GMU 415 - Blakely, Washington

Marine island terrain in the San Juan Archipelago, San Juan County. Blakely Island is a small, mostly forested island roughly 5 miles long. Topography is gently rolling with modest elevation change, dense conifer-hardwood forest (Douglas fir, red alder, big-leaf maple, Pacific madrone), open meadows, rocky shoreline bluffs, and freshwater ponds. No ferry service; accessible only by private boat or commercial water taxi. Island sits between Orcas and Lopez islands in Rosario Strait. Rainfall is moderate (rain shadow effect moderates precipitation relative to mainland Puget Sound lowlands). Dense understory typical of western Washington maritime forest.

Public land access is extremely limited on Blakely Island. The island is predominantly private residential and resort property. No DNR state forest land, no USFS land, no National Monument parcels, and no county parks are noted for Blakely specifically in WDFW documents. WDFW's Private Lands Access Program (PLAP) is actively negotiating with landowners across the San Juan Islands but no Blakely-specific PLAP enrollment was confirmed as of 2025; check wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/locations/private-lands for current listings. San Juan County ordinance (Code 9.08) requires written landowner permission to hunt on any private land. Access to the island requires a private boat or commercial water taxi; most private docks are privately owned. San Juan County maintains eight public docks and eight boat ramps countywide.

Dense mixed conifer-hardwood maritime forest: Douglas fir, western red cedar, red alder, big-leaf maple, Pacific madrone (arbutus). Understory of salal, sword fern, Oregon grape, and blackberry thickets. Open grassy meadows and rocky bluff areas along shorelines where deer concentrate. Freshwater pond margins attract deer at dawn and dusk. The island's forested character makes still-hunting and stand hunting near meadow edges and water sources the primary tactics.

Black-tailed deer (Columbian subspecies) are resident island deer with no seasonal migration on/off the island. Population is self-contained. Deer have historically been overabundant on San Juan Islands, creating habitat degradation concerns. WDFW management goal is population reduction. In 2021, an AHD (Adenovirus Hemorrhagic Disease) outbreak impacted Blakely Island deer; notably, harvest on Blakely increased slightly during the 2021 outbreak while neighboring islands saw 84-93% harvest drops — suggesting Blakely's population was less severely impacted or hunters shifted effort there. By 2023-2025, total harvest across District 13 island GMUs stabilized. No elk present on any San Juan Island — island units are not open for elk. Cougar are not present on the outer islands. Black bear are not present on Blakely Island.

FIREARM RESTRICTIONS (CRITICAL): San Juan County — including GMU 415 — prohibits centerfire and rimfire rifles for big game hunting. Allowed equipment: archery, muzzleloader, crossbow, revolver or semi-automatic handguns (.40 cal/10mm or larger), and shotguns. Modern firearm tag holders may use any of these during general season. ACCESS: No ferry service to Blakely Island; private boat or commercial water taxi required. Most docks are privately owned — confirm landing access before arrival. San Juan County requires written landowner permission by county ordinance (Code 9.08) to hunt private land. DISEASE: AHD impacted Blakely deer in 2021; as of summer 2025 no AHD detected in District 13. Use disposable gloves when handling carcasses. Do not transport carcasses off-island to prevent disease spread. CWD has not been detected in western Washington as of 2025. HARVEST REPORTING: Misreporting of island GMU numbers is common — WDFW asks hunters to verify correct unit (415 for Blakely) before submitting harvest report. DEER MANAGEMENT: WDFW actively encourages harvest to reduce overabundant deer populations that damage island habitats and threaten endangered island marble butterfly host plants. CONTACT: Kurt Licence, District Wildlife Biologist, 360-503-1086, kurt.licence@dfw.wa.gov.