How big is GMU 624 in Washington?

GMU 624 (Coyle) covers about 888 square miles, ranging from roughly 0 to 2,800 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.

How much public land is in GMU 624?

Approximately 20% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Rayonier, WDNR, Private timber, Private. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.

What species does the catalog list for GMU 624?

Blacktail Deer, Black Bear, Cougar, Roosevelt Elk. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Washington agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.

GMU 624 Coyle

Toandos, Coyle and Dabob Bay — a walk-in blacktail unit where Rayonier owns the roads

WDFW Region 6 — Coastal / East Jefferson County (District 15) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12

Hunter with a mule deer buck in dry grass

Area

888

sq mi

Public land

20%

approx.

Elevation

0–2,800

feet

Motorized

limited

access

Overview

GMU 624 (Coyle) covers the eastern arm of Jefferson County along the west shore of Hood Canal and Admiralty Inlet — the Toandos and Coyle (Bolton) peninsulas, Quilcene, Brinnon, Dabob Bay and the Port Ludlow/Chimacum lowlands. It is a low-elevation, industrial-timber blacktail unit: WDFW names Coyle among the district's more productive general-season deer GMUs, but warns that most of the land is private and access is largely walk-in. There is no huntable elk herd here — the district's elk live near Sequim and are managed through the Wildlife Conflict Section — so treat this as a deer-and-bear unit. A portion of GMU 624 also falls within District 16.

Terrain

Rolling saltwater peninsulas and low timbered ridges rising from Hood Canal and Dabob Bay toward the Olympic foothills on the western margin, where Mt. Walker overlooks Quilcene. The bulk of the unit is gentle, cut-over ground below 1,500 feet.

Cover: Managed Douglas-fir and red alder in a patchwork of clearcuts, replants and second growth; salal, salmonberry and sword fern understory. Recent 5-10 year cuts and riparian bottoms hold the deer, while dense 20-40 year mid-seral stands hold few.

Landmarks: Toandos Peninsula · Coyle (Bolton) Peninsula · Dabob Bay · Hood Canal · Quilcene · Brinnon · Mt. Walker (2,804 ft) · Port Ludlow

Access

WDFW: most of the unit is privately owned and the largest property manager is Rayonier, which requires an access permit to hunt most of its land. Scattered DNR timberlands exist but are interspersed with private ground. Some DNR and private mainlines may be open to motor vehicles, but most hunting access is walk-in or by non-motorized vehicle. Deer Area 6020 lies within this GMU and was established to address chronic crop/property damage — it is open to general-season any-deer harvest for all three weapons, with 40 second-deer archery permits offered. Naval Magazine Indian Island and tribal parcels are closed.

Managers: Rayonier, WDNR, Private timber, Private

Access points: US-101 corridor at Quilcene and Brinnon · Coyle Road / Toandos Peninsula · Dabob Road · Mt. Walker Viewpoint Road (FS 2730) · DNR access tracts off Center Road

Species notes

Blacktail Deer

common opportunity

The unit's mainstay. WDFW reports a slow but steady increase in blacktail harvest on this side of Hood Canal, and Coyle offers solid general-season any-deer opportunity for all three weapon types. Deer concentrate on the timber-company mosaic where fresh cuts meet cover.

→Hunt the edges of 5-10 year clearcuts and replants at first and last light — these young stands hold the most deer
→Still-hunt riparian bottoms and salal-choked benches on the Toandos and Coyle peninsulas
→Work the private/DNR seams; deer bed in dense second growth and feed in openings
→Use the Deer Area 6020 damage framework and second-deer archery permits to extend opportunity
→Rut in early-to-mid November pulls bucks into the open along field and road edges

Black Bear

common opportunity

Black bear occur throughout the unit as part of the Puget Sound Black Bear Management Unit (with 627 and 633). Most are taken opportunistically by deer hunters; District 15 bear success runs roughly 7-11 percent. The long Aug 1-Nov 15 season overlaps berry season on the cuts.

→Glass regenerating clearcuts and old landings for bears feeding on grasses, forbs and late-summer berries
→Hunt the alder bottoms and forest-road edges early and late
→Carry a bear tag while blacktail hunting — most harvest here is incidental

Cougar

common opportunity

Cougars follow the blacktail herds through the timber. As of the 2024-25 reorganization, GMU 624 sits in CHMU 51 (with 621) under a harvest cap of 7 — meaning this unit, historically never closed, can now close mid-season. Call the WDFW cougar hotline (1-866-364-4868, updated Thursdays) before hunting.

→Most cougar are taken incidentally while deer hunting; dedicated hunters do far better
→Fresh snow on the higher ground makes tracking productive
→Verify the CHMU 51 season is still open before heading out

Roosevelt Elk

transient low

Not an elk unit. WDFW: elk in GMU 624 reside mostly near Sequim, where they are handled by the Wildlife Conflict Section, and no reliable elk hunting exists away from that herd. Occasional individuals or small groups are reported elsewhere.

→Do not plan a trip around elk here — hunt 621, 636 or 651 in the district for Roosevelt elk
→Treat any elk encountered while deer hunting as incidental

Pro tips

→Buy the Rayonier access permit before the season and learn which blocks and gates it covers — it is the single biggest access lever in this unit
→Scout fresh clearcuts on Google Earth or DNR imagery, then verify ownership; deer stack up where a 5-10 year cut abuts holding cover
→Lean on the DNR tracts and the Deer Area 6020 damage/second-deer framework to hunt where you won't be locked behind a gate
→Go on foot — most of Coyle is walk-in or non-motorized, so hunters willing to hike past gates escape the crowds
→This is a peninsula unit; small parcels and water boundaries are everywhere, so keep a parcel/ownership map on your phone

Watch out for

!Most of the GMU is private; Rayonier requires an access permit and many timber roads are gated
!Naval Magazine Indian Island and tribal parcels are closed to public hunting
!Motorized access is limited — plan to walk in from open mainlines
!CHMU 51 cougar season can close mid-year under the harvest cap; call the hotline
!Active logging and fire-danger closures can shut gates without notice

Logistics

Quilcene and Brinnon on US-101 provide fuel and basic groceries; Port Ludlow, Chimacum and Port Townsend offer fuller services and lodging to the north. Olympic National Forest campgrounds sit just west along the canal. Cell coverage is decent near US-101 and the towns but drops on the interior timberlands.

Nearest towns: Quilcene, Brinnon, Port Ludlow, Chimacum, Port Townsend

Nearby units

GMU 621 · Olympic GMU 410 · Islands GMU 420 · Whidbey GMU 414 · Lopez

Seasons & regulations

This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Washington sources:

Research sources: WDFW 2025 District 15 Hunting Prospects (Region 6) · WDFW Game Management Units (GMUs) · Rayonier recreational access (WA)

FAQ

How big is GMU 624 in Washington?: GMU 624 (Coyle) covers about 888 square miles, ranging from roughly 0 to 2,800 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
How much public land is in GMU 624?: Approximately 20% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Rayonier, WDNR, Private timber, Private. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
What species does the catalog list for GMU 624?: Blacktail Deer, Black Bear, Cougar, Roosevelt Elk. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Washington agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.

Put GMU 624 on your map.

Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.

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