Whidbey GMU 420 deer hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 291 deer taken in GMU 420 Whidbey in 2025, 28 of them on special permits. General-season hunters numbered 606 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 3,018 hunter days. GMU 420 is 0.6% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (550 acres), measured from WA DNR's public land maps.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: WDFW reports for 1997 to 2025. Seasons and permits: WDFW's 2026 pamphlet with its April 2026 corrections. Land: WA DNR, 2026-10.
DNR state trust landWDFW landMilitary land (restricted)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 420Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 4, North Puget Sound |
|---|---|
| Size | 107,812 acres (168 square miles) |
| Counties | Island |
| Public land open to hunting | 0.6% (604 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 291 (321 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 606 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Oct. 17-Nov. 1, any deer |
| Deer special permit hunts, 2026 | 1 hunt, 300 permits |
| Towns in and near it | Oak Harbor, Coupeville, Langley, Mukilteo, La Conner and Anacortes |
How many deer are taken in GMU 420?
WDFW reports 291 deer taken in GMU 420 in 2025, against 321 in 2024. The most in one year since 2013 was 404, in 2020. WDFW's figures average 319 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 315 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Deer taken, all hunts | General season | Special permit | Antlered | Antlerless | General-season hunters | Hunter days | Deer per 100 general hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 291 | 263 | 28 | 210 | 81 | 606 | 3,018 | 43 |
| 2024 | 321 | 292 | 29 | 237 | 84 | 684 | 3,513 | 43 |
| 2023 | 332 | 295 | 37 | 240 | 92 | 659 | 3,451 | 45 |
| 2022 | 336 | 299 | 37 | 235 | 101 | 735 | 3,588 | 41 |
| 2021 | 314 | 280 | 34 | 201 | 113 | 647 | 3,168 | 43 |
| 2020 | 404 | 368 | 36 | 298 | 106 | 799 | 3,875 | 46 |
| 2019 | 306 | 283 | 23 | 223 | 83 | 618 | 3,066 | 46 |
| 2018 | 296 | 261 | 35 | 197 | 99 | 560 | 2,784 | 47 |
| 2017 | 295 | 268 | 27 | 201 | 94 | 625 | 3,234 | 43 |
| 2016 | 274 | 265 | 9 | 211 | 63 | 637 | 3,309 | 42 |
| 2015 | 274 | 264 | 10 | 190 | 84 | 606 | 2,840 | 44 |
| 2014 | 293 | 280 | 13 | 208 | 85 | 600 | 3,093 | 47 |
| 2013 | 148 | 140 | 8 | 103 | 45 | 407 | 1,837 | 34 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, GMU 420, 2013 to 2025), read through WDFW's Hunt Planner harvest table. "All hunts" is WDFW's general plus special permit total where it publishes one (from 2008), otherwise the general season. Where WDFW gives no all-weapon hunter count, the hunters and days shown are its per-weapon counts added together. Deer per 100 general hunters is worked out from WDFW's own two figures. The averages above are of WDFW's yearly figures.
How did each weapon do in GMU 420 in 2025?
The modern firearm general season drew the most deer hunters in GMU 420 in 2025: 440, who took 210 (47.8% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Deer taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 107 | 695 | 40 | 37.4% | 17 |
| Modern firearm | 440 | 1,803 | 210 | 47.8% | 9 |
| Muzzleloader | 9 | 66 | 5 | 55.6% | 13 |
| Multiple-season tag | 50 | 454 | 8 | 16% | 57 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer general season, 2025).
What size bucks come out of GMU 420?
WDFW counts antlered deer by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 2-point: 80 of 210 antlered deer.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 39 | 80 | 51 | 24 | 16 | 81 |
| 2024 | 42 | 87 | 51 | 38 | 19 | 84 |
| 2023 | 35 | 87 | 55 | 42 | 21 | 92 |
| 2022 | 45 | 84 | 47 | 37 | 22 | 101 |
| 2021 | 41 | 78 | 40 | 27 | 15 | 113 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, antler points).
When is deer season in GMU 420 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 420, by weapon: archery: Sept. 1-25 (any deer, black-tailed deer) and Nov. 25-Dec. 31 (late season, any deer, black-tailed deer); muzzleloader: Sept. 26-Oct. 4 (any deer, black-tailed deer) and Nov. 25-Dec. 15 (late season, any deer, black-tailed deer); modern firearm: Oct. 17-Nov. 1 (any deer, black-tailed deer) and Nov. 19-22 (late season, any deer, black-tailed deer).
| Weapon | Season | Deer | 2026 dates | Legal deer | Who | WDFW's notes for GMU 420 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern firearm | General season | Black-tailed Deer | Oct. 17-Nov. 1 | Any deer | All hunters | |
| Modern firearm | Late general season | Black-tailed Deer | Nov. 19-22 | Any deer | All hunters | |
| Archery | Early archery season | Black-tailed Deer | Sept. 1-25 | Any deer | All hunters | Footnoted in WDFW's table (page 24) |
| Archery | Late archery season | Black-tailed Deer | Nov. 25-Dec. 31 | Any deer | All hunters | Footnoted in WDFW's table (page 24) |
| Muzzleloader | Early muzzleloader season | Black-tailed Deer | Sept. 26-Oct. 4 | Any deer | All hunters | Footnoted in WDFW's table (page 25) |
| Muzzleloader | Late muzzleloader season | Black-tailed Deer | Nov. 25-Dec. 15 | Any deer | All hunters | Footnoted in WDFW's table (page 25) |
Source: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, pages 23, 24 and 25, with WDFW's April 2026 corrections. WDFW can change a season during the year: check WDFW's regulations page before you go.
Which special permit deer hunts include GMU 420?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 1 deer special permit hunt that takes in GMU 420, with 300 permits in all. The applicant counts and average points are the ones WDFW prints for the 2025 drawing; the 2025 results are from WDFW's harvest report for each hunt number.
| Hunt | Name and category | Tag | 2026 dates | Legal deer | Unit or area | 2026 permits | 2025 applicants / average points (WDFW) | 2025 result: hunters, deer taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1438 | Whidbey Second Deer | Any | Aug. 1-Dec. 31 | Antlerless | GMU 420 | 300 | 408 / 1 |
Sources: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, page 32; WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer individual hunts, 2025). A hunt's 2025 result is shown only where the 2025 hunt had the same number and name.
How much public land is in GMU 420?
0.6% of GMU 420 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 604 of its 107,812 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 550 acres or 0.5% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 550 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 420 |
|---|---|---|
| Military land (restricted) | 8,064 | 7.5% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 4,829 | 4.5% |
| DNR state trust land | 550 | 0.5% |
| WDFW land | 54 | 0.1% |
Measured by FilledTag inside WDFW's GMU boundary (WDFW game management units, in effect April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027) from WA DNR Major Public Lands (non-DNR) and WA DNR Managed Land Parcels, read 2026-10. Tribal land is not counted as public. National wildlife refuges, military land and "other public" land (state parks, county, city and other agencies) are not counted as open to hunting: each sets its own rules.
How do you get to GMU 420?
Highways through the unit: SR 20 (about 29 miles inside it) and SR 525 (about 22 miles inside it). Towns inside: Oak Harbor, Coupeville, Langley, Whidbey Island Station, Freeland and Clinton. Nearby: Mukilteo (3 miles), La Conner (4 miles), Anacortes (5 miles) and Port Townsend (6 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 420?
GMU 420 touches 1 other GMU. Their public land and WDFW's 2025 deer numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Deer taken, 2025 | General hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 410 | Islands | 1.5% | 60 | 195 |
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season in GMU 420 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general deer seasons open to all hunters in GMU 420 are archery: Sept. 1-25 (any deer, black-tailed deer) and Nov. 25-Dec. 31 (late season, any deer, black-tailed deer); muzzleloader: Sept. 26-Oct. 4 (any deer, black-tailed deer) and Nov. 25-Dec. 15 (late season, any deer, black-tailed deer); modern firearm: Oct. 17-Nov. 1 (any deer, black-tailed deer) and Nov. 19-22 (late season, any deer, black-tailed deer).
How many deer are taken in GMU 420?
WDFW reports 291 deer taken in GMU 420 in 2025: 210 antlered and 81 antlerless. The most in one year since 2013 was 404, in 2020.
Which special permit deer hunts include GMU 420?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 1 deer permit hunt for GMU 420: 1438 Whidbey (300 permits). Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 420?
0.6% of GMU 420, 604 of its 107,812 acres, is national forest, BLM, DNR trust, WDFW, Reclamation or national recreation area land; the largest share is DNR state trust land. Measured by FilledTag from WA DNR's public land maps.
What town is closest to GMU 420?
Oak Harbor, Coupeville and Langley are inside the unit. Just outside: Mukilteo (3 miles), La Conner (4 miles) and Anacortes (5 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 420
Includes all of Whidbey Island
From WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, Game Management Unit Descriptions.
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Where these numbers come from
- Harvest, hunters, days and success: WDFW Game Harvest Reports.
- Seasons, special permits, applicants and points: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations.
- Public land: WA DNR Major Public Lands (non-DNR) and WA DNR Managed Land Parcels, read 2026-10. GMU boundary: WDFW game management units, in effect April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
- Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Numbers are copied from WDFW and the State of Washington, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag. WDFW's regulations are the final word on every rule.