Mike D)
Deer are usually considered "browsers" not grazers like cows, sheep and elk. Think like a browsing animal when looking for deer. (courtesy Bill P)
In open country, deer will tend to bed near the only shrub or tree grove available. Look for these islands to hold your deer. Approach them from up-wind and remember that they will be usually watching from that direction. It is also possible to find pockets of deer in low lying areas (depressions, gullies, washes and the like) not readily visible. These animals have spent a lot of time being safe in these areas as they are very difficult to sneak in to without being detected. (courtesy Timothy T)
-
Easiest piece of advice regarding whether there are any bucks in an area.. If there are fawns... There are bucks (at least during rutting season) (courtesy R. Johnson)
-
Solitary does during the middle of rut could signify a doe which is in full estrus. The does seem to not like an audience and move away from others to breed. A solitary doe could provide opportunity to that rut dumb buck! (courtesy R. Johnson)
Techniques
First rule! Know what you are shooting at !!! There is no excuse for accidentally shooting something you did not intend to. HWS staff
Gated areas are becoming hot spots with untouched areas available for hunting. HWS staff
Hire a guide for one season. Chances are that guide will teach you more during your hunt than you would learn from years of "trying to figure it out on your own." Guides are willing to teach and are getting paid to give you all their attention. Most guides will be flattered if you continually pick their brains for information.
Use a crowded hunting day to your advantage. Find a bench or a saddle in the area you are hunting, get there before first light and wait for other hunters to kick the deer in your direction. HWS staff
Grunting and rattling are widely proven techniques in pulling in rutting bucks.
Hunting the Whitetail rut can be one of the most fun hunts you will experience. Bucks will actively tend scrapes and rubs.
Set up stands near these areas. HWS staffWhitetail deer are notorious for being creatures of habit. When in whitetail areas pay strict attention to fresh deer sign and stick to that area. HWS staff
When the snow flies… go hunting! There is nothing better than tracking deer in fresh snow. The snow starts falling typically during the late hunts (November and December.)
Make your own scrape or eradicate one that is being actively worked. Nothing irritates a rutting buck more than another deer obliterating his scrape and peeing all over "his" territory. Continue to make mock scrapes throughout your hunt and spread urine (both doe and buck) to get the rutting buck worked up. HWS staff
Whitetails are creatures of habit. Active rubs, trails and food plots will easily tell a hunter where the deer will be. With patience, you can set up a stand in one of these areas and you will more than likely be rewarded with a shot or two at an animal.
-
When you get up on a deer watch it closely to find out what your next move is. Deer with ears turned toward you and tail up means you've been busted and the deer is just about to bolt. Deer with ears toward you or the ears are constantly moving and stomping a front foot means they've busted you, but not really sure what you are yet. The stomp is intended to get you to make a move. Deer with ears constantly moving and the head is bobbing up and down usually means they think something might be there, but, they are not too alarmed. If you don't move, these deer will settle down and provide a shot. The very distinctive whitetail snort means you've been so busted, that the deer is trying to alert the deer in the next county of your presence. HWS staff
Deer usually only use a trail going one direction only. If you are 100% sure of the location of a feeding area, the trails which have deer tracks pointing away from the food source will be morning trails. With deer tracks pointing to the feed source, the trails will more than likely be used by deer in the evening. (courtesy Parker L.)
Get in the habit of erasing deer tracks you come upon in areas that you will hunt more than 1 day. By erasing those prints, you will be able to tell with great precision when new tracks were made. (courtesy Mike D)
When deer approach a waterhole or a water crossing, they will slow down and scan the area considerably. Use these areas to ambush a deer. (courtesy Mike D)
When looking over terrain for bucks. Watch for things other than deer. Bucks will rub on saplings which make the tree move. Also, deer moving through tall brush will move the brush as they walk. Look for these signs and you will find a chance at seeing deer. (courtesy Mike D)
-
When there are a lot of does in an area during the rut, break out the grunt tube. The bucks will be waiting out the does as they come into estrous. These bucks will be hanging around downwind waiting for a ripe female. (Pat R, Spokane)
-
Hunt the bad weather. Really stormy and rainy days make whitetails nervous and pushes them around. Hunt especially right after the storm when the bucks are moving around to dry off. (Pat R, Spokane)
-
Get in the habit of breaking up your walking gait. A sure sign that a human is walking is the steady pace of his footprints. Break up your walking pace like a deer or elk would and walk 10 paces, stop, walk 2, stop ...mix it up! (courtesy Ron P, Woodinville)
-
When the flies and mosquitoes are out in early season, we are now using ground blinds for our whitetail stands which are bug tight. (courtesy John S, Cheney)
-
If hunting alone or in a small group, place trail cams on those trails you aren't hunting that day. Come back and retrieve the trail cam after you are done hunting for the day and check to see if a buck has been using the particular area. At least you won't be thinking in the back of your mind.. "I wonder how the other area is doing" as you'll have an electronic eye watching for you. (Courtesy Jeff L, Seattle)
-
While the actual time can vary... The Whitetail rut usually begins full swing in mid November and goes through the first couple of days of December. You will see Whitetails in rutting behavior Sept through December, but most of the actual breeding happens around Thanksgiving. (courtesy R. Johnson)
-
Many hunters think that a bright full moon all night will affect the next day's hunt. What it will do is is make the animals get up and move in the middle of the day rather than in the early morning or late evening. Animals won't bed down all day long and still need to eat, drink, and stretch their legs. (courtesy Smith J.)
-
Best places to set up tree stands or ground blinds are in travel zones. Always set up downwind of the trail. Stream bottoms/gullies, a gap in a fence, a stream crossing where it narrows, or in really thick underbrush are the usual areas deer will move through while allowing you to have a closer shot. (courtesy Petey7)
-
Avoid using the same entrance and exit paths to hunting areas other hunters use. It's a sure bet that the deer have been well educated and steer well clear of those areas. (courtesy MIke D)
-
Never pass up on the first day what you would shoot on the last day of your hunt. (courtesy Smith J)
Miscellaneous
Get in shape! You need to be in shape to trudge through Washington State Whitetail Deer country. HWS staff
Washington Whitetail deer reside in the east-side of the state. Particularly in the Northeast, the Idaho border counties, and most of the Blue Mountains. HWS staff
Keep alcohol back at camp or the hotel. Guns and booze never mix. HWS staff
Be careful when hunting snowy logging roads. Carry chains (even if you have a 4 x 4) a portable hand winch, survival gear and the like. It does not take much to get yourself stuck way back in the woods, far away from help. HWS staff
When scouting look at areas where you see tall horse fences around gardens, orchards, and the like. More than likely, that homeowner has a deer or elk problem. You may have a pretty good shot at getting on their land to hunt their nuisance deer.
-
Keep the woods clean.. Pack out everything you pack in and even pick up trash from other hunters who have been slobs... Keep the woods cleaner than when you left it!
-
Look at the special permit regulations and pay attention to those areas which provide substantial doe permits or second deer permits. The game biologists are looking for ways to reduce the herd. It is a safe bet that many landowners in these gmus will allow hunting.
Special Seasons have been developed to hunt some species. Special Permits are always required. There are no general seasons. The Permits "grow in value" the more years you apply for them. This is excerpted from the WDFW FAQ regarding special permits.
Q: How do the hunt choices work?
A: When the drawing occurs, it is as if all of the applications for a species are placed in a barrel. The computer spins the barrel by issuing random numbers to each application. The lowest random number that is issued to each application is the number used to order the applications from the lowest random number to the highest. It is the same as drawing cards from a barrel one by one. The application with the lowest random number is drawn first from the barrel and the hunt choices are checked. As each application comes up for consideration, the first hunt choice is checked to see if there is a permit left to be awarded. If there is none left, the second hunt choice is checked. If there is a permit available for that hunt choice, the application is selected for that hunt. If not, the process continues until all of the hunt choices on the application have been checked. If all of the hunt choices marked on the card have run out of permits, no permits are awarded to that application.Q: How do I build up points?
A: Each person who applies for a special hunt permit for a species receives a point for applying. If that person is not awarded a special hunt permit during that drawing the point is retained. If the person is awarded the permit, that person's point total drops to zero. If the person who was not awarded a permit for that species applies the next year, they then have two points. A single point is built up each year the person applies for a species until the person is awarded a permit.Q: What is the value of building up points?
A: Building up points is very much like putting more application cards into the barrel. Those that have more cards in the barrel have an advantage over those that have less. The more points a person has built up for a species over time, the greater are the chances that his/hers will be selected.Q: I heard that the points have multipliers on them. What is that for?
A: Some permit drawing systems are designed so that one random number is issued for each point built up for the species by the applicant. It is the same as having one card in the barrel for each point (one point - one card, two points - two cards, etc.).Washington's system places a multiplier on the points. The number of points is squared and it is this number of random numbers that are issued to the application (or number of cards in the barrel). If a person applies for an elk permit for the first time, they have one card in the barrel. If a person has built up two points, they have four cards in the barrel. If a person has three points built up, nine cards are in the barrel and so on.
Placing a multiplier on the points more noticeably increases the chances of being selected over someone who is a new applicant or was recently awarded a permit as points are built up.