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 Squirrel & Other Game Hunting Opportunties Fall 2021 
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Location: Renton
Joined: Fri Aug 21, 2020
Posts: 39
Real Name: Ron Martinsen
Disclaimer, I am a newbie to hunting in the Northwest. I previously hunted as a kid in Louisiana, but I just need to walk into my back yard and shoot.

Fast foward to 2021, my 12 year old son is a successful competitive shooter with his 22LR and I do a significant amount of shooting at the range - between the two of us we average about 83 shots per day, so short story is that we can handle a firearm. However, my son really wants to go Squirrel hunting with his 22 rifle and I'm looking forward to hunting with my 6.5 Creedmoor, but we have no clue where to begin.

Is there a place where we can go to just pay using the land where there are known Squirrel & Deer and with the appropriate permits, just go hunting together in the Western or Central Washington Area?

My son has completed his hunters safety class and we have successfully gone Pheasant and Dove hunting via organized methods, but those don't have an option for what we are looking for. We have all the permits needed for small game and migratory birds, but I don't have a permit for deer just yet.

Other suggestions appreciated.


Thu Oct 14, 2021 5:05 pm
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Location: Kent
Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2013
Posts: 1653
Real Name: Andy
Well my first recommendation is to read Washington State game laws. Washington state has lots of protected species. And if they are not that. Then they have a specific hunting season (and even hunting hours).
As far as squirrel hunting. The only two you can hunt are Eastern Gray squirrels and the California ground squirrel.
Eastern Grays are most commonly found here in the city. So you most likely won’t be hunting them with any powder burner firearm. Also we do have Western Gray squirrels here but they are protected. So you will need to be able to identify the two. And know your quarry.
As for the California ground squirrel. They live in the eastern side of the state. And mostly on private land. I have hunted them in an apple orchard. But with an air rifle. Using a powder burner firearm would not have been safe. Also as for California Ground squirrels. There is some concern of them carrying the bubonic plague. So eating or even handling should be done with caution.

California Ground squirrel taking with .22 cal high power air rifle in Yakama. On private property.
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Eastern Gray taken at undisclosed location, Puget Sound area. Removed by landowners request. Gun is a low power .177 air rifle.
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Fri Oct 15, 2021 6:36 am
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Location: Renton
Joined: Fri Aug 21, 2020
Posts: 39
Real Name: Ron Martinsen
survivor wrote:
Well my first recommendation is to read Washington State game laws. Washington state has lots of protected species. And if they are not that. Then they have a specific hunting season (and even hunting hours).
As far as squirrel hunting. The only two you can hunt are Eastern Gray squirrels and the California ground squirrel.
Eastern Grays are most commonly found here in the city. So you most likely won’t be hunting them with any powder burner firearm. Also we do have Western Gray squirrels here but they are protected. So you will need to be able to identify the two. And know your quarry.
As for the California ground squirrel. They live in the eastern side of the state. And mostly on private land. I have hunted them in an apple orchard. But with an air rifle. Using a powder burner firearm would not have been safe. Also as for California Ground squirrels. There is some concern of them carrying the bubonic plague. So eating or even handling should be done with caution.

California Ground squirrel taking with .22 cal high power air rifle in Yakama. On private property.
...


Would you mind private messaging me with some recommended places we could go in Yakima?

I have seen the brochure on what's not legal - https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files ... w01024.pdf


Tue Oct 19, 2021 2:20 pm
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Location: Kent
Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2013
Posts: 1653
Real Name: Andy
I know of no places to hunt in Yakama.
My folks rented a house there for one year. And that property had the ground squirrels.
Unfortunately (for me) the place they ended up buying has no squirrels.


Tue Oct 19, 2021 4:22 pm
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Location: Renton
Joined: Fri Aug 21, 2020
Posts: 39
Real Name: Ron Martinsen
bummer - thanks for replying though!


Tue Oct 19, 2021 4:29 pm
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Location: olympia
Joined: Sat Sep 21, 2013
Posts: 3783
FYI GMU 121 in the Springdale area is dealing with some serious blue tongue problems. While we were there we counted 20 dead deer in the woods. Spoke to some locals and they said it has hit the area hard. One local rancher said in years past herds of deer would come into their fields at night. He said this year he gets only a few, with lots of dead ones being reported in his and other people's fields near by. Just a heads up if you are planning to hunt in that area.


Tue Oct 19, 2021 7:37 pm
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