Anyone living around Seattle??

[Toecutter]

Trying to decide if I want to take a job out that way and was just wondering what to expect as far as Hunting opportunity, tag availability, game abundance, and how many fellow tradgangers are out that way.  Also, cost of living, and areas that may be of interest as far as setting up shop and putting down some (shallow    ) roots.  Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Nathan

[Dick in Seattle]

I don't hunt myself, but there's tons of it here... all those mountains and national forests.   I know I'm short of guys to shoot with in turkey, deer and elk seasons.   lots of trad guys here, and a tremendous schedule of great trad only shoots from April through October.   We moved out here in 66 and have never considered leaving.  If you do come, look me up.

[Toecutter]

That sounds great Dick.  I'm supposed to fly out on the 27th and get an impromptu walk through, some introductions, and also try and find a place to stay (if i decide to make the move).  Any towns that you think I should try and keep and eye out for??  The person I am replacing lives a half an hour north of the city.

[Outwest]

I am not in Seattle ( thank God ) I live about 3 hours west on the coast. Lots of hunting and fishing. Tags over the counter. Lots of rain but its a beautiful place.
What kind of work do you do ?

Good luck.

John

[Toecutter]

Thanks for the reply John, I do nuclear medicine, in this case I'll be working on a mobile Pet/ct scanner so I'll be traveling north almost to canada and south beneath portland.  It will be an adjustment for sure. Does it really rain as much as the stories say?  What kind of hunting do you do mostly?
Thanks,
Nathan

[Dick in Seattle]

If you're going to be traveling up and down what we call the I-5 Corridor (Vancouver, BC to Portland) but mainly centered in North Seattle, I'd look to live in maybe Lynnwood or so... further to the east or a bit further north if you want out of the major urban area.   As near any big city today, it's a matter of traffic.   The closer in you live, the shorter, but more crowded, the commute.

As to the rain, not as bad as painted.   Lots of rainy days, but on many of them, it light enough that you do stuff anyway.  I've shot an entire 3D course twice around on a "rainy" day and come back damp, but not soaked.   We refer to such days like the Irish:  "the air is heavy today, isn't it?"   Course, if it's gully-washin', our rain's as wet as anybody's.

[Outwest]

Hi Nathan

Nuclear medicine that sounds interesting !
Hunt mostly elk here some deer but I am an elkaholic.
Rain is not to bad in the Seattle area as Dick says.
Here on our part of the coast I think we average about 100" a year. You get used to it though.

John

[Whitetail Chaser]

I live 3 hours east of Seattle in Wenatchee.  The east side of Washington is a little different than the west side.  Lots drier over here, and we have muleys instead of blacktails.  East side elk are Rocky Mountain elk, and those further west are Roosevelt Elk.

OTC tags for residents are pretty reasonable for elk-deer-bear-cougar.  You can apply for special tags also.  For instance, on the east side where I hunt, you cannot kill a big 6x6 bull elk with an OTC tag.  You have to draw a special permit for that.  

Public land is abundant in WA, but so are hunters.  I came here from Texas in '07.  The scenery and beauty of Washington is amazing.  Hiking and camping are spectacular in the mountains.

Hope this helps.
Brett

[zwickeyman]

Toecutter,

  I live in Maple Valley it's about 45 minutes S.E. of Seattle.

  Here are some Pros and Cons of hunting in Washington.

  Pros: The variety of different animals is fantastic.
We have 3 kinds of deer(Muledeer, Whietail and Blacktail)2 kinds of Elk ( Roosevelt and Rocky mt.) 2 kinds of Sheep ( California and Rocky Mt.) Mountain Goat, Moose, Black Bear, Cougar, Bobcat.
Descent Bird hunting with Duck, Goose, Pheasant, Quail, Partrige, Chuker and Grouse.
Tons of public land as diversified as there is.

  Cons: Lots of hunters, even though there are alot of different game, the hunting is good but not great

[Broken Arrows]

Toecutter,

[Broken Arrows]

Toecutter, I live south of whitetail chaser about an hour in the small town of Thorp between us there is a lot of places to hunt if you get off the path some. Like every one says it is a great place to live for me on the east side to many people on the west side.

Dave

[zwickeyman]

I forgot to mention the bird I'm after this weekend. There is some really good Turkey hunting here too. 3 kinds of birds ( Rio Grande, Merriam and Eastern) Not to many Easterns though.

[PrarrieDog]

I have a daughter in Kent, south of Seattle. When I visited her last year, the traffic and crowds were unbearable to me. If I had to live there I would need to find a place inland, less crowded and quiet. I'm spoiled by high and dry.
But it is beautiful.

[Toecutter]

Thanks for all the input guys, I really appreciate it. How feasible is it to live far enough away from seattle to really get to enjoy the state and still be able to get where I need to go? Like I said before, I'll be driving all over the state and also down into oregon depending on the day of the week, so I'm not really forced to live in one specific area.  I guess I'm wondering how far east do I need to go to get away from all the BS?

Thanks,
Nathan

[zwickeyman]

If you go East: out by North Bend, hunting out you back door and about 45 minutes from I-5 and Seattle

If you go North: Once you get past Everett it starts to open up a little.

N.E.: Monroe  1 hour from Seattle

S.E. Graham or Eatonville 2 hours from Seattle or 1 1/2 from I-5

South: If you get past Olympia it starts opening up and then you go East or West from there Olympia is about 1 1/2 hours from Seattle but if you go South of Olympia then West you can get some privacy and still be close to I-5

Hope this helps Dave

[elkslayer]

I lived in Seattle for Five years and then got transfered back to Portland, but I loved it up there and far as hunting its about the same here. There is a tun of it and not in short supply of places or people to go with for sure. We lived in Edmonds Wa just north of Seattle and we loved it. Two blocks away from the sound. It was almost like living at the coast. Good luck and I am sure you will love it. My grandparents and parents moved out here the year I was born and Pops says he wished he would have moved out here when he was younger. He called it Gods country.....

[Toecutter]

Thanks again, If you all could live anywhere within half an hour or 45min where might it be?  Just hoping to balance nearby hunting with a decent enough sized town close enough so I don't need to go to the big city too often.  I do know I will need to take a ferry one or two days a week. not sure which one.

Thanks,
Nathan

[Stone Knife]

Good luck with the new job Nathan, I hope you head back east once in a while.

[adkmountainken]

all i can say to the state of Seattle is they are getting ONE HELL OF A GREAT GUY!!!! congrats Nate, love ya bro!

[zwickeyman]

Go East then, out towards North Bend. You can be 10 minutes to Elk, Blacktail and Bear. Still be only 45 minutes from I-5