Hunting and Fshing concerns with Washington

Gents,

Looking at potentially taking a job move from Utah to Washington. I don't want to sound too ignorant but I'm terrified because I've heard very discouraging things about the liberals and gun control and hunting and fishing not being "that great" because of things like tribal lands, lack of public land, etc.

Can anyone put my fears to rest or at least tell me what their opinion is of the hunting and fishing in North Western Washington, specifically Blaine area????

I know I can request a proclaimation and figure it out but I'd like to hear it straight from people who know. I'm a passionate elk hunter in Utah and Idaho and love to hunt deer, bear, ice fish, etc.

Any reason for me to be concerned or did I get bad information?

Thanks

what you will find in Washington is not as good as Utah or Idaho in my judgement

I live in western wa and have hunted most of the western States and WA is the worst of all of them. Mule deer hunting is poor. East side elk hunting is spike only general season and any bull tags are extremely difficult to draw. West side elk hunting is better but you will be hunting in more of jungle country. Blacktail hunting is on the west side and can be good. But access is getting hard to find. There is very little ice fishing any where in the state. It is very liberal here. Gun rights are always under attack. But I haven't found a place yet that I would rather live. Mild weather, and the ocean make up for a lot of the bad.


"Go hunt for meat at Walmart."

I moved to Washington in 2007 from Utah.

I haven't drawn a deer tag or elk tag since I moved here.

I have hunted every year since moving here, just in other states.

The regulations, the crappy draw odds, and lack of landowners willing to let hunters get access make this state a tough one to hunt big game.

I moved to Lake Wenatchee Washington in 2011. I work for the Forest Service, and have lived in some beautiful country around the west. I grew up hunting and fishing in New Mexico. I moved here from the White Mountains of Arizona. I have lived in the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains of California, and worked in Great Basin of Nevada. I have spent some time in Montana as well. When I first moved to Washington, I was told to not get excited about all the water here, because most of it is closed to fishing (in my area of Chelan County). I have made the most of this situation, and take advantage of ice fishing at Fish Lake, the sockeye run at Lake Wenatchee, I am grateful for OTC deer and elk tags, grouse hunting, bear hunting, etc., etc. I know when I go out deer hunting, that I should not expect much. But I go out an make the most of it. Sometimes I fill the freezer, sometimes I don't. Elk are like ghosts in my unit....I've only seen one herd in the unit where I live, but I have helped pack out a couple. I hear northeast part of the state has some outstanding whitetail opportunities. Make the most of it, apply for all the special hunts.