Hunting Deer in Goldendale, Washington
The Goldendale area in the southeast Cascades of Washington is home to some of the nation's top deer, turkey and elk hunting regions. Blacktail, whitetail and mule deer are attracted to the rich grazing watered by the Klicktat River, which flows 100 miles to the Columbia River.
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Things You'll Need
- Warm clothing, layers
- Camouflage especially for archery hunts
- Hunter orange
- Lunch with beverage
- Rifle with ammo or archery gear
- Knee-high weatherproof boots
- Rain gear
- Valid licenses and tags
- Binoculars
- Camera (optional)
- GPS (optional)
Instructions
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Preparation
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Complete the necessary preparations before applying for a license. Washington requires hunters born after January 1, 1972, to show proof that they have completed a hunter education course in Washington or another state. You can secure more information, class schedules and locations by calling 360-902-8111. You can also take this course online (see Resources).
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Compare your hunting options and pick what method is best for you. In Goldendale, you can hunt unguided, semi-guided or fully guided.
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If unguided, secure topographical maps and know the area. Most of the deer graze in the Soda Springs region west of Goldendale, 13,000 acres in size with about 2,100 acres being U.S. Bureau of Land Management. All of this land is open to deer hunting except for "Safety Zones" that safeguard scattered homes in the area. The Goldendale area has Game Management Units (GMUs) 578 West Klickitat and 382 East Klickitat.
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Schedule your hunting dates. The regular modern firearms season runs from the middle to the end of October. Archery runs from first to mid-September. Muzzleloaders run from approximately the last 10 days of November to first week of December. Check your current hunting pamphlet for dates or call the regional office at 509-754-4624.
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Scout your hunting area ahead of time, especially if you don't have a local guide. Note your potential hunting routes in reaching the deer population's primary and secondary travel trails. Allen Thomas, in the Oct. 9, 2009, edition of "The Columbian," writes that scouting, preparation and patience will greatly improve your chances of success.
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Secure a hunting license with deer as the option and select modern firearm, muzzleloader or archery. Each has a different season listed in the Washington's Big Game Hunting Seasons & Regulations publication. You can secure this where you apply for your license. For the 2010-11 season, for deer alone a resident pays $45.20 and a nonresident $434. A youth under 16 or a disabled hunter pays $23.60. Securing a second deer option, where allowed, costs about 50 percent more. You must also show proof of a hunter education class before purchasing a license.
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Secure the necessary vehicle-use permits. These are required for all vehicles on posted state land and water access sites. You get one permit free with your license, transferable from one vehicle to another. For nonhunters, the permit costs $14 for the first one and $8 for the second.
During the Hunt
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Wear hunter orange. When you hunt deer or elk, Washington law requires the hunter to wear at least 400 square inches of "fluorescent hunter orange exterior clothing" above his waist and visible from all sides. This applies also to muzzleloader and archery hunters when their season overlaps with the modern firearm season.
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Schedule your hunting to the daylight hours noted in your pamphlet. These are approximately one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. For East Klickitat GMU 382 (east of Goldendale), these hours are noted specifically in hours and minutes for "Eastern Washington." For West Klickitat GMU 578 (west of Goldendale) times are noted for "Western Washington."
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Use your binoculars to judge whether your targeted deer meets the legal three-point minimum required for bucks in the Goldendale GMUs.
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Respect private property and Indian lands. The Goldendale area is a mixture of wilderness and settlements, private and public properties. Always check with landowners about hunting on their property and obey all "no hunting" and "no trespassing" signs.
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Tag your game immediately after the kill and leave it tagged until the animal is eaten, stored or at a taxidermist. When you are done hunting, report your results online (see Resources) or by phone at 877-945-3492.
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure you are in good physical shape. Hunting in the Goldendale area can be challenging, with the best hunting in terrain that is rugged and open only to walking or mountain biking. Obtain and have ready at all times the necessary licenses and tags. Do not hunt on private land without permission, including the Yakama Indian Reservation just north of Goldendale.
Do not remove evidence of the sex of the animal while in possession or transit.
Do not allow the meat of any game animal taken to be recklessly wasted.
Respect the rights of residents and the sensibilities of nonhunters in your hunting area.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit View of Columbia River from Dog Mountain image by Duc Ly from Fotolia.com
