GMU 412 - Shaw, Washington

Shaw Island is a small island of approximately 8 square miles situated in the San Juan Archipelago between Orcas, San Juan, and Lopez islands in the Salish Sea. Elevation ranges from sea level to roughly 169 feet. The landscape is low-relief island terrain with no significant drainages or ridgelines. Unlike mainland Region 4 units, there are no North Cascades foothills, river corridors, or montane habitats. The island sits in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains and receives considerably less precipitation than the western Washington mainland, making it drier than much of western Washington.

Access to Shaw Island is via Washington State Ferry from Anacortes on the San Juan Islands route (stops at Shaw Landing). Private boat access is also possible via San Juan County-maintained docks, but most landings are privately owned. On-island access is almost entirely private — approximately 1% of the island is publicly accessible. The University of Washington holds significant landholdings on Shaw. No WDFW wildlife areas or DNR state forest tracts of hunting significance exist on Shaw Island. No BLM San Juan Islands National Monument parcels are located on Shaw (monument parcels are on Lopez and Stuart). San Juan County ordinance requires written landowner permission to hunt on all private property. WDFW's Private Lands Access Program (PLAP) is actively working to enroll island properties but as of 2025 no Shaw Island properties were listed; available PLAP sites are concentrated on Orcas, Lopez, and San Juan islands.

Shaw Island's uplands are dominated by second-growth Douglas fir and grand fir mixed conifer forest, with Pacific madrone increasingly being crowded out as fire suppression has allowed Douglas fir to close in the canopy. Understory includes salal, Oregon grape, and bigleaf maple. The dense, closed-canopy second growth creates limited deer browse compared to early-successional mainland habitats. Agricultural openings, hobby farms, and cleared residential lots provide the primary foraging areas and are focal points for deer activity, especially at dawn and dusk. The relatively dry rain-shadow climate supports more madrone-associated open forest on south-facing slopes near saltwater.

Deer on Shaw Island are a resident island population with no seasonal migration — the island is surrounded by saltwater and deer do not move on or off the island. Deer use all available habitat types across the small island. During archery and general season, deer patterns shift toward denser second-growth timber and brushy edges. Because the island population is closed and isolated, deer density can fluctuate significantly after disease events like the 2021 AHD outbreak. Post-AHD, harvest numbers remained modest but stable. No elk, black bear, or cougar are present on Shaw Island.

No elk are present on Shaw Island or anywhere in San Juan County — the county is closed to elk hunting. No black bear or cougar are documented on Shaw Island. San Juan County is a designated Firearm Restriction Area: centerfire and rimfire rifles are prohibited for big game hunting. Legal weapons are archery equipment, muzzleloaders, shotguns, and specific handguns (.40 caliber / 10mm or larger revolvers or semi-automatic pistols). AHD was confirmed on Shaw Island following the 2021 outbreak that began on Orcas and San Juan islands. As of late July 2025, no active AHD has been detected in District 13. WDFW management goal is deer population reduction on San Juan Islands due to historical overabundance and habitat degradation. Harvest reporting accuracy for island GMUs is an ongoing issue — hunters are asked to report the correct GMU. Deer on the islands are typically smaller-bodied than mainland black-tails. District 13 Wildlife Biologist: Kurt Licence, 360-503-1086, kurt.licence@dfw.wa.gov.