What hunters look for in Washington
Hunters look for agricultural fields that concentrate deer, elk and waterfowl away from the pressure on heavily hunted public units. The Columbia Basin and the coastal estuaries carry some of the best waterfowl hunting in the West, and the wheat country and eastern breaks hold mule deer and pheasant.
The Blue Mountains of the southeast are elk and mule deer country, the Columbia Basin and the Palouse are known for waterfowl and pheasant, the Methow and Okanogan for mule deer, and the Olympic Peninsula and southwest forests for Roosevelt elk and blacktail.
When hunters want to be on your land
Archery seasons generally open in early fall, in September, with muzzleloader and modern firearm deer and elk seasons running through October and November depending on the unit. Waterfowl runs through the winter, and spring turkey is in April.
Seasons, licenses and regulations are set by the state and change every year; treat this as background, not official information. Some states also have rules for landowners who lease hunting rights.
Official source: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Leasing your Washington land, answered
- Who would be hunting my land in Washington?
- A HuntingLeaseUSA member with a paid membership, booking under their own name, not an anonymous reply to a classified ad. In Washington, the hunters who lease private land are mainly elk, deer and waterfowl hunters. On a season lease, one party holds the ground for the season, bound by your rules.
- How do I get paid for a hunting lease in Washington?
- The hunter pays us when they book, so you never chase anyone for money. We keep our fee and pay your share to your bank account on our regular payout run after the month the access period starts. There is no fee to be listed.
- What about liability when hunters are on my Washington land?
- The hunter who books signs the Access Agreement, with your rules in it, and the Liability Waiver at checkout, before they pay. Check with your own insurer or attorney about what applies to a landowner who leases hunting rights in Washington.
Leasing land somewhere else? See every state.
How many acres, and what’s on it?
Tell us on a short call: fields, ranch land or timber, any wetland, and the elk, deer and waterfowl you have seen. We’ll go through how listing works and what comparable ground nearby has been leasing for. No account to create and no fee to be listed.