GMU 413 - San Juan, Washington

Island archipelago terrain ranging from open prairie and rocky headlands on San Juan Island to densely forested slopes on Orcas Island (highest point Mount Constitution at 2,409 ft) and rolling farmland on Lopez Island. Shoreline bluffs, mixed Douglas-fir and madrone forest, open meadows, and agricultural fields characterize the landscape. No river corridors or Cascade foothills — entirely marine island environment. Water crossings require Washington State Ferries or private boat.

Public hunting land is extremely limited. San Juan County Conservation Land Bank permits black-tailed deer hunting on Lopez Hill Preserve (Lopez Island) and Mount Grant Preserve (San Juan Island) — written permission required from the Land Bank before hunting. Mount Grant uses WDFW online reservation system (privatelands.wdfw.wa.gov), one hunting party per day. No significant USFS, BLM, or Washington DNR state forest blocks exist in the archipelago. Virtually all huntable acreage is private farmland and residential property; hunters must obtain written landowner permission per San Juan County Code 9.08 before discharging any firearm or hunting implement. Washington State Ferry serves San Juan, Orcas, Lopez, and Shaw islands from Anacortes; vehicles and hunters with gear transported normally. Most private docks are off-limits.

Dominant cover is Douglas-fir, western red cedar, and Pacific madrone forest with Garry oak savanna patches unique to the islands. Agricultural fields (hay, pasture, vegetable farms) on Lopez and San Juan islands provide important feeding habitat. Dense Himalayan blackberry thickets provide bedding cover. Island deer subsist heavily on forbs, grasses, and browse including salal, ocean spray, and rose. The understory is heavily browsed due to high deer densities — travel corridors along forest edges and field margins are productive hunting locations.

Black-tailed deer on the islands are year-round residents with no significant migration — the marine barrier eliminates inter-island movement. Rut activity peaks mid-October through early November. Bucks typically remain in dense timber during daylight, moving to field edges and forest openings at dawn and dusk. Population densities exceed 20 deer per square kilometer on some islands, well above mainland densities. The 2021-2023 adenovirus hemorrhagic disease (AHD) outbreak reduced populations significantly after years of overcrowding, but herds remain robust. No elk present in GMU 413.

Firearm restriction: San Juan County prohibits centerfire and rimfire rifles for all hunting. Legal implements are archery equipment, crossbow, muzzleloader, shotgun, and handguns of .40 caliber (10mm) or larger. Written landowner permission is mandatory by county ordinance (San Juan County Code 9.08) — hunters must carry this documentation while afield. Tags are general season (over-the-counter) — no limited-entry draw required for GMU 413 as of 2024-2026 regulations. All deer are legal (any deer) across all seasons. No elk seasons in GMU 413. 2024 harvest data: 91 hunters, 55 deer harvested, 60% overall success rate. WDFW has actively recruited private landowners to open land for hunting to manage overpopulation, offering incentive payments up to $1,000. District 13 biologist: 360-503-1086.