GMU 655 - Anderson Island, Washington
Unit info
- Game species
- Black-tailed Deer, Black Bear
- Group
- Region 6
- Area
- N/A
- Public land
- 1%
Black Bear — season & harvest
- Tag type
- General fall black bear license (no special permit required)
- Reported harvest
- Zero confirmed harvests in all available WDFW records
- General season
- Concurrent with general deer seasons (late August through mid-November in western Washington); verify current pamphlet
Bears are present on Anderson Island (BBMU 4 Puget Sound) but hunting success is effectively zero. Only one hunter is known to have targeted bear on the island (10 days in 2014, no harvest). Not a practical target species given access barriers and very low bear density relative to mainland units.
Draw odds for Black Beararen't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
Black-tailed Deer — season & harvest
- Tag type
- General season tag (any deer, both sexes); antlerless special permits also available in some years
- Reported harvest
- Approximately 15–30 deer annually (total); low volume driven by access barriers, not deer scarcity
Hunt-by-permission on private land. Approach landowners weeks in advance of season. Dense second-growth and blackberry thickets make shot lanes short — ideal for archery and shotgun hunters. Scout field edges, hobby farm clearings, and forest openings. Rut activity (late October through December) elevates buck movement and increases archery and late-season opportunities. No road system to glass from; all access is on foot after ferry crossing. Bring gear manageable for ferry transport.
Draw odds for Black-tailed Deeraren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
About this unit
AI-compiled · sourcedAnderson Island (GMU 655) is a small, low-elevation island in south Puget Sound, Pierce County, supporting a healthy population of Columbian black-tailed deer with no resident elk or confirmed bear harvests. The unit is almost entirely private land accessible only by ferry or private boat, making landowner permission the primary barrier to hunting — but hunters who secure access enjoy the district's highest deer success rate, consistently above 50%. Weapon use is effectively restricted by Pierce County firearm regulations, with shotgun, archery, and muzzleloader being the practical choices for most hunters.
Low-elevation island (0–200 ft) in south Puget Sound. Relatively flat to gently rolling topography with approximately 80% of the area at slopes of 5 degrees or less. Shoreline features tidal flats and small bluffs typical of Puget Sound marine riparian habitat. No mountainous terrain.
Anderson Island is accessible ONLY by Washington State Ferry (Steilacoom–Anderson Island route) or private boat. The island is almost entirely privately owned. Public land is limited to small parks managed by the Anderson Island Park and Recreation District and Pierce County — hunting and trapping are PROHIBITED on all Anderson Island parks. No WDFW wildlife areas, no DNR timber blocks, and no USFS lands exist within the unit. Hunters must obtain written landowner permission for every parcel hunted. Access is best secured weeks before the season opens.
Thick second-growth Douglas-fir and western red cedar forest interspersed with dense Himalayan blackberry, salal, and sword fern understory. Scattered small clearings, hobby farms, and residential lots provide edge habitat. Tidal wetlands and riparian margins along the shoreline. Classic west-slope lowland rainforest character with heavy annual precipitation and mild temperatures. No alpine or subalpine component.
Deer are non-migratory on the island — no seasonal elevation-driven movement occurs. The island functions as a closed population; deer densities are high relative to pressure because ferry logistics and access barriers dramatically limit hunter numbers. The rut can begin as early as late October and run through late December, consistent with Columbian black-tailed deer in the western lowlands of Washington. No elk are present; WDFW District 11 prospects confirm Anderson Island has no elk and has been excluded from all elk population analyses.
GMU 655 was previously designated Deer Area 6014 with antlerless-permit-only hunts. The entire island was redesignated GMU 655 in 2013, adding general both-sex seasons alongside antlerless permit opportunities. Pierce County firearm restrictions apply across most of the island, making archery, shotgun, and muzzleloader the effective options even during modern firearm general season windows. Bear are present on the island (part of BBMU 4 Puget Sound), but no hunter has ever reported harvesting a bear in GMU 655 — only one hunter reported targeting bear there (10 days in 2014, no harvest). Cougar are not documented on the island. WDFW District 11 2025 Prospects (published Sept 2025) notes GMU 655 has the district's highest deer hunter success rate at over 50%, with low total harvest (approximately 15–30 deer annually) driven entirely by access constraints rather than deer scarcity. Harvest trending downward from 2018–2019 spikes as access barriers persist.
Questions, tips & discussion
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Boundaries: WDFW official Game Management Units. Community info last updated 24d ago.