GMU 424 Stuart
Washington's northwesternmost blacktail island — boat-in, mostly private, with a sliver of BLM Monument ground
WDFW Region 4 — North Puget Sound (District 13, San Juan County) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
2
sq mi
Public land
10%
approx.
Elevation
0–640
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
GMU 424 is Stuart Island, the northwesternmost inhabited San Juan, jutting toward the Canadian border near Turn Point. WDFW made it a standalone unit in 2021 to improve harvest reporting. Columbian black-tailed deer are the only big-game species — no elk, bear or cougar. Unlike most island units, Stuart offers a rare sliver of public opportunity: small BLM parcels open to hunting within the San Juan Islands National Monument. Everything else is private, boat-access-only ground, and feral mouflon sheep also roam the island as an unregulated exotic.
Terrain
A rugged, roughly boot-shaped island wrapped around Reid and Prevost harbors, rising from Haro Strait to forested hills near Tiptop. Rocky headlands, bluffs and madrona-lined shore give way to timbered interior.
Cover: Douglas-fir and Pacific madrona forest with grassy balds, salal and open bluff meadows characteristic of the San Juan rain-shadow, interspersed with private homesteads.
Landmarks: Turn Point Lighthouse · Reid Harbor · Prevost Harbor · Stuart Island State Park (marine) · Haro Strait · San Juan Islands National Monument (BLM parcels)
Access
WDFW notes very little public land exists in San Juan County and firearm restrictions apply throughout. Stuart is not served by the state ferry — access is by private boat or commercial water taxi, with public moorage at the Reid/Prevost harbor state marine park. The rare public opening is small BLM parcels open to hunting within the San Juan Islands National Monument; all other land is private and by county ordinance requires WRITTEN landowner permission. Verify the exact Monument parcel boundaries and any firearm limits before hunting, and note Stuart Island State Park itself is a marine park, not general hunting ground.
Managers: Private (residential / estate), BLM (San Juan Islands National Monument), Washington State Parks (marine)
Access points: Private boat / water taxi from Roche Harbor or Friday Harbor · Reid Harbor & Prevost Harbor state marine park moorage · BLM San Juan Islands National Monument parcels
Species notes
Blacktail Deer
common opportunityColumbian black-tailed deer are established on Stuart and, like the archipelago at large, have been historically overabundant, though the 2021 AHD outbreak hit island deer including Stuart. Island bucks run smaller than mainland blacktails. The small BLM Monument parcels give a genuine, if limited, public-land option that most San Juan islands lack.
- →Pin down the BLM San Juan Islands National Monument parcels open to hunting — a rare public foothold in the islands — and confirm their boundaries
- →For private ground, get written landowner permission per county ordinance before you cross over
- →Arrange boat or water-taxi transport and legal moorage (Reid/Prevost harbors) in advance
- →Hunt forest-edge, bald and bluff-meadow transitions where San Juan blacktails feed at dawn and dusk
- →Watch for and avoid AHD-affected deer; carry gloves
Pro tips
- →The BLM National Monument parcels are the play for public access — map them precisely before the trip
- →Get written landowner permission for any private ground; county ordinance requires it
- →Book water-taxi or bring a seaworthy boat and use the state-park moorage at Reid/Prevost
- →Expect small-bodied island deer and feral mouflon sheep sharing the landscape
- →Carry gloves and watch for AHD symptoms after the 2021 outbreak reached Stuart
Watch out for
- !Mostly private, boat-in only; written permission required off the small BLM parcels
- !San Juan Islands National Monument parcels have their own boundaries/rules — verify before hunting
- !Stuart Island State Park is a marine park, not open general hunting ground
- !County-wide firearm restrictions and dense parcelization constrain legal discharge
- !Feral mouflon sheep are an unregulated harmful exotic — not a WDFW game animal; AHD has affected island deer
- !No elk, bear or cougar — blacktail deer is the only big-game opportunity
Logistics
Base out of Friday Harbor or Roche Harbor on San Juan Island (Washington State Ferry from Anacortes), then run to Stuart by private boat or water taxi. Public moorage and primitive camping exist at Stuart Island State Park (Reid and Prevost harbors); there are no stores or fuel on-island, so arrive fully provisioned.
Nearest towns: Roche Harbor, Friday Harbor, Anacortes (mainland ferry hub)
Nearby units
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 (San Juan / Island counties) · WDFW Game Management Units (GMU) directory
FAQ
- How big is GMU 424 in Washington?
- GMU 424 (Stuart) covers about 2 square miles, ranging from roughly 0 to 640 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 424?
- Approximately 10% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Private (residential / estate), BLM (San Juan Islands National Monument), Washington State Parks (marine). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 424?
- 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 424 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.