GMU 684 - Long Beach, Washington

Low-elevation coastal barrier peninsula, nearly flat throughout. Elevation ranges from sea level to roughly 200 feet at the Cape Disappointment headlands at the southern tip near Ilwaco. The landscape is a mosaic of Pacific Ocean beachfront dunes, Willapa Bay tidal flats and salt marsh, freshwater lakes (Loomis Lake, Cranberry Lake, Island Lake), cranberry bog agriculture, residential and vacation-home development, and remnant Sitka spruce and red alder coastal forest. The peninsula averages one mile wide along most of its length, widening slightly near Ocean Park in the north. Terrain is not physically demanding — no significant elevation gain — but navigation through dense coastal brush, wetland margins, and private land is the primary challenge.

Public land within GMU 684 is limited and fragmented. Key public areas include: Willapa National Wildlife Refuge (Leadbetter Point unit at the northern tip and Long Island unit in Willapa Bay — hunting permitted for deer, elk, and bear with refuge regulations and state license); small Washington DNR parcels scattered through the peninsula interior; and WDFW Discover Pass areas. Cape Disappointment State Park (2,023 acres at the southern tip) is closed to hunting. The North Willapa Bay Wildlife Area (4,208 acres, covering GMUs 673 and 658) lies adjacent to the north of GMU 684 on the mainland and offers additional access. The majority of the peninsula is private residential, vacation, or agricultural land. Willapa NWR Leadbetter Point is reached via Stackpole Road off Sandridge Road with a USFWS trailhead parking area.

Dominant vegetation includes old-growth and second-growth Sitka spruce and western hemlock coastal rainforest, red alder riparian corridors, shore pine stands on dune margins, Scots broom and Himalayan blackberry scrub, cranberry bog agriculture, coastal dune grass, and extensive Willapa Bay tidal salt marsh. Deer browse heavily on red alder, Himalayan blackberry, sword fern, salal, and emergent wetland edges. The dense understory provides excellent escape cover but limits visibility to under 30 yards in most wooded sections, making archery and close-range shooting skills essential.

Black-tailed deer on the Long Beach Peninsula are a non-migratory year-round resident population with no seasonal migration off the peninsula. Deer shift between remnant coastal forest patches, wetland edges, cranberry bog margins, and residential/agricultural areas through the year. Rut activity runs late October through December with peak intensity in November. Roosevelt elk are low-density on the peninsula; small bands may move into the northern end near Leadbetter Point and the Willapa Bay tidal margins in fall and winter. Black bear are present but uncommon — any bear on the peninsula is likely transient from adjacent mainland habitat.

Firearm restriction: GMU 684 prohibits centerfire and rimfire rifles during modern firearm general deer and elk seasons. Legal weapons during those seasons are bows and arrows, crossbows, muzzleloaders, revolver-type handguns, semi-automatic handguns of .40 caliber or larger, and shotguns. The restriction boundary runs from Outer Harbor Way in Ilwaco north on Hwy 101 to Sandridge Road, north to 95th Street, west to Tarlatt Slough, continuing through Willapa Bay to the Pacific Ocean, south along the coast to Cape Disappointment State Park, then east along the park boundary and Baker Bay back to the start. Willapa NWR lands carry a 'd' designation in WDFW elk tables, requiring hunters to consult USFWS regulations in addition to state rules. Deer hunting prospects for GMU 684 are rated marginal to fair; the unit was not highlighted among top-producing District 17 units for black-tailed deer. Light hunting pressure overall given firearm restrictions and access challenges.