GMU 633 - Mason, Washington

Low- to mid-elevation Hood Canal foothills and Tahuya Peninsula. Elevations range from near sea level along Hood Canal and Puget Sound to roughly 1,500–2,000 ft on interior ridges. Terrain is moderately steep — HuntScore notes approximately 80% of the unit at or below a moderate slope threshold. The unit spans Kitsap, Mason, Pierce, and Thurston counties with the bulk of habitat in Mason County.

Most access is walk-in or non-motorized. DNR Tahuya Peninsula allows ATV use on designated trails. Green Diamond Resource Co. and Manke Lumber Co. private lands are open to hunting under company access permit programs — permits obtained directly from each company. A network of logging roads provides primary penetration into the unit; many are gated and non-motorized-only. WDFW Private Lands Access Program (Region 6 Montesano, 360-249-4628) negotiates additional access on smaller private parcels. Access restrictions on industrial timberland have tightened in recent years.

Predominantly industrial-managed multi-age conifer forest dominated by Douglas fir and red alder. Productive deer habitat concentrates in 5–10-year-old clear-cuts (abundant forage), riparian corridors, and mature forest patches. Mid-seral stands 20–40 years post-harvest are the least productive phase for deer. Berries — salal, Oregon grape, huckleberry — are critical for bear and upland birds. Power-line corridors and 2- to 6-year-old clear-cuts support mountain quail. Hunting opportunities range from near sea-level marine edges on Hood Canal to moderate ridgelines.

Black-tailed deer are resident year-round at low to mid elevations with no major elevational migration. Rut begins as early as late October and extends through late December, with peak breeding in November. Logging cycle drives deer distribution: fresh clear-cuts (5–10 yrs post-cut) and riparian edges hold the most deer; dense mid-seral stands (20–40 yrs) see lower density. No established elk herds — occasional individuals or small groups reported but not predictable. Black bear resident year-round; densities comparable to nearby Capitol Forest study area (~12–14 bears per 100 km²). Cougar occur throughout under CHMU 53.

GMU 633 ranks among the top three District 15 deer units (alongside 621 and 627) per WDFW biologist field assessments through 2025. Elk are legally pursuable but functionally incidental — no general or special permit elk seasons are issued specifically for GMU 633. Black bear season runs Aug 1 – Nov 15 with a two-bear limit; GMU 633 is in the reorganized Puget Sound Black Bear Management Unit (2025) and is named by WDFW as one of the best bear opportunities in District 15. Cougar present under CHMU 53 (cap of 8 for GMUs 633, 636, and 651 combined); hunters must call hotline 1-866-364-4868 weekly during season. No TAHD (treponeme-associated hoof disease) documented in this unit. Tribal hunting occurs in District 15 and may account for 50% or more of total harvest district-wide. Grouse (sooty and ruffed) offer supplemental opportunity; Mason County has the highest grouse harvest in the district (10-yr avg ~1,601 birds).