GMU 422 Vashon - Maury
An archery-only, network-your-way-in blacktail island in the middle of Puget Sound
WDFW Region 4 — North Puget Sound (District 12, King County) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
17
sq mi
Public land
10%
approx.
Elevation
0–500
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 422 covers all of Vashon and Maury islands in central Puget Sound, King County — a suburban-rural island unit reachable only by ferry. WDFW manages an overabundant Columbian black-tailed deer herd here with liberal, damage-driven seasons, and by its own account hunting can be quite good where you can get on the ground. There is no elk, bear or cougar hunting; the entire opportunity is blacktail deer. The catch is access: the general season is archery-only and nearly all huntable ground is private agricultural and hobby-farm property, so success is a networking exercise as much as a hunting one.
Terrain
Two low, forested islands joined at Portage — Vashon and Maury — rising from tidewater to only a few hundred feet. Rolling glacial upland dissected by ravines, with tidal flats and marsh along the shore.
Cover: Thick, lush second-growth Douglas-fir, red alder, bigleaf maple and dense salal/blackberry understory, broken by small cleared fields, orchards and hobby farms. Edge cover between woods and pasture concentrates deer.
Landmarks: Portage isthmus (Vashon–Maury connection) · Maury Island Marine Park · Island Center Forest · Point Robinson · Quartermaster Harbor · Burton Peninsula
Access
WDFW rates access as the primary limitation: hunting is mostly on private agricultural and hobby-farm parcels and hunters must invest time networking with landowners and the island community for permission. King County's Island Center Forest may open to public hunting during the modern firearm season (firearm-restricted) — contact King County for details. The general season is archery-only across the unit, and additional opportunity comes through the second deer special-permit category. Use King County iMap and the WDFW Hunt Planner webmap to sort ownership before knocking on doors.
Managers: Private (agricultural / hobby farm), King County Parks, WDNR, Private residential
Access points: Vashon ferry (Fauntleroy/West Seattle, Southworth, and Point Defiance–Tacoma routes) · Island Center Forest trailheads · Maury Island Marine Park · County road network across both islands
Species notes
Blacktail Deer
abundant opportunityColumbian black-tailed deer are abundant and often overabundant on the islands; WDFW runs liberal, damage-oriented seasons to hold numbers down and reduce vehicle collisions. Prospects are good wherever you can secure ground, but the general hunt is archery-only and access is the whole game.
- →Spend the off-season networking — knock on doors at farms and hobby properties well before opening day; access, not deer, is the limiting factor
- →Hunt the edges where second-growth timber meets pasture, orchards and cleared fields at first and last light
- →Set stands over trails between bedding cover in the ravines and feeding fields
- →Check King County about Island Center Forest opening during the firearm season, and look at the second special-permit category for added opportunity
- →Keep shots and setups well clear of houses, livestock and roads — this is a suburban island
Pro tips
- →Treat landowner relationships as the real trophy — a single farm permission can carry your whole season here
- →Bow only for the general season; sight in and practice for close, brushy shots at field edges
- →Use King County iMap plus WDFW Hunt Planner to identify parcel owners before you ask
- →Ask King County Parks directly whether Island Center Forest opens to the firearm-restricted hunt this year
- →Watch the second deer special-permit category — WDFW keeps adding island opportunity there
Watch out for
- !General season is ARCHERY-ONLY on Vashon/Maury — modern rifle is not legal for the unit
- !Nearly all ground is private; hunting without written/verbal permission is trespass in a densely settled community
- !County no-shooting ordinances and dense residential development sharply limit where discharge is legal
- !No elk, bear or cougar season here — blacktail deer is the only big-game opportunity
- !Ferry dependence means weather and schedule disruptions can strand access
Logistics
Everything comes and goes by Washington State Ferry — plan around sailing schedules from Fauntleroy (West Seattle), Southworth (Kitsap) or Point Defiance (Tacoma). There is no camping-in-the-backcountry option; base out of the town of Vashon or day-trip from the mainland. Services (fuel, groceries, lodging) are on-island but limited, so arrive provisioned.
Nearest towns: Vashon, Burton, Dockton, Seattle (via ferry), Tacoma (via ferry)
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Washington sources:
Research sources: WDFW 2024 District 12 Hunting Prospects (King County) · WDFW Game Management Units (GMU) directory · Special Hunt Deer Season on Vashon Extended to Address Overpopulation — Vashon-Maury Beachcomber
FAQ
- How big is GMU 422 in Washington?
- GMU 422 (Vashon - Maury) covers about 17 square miles, ranging from roughly 0 to 500 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 422?
- Approximately 10% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Private (agricultural / hobby farm), King County Parks, WDNR, Private residential. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 422?
- 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 422 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.