GMU 417 Cypress
Cypress Island: a rare boat-in PUBLIC blacktail hunt on mostly DNR-owned island wildland — deer only.
WDFW Region 4 — North Puget Sound (District 13, Skagit County) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
4
sq mi
Public land
80%
approx.
Elevation
0–750
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
GMU 417 "Cypress" covers all of Cypress Island in Skagit County. Unlike most San Juan-area island units, Cypress is largely owned and managed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) as conserved natural-area land, which makes it one of the very few islands here with genuine public deer hunting. Deer hunting is permitted on the DNR-owned ground, but hunting for all OTHER species is prohibited on the DNR land — this is a blacktail-only unit. Cypress sits in Skagit County and is NOT inside the San Juan firearm-restriction areas. Access is boat-in only (no ferry), and the hunt, while public, can be crowded and physically demanding.
Terrain
A steep, rugged, largely undeveloped island rising abruptly from saltwater to forested ridgelines and rocky bald knobs. Eagle Cliff and the interior high ground give real vertical relief for such a small island, with trail access from DNR-maintained boat-in sites rather than roads.
Cover: Coastal Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and western redcedar with extensive Pacific madrona and rocky-bald openings of grass, moss, and manzanita. Salal, oceanspray, and huckleberry fill the understory — good blacktail browse and cover on the slopes above the beaches.
Landmarks: Cypress Island (entire unit) · Eagle Cliff (high point, seasonal closure for raptor nesting) · Reed Lake and Duck Lake (interior) · Pelican Beach (DNR campsite/moorage) · Cypress Head (DNR campsite/moorage) · Strawberry Bay (moorage)
Access
Cypress is mostly DNR-managed land that is open to DEER hunting only; hunting for other species on the DNR ground is prohibited, so treat this as a blacktail-only unit. Some parcels remain privately owned — stay on the DNR side of boundaries and do not trespass onto private property or into neighboring GMU 418. Cypress is in Skagit County and is NOT included in the San Juan firearm-restriction areas, but confirm current rules before relying on that. There is no ferry: reach the island by private boat or water taxi, using DNR boat-in campsites and moorage at Pelican Beach, Cypress Head, and Strawberry Bay. Note seasonal wildlife closures (e.g., Eagle Cliff raptor-nesting closure) and check DNR's Cypress Island maps and trail/access rules before you go.
Managers: Washington DNR (Cypress Island Natural Resources Conservation Area / Natural Area Preserve), Private landowners (small scattered parcels)
Access points: Private boat or commercial water taxi from Anacortes (no ferry service) · Pelican Beach DNR campsite & moorage (north end) · Cypress Head DNR campsite & moorage (east side) · Strawberry Bay moorage (southwest) · DNR trail network from the boat-in sites into the interior
Species notes
Blacktail Deer
common opportunityColumbian black-tailed deer are the only legal game on Cypress, and the island is one of the few in the district offering true public (DNR) deer hunting. WDFW notes hunting here is challenging and at times crowded, and island bucks tend to be smaller-bodied than mainland blacktails — but the public boat-in access is a genuine rarity worth the effort for a self-reliant hunter.
- →Boat in and backpack from a DNR site (Pelican Beach, Cypress Head) — this is a hike-and-hunt, not a road hunt.
- →Work the madrona/rocky-bald edges and salal-choked benches above the beaches where deer feed and bed on the slopes.
- →Glass open balds and old openings at first and last light, then still-hunt the timber edges.
- →Get away from the popular boat-in campsites and day-hiking trails to escape crowding and pressured deer.
- →Hunt only the DNR-owned land, and only for deer — every other species is closed on the DNR ground; keep off private inholdings.
Pro tips
- →This is a rare PUBLIC island blacktail hunt — Cypress is mostly DNR land open to deer hunting, so you don't need private permission like on Decatur or Blakely.
- →Deer ONLY on the DNR land — do not hunt bear, grouse, or anything else on the conserved ground.
- →Cypress is Skagit County and outside the San Juan firearm-restriction areas — but verify current rules before relying on it.
- →Plan a self-supported boat-in backpack hunt from Pelican Beach or Cypress Head; there are no roads.
- →Respect the Eagle Cliff and other seasonal closures, and stay off private inholdings and out of GMU 418.
Watch out for
- !Deer is the only open species on the DNR land — hunting other game there is prohibited.
- !Private inholdings are scattered across the island; know the boundaries and don't drift into GMU 418.
- !Boat-in only, no ferry — weather and tides can cut off access or retrieval; plan margins.
- !Seasonal closures (Eagle Cliff raptor nesting) and DNR rules can restrict where you hunt and camp.
- !WDFW describes the hunt as challenging and at times crowded around the popular boat-in sites.
Logistics
Access and basing are boat-driven: launch from Anacortes and stage your entire trip around private boat or water-taxi logistics, tides, and weather. DNR maintains boat-in campsites and moorage buoys at Pelican Beach, Cypress Head, and Strawberry Bay — these are your camps and pack-out points. There is no vehicle access, no ferry, and no services on the island, so pack fully self-contained (water treatment, meat care, and a plan to ferry a deer back to the boat). Consult DNR's Cypress Island webpage for current maps, trails, and camping rules.
Nearest towns: Anacortes, Bellingham, Mount Vernon
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Washington sources:
Research sources: WDFW 2025 District 13 Hunting Prospects — Cypress Island DNR ownership, deer-only rule, Skagit-county firearm note, boat access & camping · WA DNR — Cypress Island Natural Resources Conservation Area (public land, trails, moorage) · WDFW Game Management Units (GMU 417 boundary & maps)
FAQ
- How big is GMU 417 in Washington?
- GMU 417 (Cypress) covers about 4 square miles, ranging from roughly 0 to 750 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 417?
- Approximately 80% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Washington DNR (Cypress Island Natural Resources Conservation Area / Natural Area Preserve), Private landowners (small scattered parcels). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 417?
- Blacktail Deer. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Washington agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 417 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.