Kitsap GMU 627 deer hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 282 deer taken in GMU 627 Kitsap in 2025, 6 of them on special permits. General-season hunters numbered 924 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 5,166 hunter days. GMU 627 is 5.4% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (17,324 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 627Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 6, Coastal Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 341,168 acres (533 square miles) |
| Counties | Kitsap, Mason and Pierce |
| Public land open to hunting | 5.4% (18,569 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 282 (360 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 924 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Oct. 17-Nov. 1, any buck |
| Deer special permit hunts, 2026 | 4 hunts, 75 permits |
| Towns in and near it | Bremerton, Bainbridge Island, Port Orchard, Ruston, University Place and Fircrest |
Also for GMU 627: black bear hunting.
How many deer are taken in GMU 627?
WDFW reports 282 deer taken in GMU 627 in 2025, against 360 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 360, in 2024. WDFW's figures average 295 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 273 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 | 282 | 276 | 6 | 251 | 31 | 924 | 5,166 | 30 |
| 2024 | 360 | 352 | 8 | 325 | 35 | 1,007 | 5,673 | 35 |
| 2023 | 310 | 307 | 3 | 270 | 40 | 1,013 | 5,667 | 30 |
| 2022 | 245 | 241 | 4 | 215 | 30 | 984 | 5,368 | 24 |
| 2021 | 278 | 270 | 8 | 243 | 35 | 1,088 | 5,931 | 25 |
| 2020 | 267 | 263 | 4 | 216 | 51 | 1,116 | 6,411 | 24 |
| 2019 | 260 | 258 | 2 | 221 | 39 | 1,026 | 6,380 | 25 |
| 2018 | 282 | 278 | 4 | 217 | 65 | 1,095 | 6,777 | 25 |
| 2017 | 246 | 242 | 4 | 191 | 55 | 1,099 | 6,910 | 22 |
| 2016 | 309 | 306 | 3 | 256 | 53 | 1,078 | 6,649 | 28 |
| 2015 | 263 | 259 | 4 | 207 | 56 | 1,065 | 6,533 | 24 |
| 2014 | 254 | 248 | 6 | 194 | 60 | 1,126 | 7,457 | 22 |
| 2013 | 240 | 233 | 7 | 192 | 48 | 1,167 | 7,205 | 20 |
| 2012 | 250 | 248 | 2 | 208 | 42 | 1,073 | 6,362 | 23 |
| 2011 | 193 | 189 | 4 | 152 | 41 | 1,009 | 6,105 | 19 |
| 2010 | 211 | 206 | 5 | 169 | 42 | 918 | 5,385 | 22 |
| 2009 | 179 | 172 | 7 | 139 | 40 | 942 | 5,331 | 18 |
| 2008 | 181 | 178 | 3 | 151 | 30 | |||
| 2007 | 176 | 176 | not split out | 154 | 22 | 925 | 5,809 | 19 |
| 2006 | 193 | 193 | not split out | 153 | 40 | 837 | 5,356 | 23 |
| 2005 | 141 | 141 | not split out | 123 | 18 | 798 | 4,729 | 18 |
| 2004 | 202 | 202 | not split out | 177 | 25 | 829 | 4,906 | 24 |
| 2003 | 150 | 150 | not split out | 131 | 19 | 793 | 4,829 | 19 |
| 2002 | 193 | 193 | not split out | 168 | 25 | 789 | 4,994 | 24 |
| 2001 | 212 | 212 | not split out | 184 | 28 | 833 | 5,350 | 25 |
| 2000 | 137 | 137 | not split out | 117 | 20 | 934 | 3,982 | 15 |
| 1999 | 140 | 140 | not split out | 119 | 21 | 1,257 | 11,342 | 11 |
| 1998 | 181 | 181 | not split out | 150 | 31 | 1,301 | 7,302 | 14 |
| 1997 | 194 | 194 | not split out | 157 | 37 | 926 | 4,514 | 21 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, GMU 627, 1997 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 627 in 2025?
The modern firearm general season drew the most deer hunters in GMU 627 in 2025: 570, who took 177 (31% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Deer taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 222 | 1,555 | 62 | 28% | 25 |
| Modern firearm | 570 | 2,741 | 177 | 31% | 15 |
| Muzzleloader | 15 | 78 | 4 | 26.6% | 20 |
| Multiple-season tag | 117 | 792 | 33 | 28.2% | 24 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer general season, 2025).
What size bucks come out of GMU 627?
WDFW counts antlered deer by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 2-point: 93 of 251 antlered deer.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37 | 93 | 59 | 46 | 16 | 31 |
| 2024 | 41 | 117 | 101 | 51 | 15 | 35 |
| 2023 | 54 | 100 | 53 | 38 | 25 | 40 |
| 2022 | 39 | 71 | 55 | 34 | 16 | 30 |
| 2021 | 40 | 98 | 51 | 28 | 26 | 35 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, antler points).
When is deer season in GMU 627 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 627, 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); modern firearm: Oct. 17-Nov. 1 (any buck, black-tailed deer) and Nov. 19-22 (late season, any buck, black-tailed deer).
| Weapon | Season | Deer | 2026 dates | Legal deer | Who | WDFW's notes for GMU 627 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern firearm | General season | Black-tailed Deer | Oct. 17-Nov. 1 | Any buck | All hunters | |
| Modern firearm | Late general season | Black-tailed Deer | Nov. 19-22 | Any buck | All hunters | |
| Archery | Early archery season | Black-tailed Deer | Sept. 1-25 | Any deer | All hunters | |
| Archery | Late archery season | Black-tailed Deer | Nov. 25-Dec. 31 | Any deer | All hunters | |
| Muzzleloader | Early muzzleloader season | Black-tailed Deer | Sept. 26-Oct. 4 | Any deer | All hunters |
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 627?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 4 deer special permit hunts that take in GMU 627, with 75 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1084 | Kitsap Quality Deer | Archery | Nov. 2-18 | Any Buck | GMU 627 | 10 | 34 / 4 | |
| 1314 | Kitsap Antlerless Deer | Modern | Oct. 17-Nov. 1 | Antlerless | GMU 627 | 20 | 342 / 5 | 8 hunters, 2 taken |
| 1556 | Kitsap Youth only | Modern | Oct. 10-Nov. 1 | Any Deer | GMU 627 | 25 | 34 / 1 | 10 hunters, 4 taken |
| 1633 | Kitsap Hunters 65 or older | Modern | Oct. 17-Nov. 1 | Antlerless | GMU 627 | 20 | 57 / 3 |
Sources: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, pages 28, 31, 36 and 38; 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 627?
5.4% of GMU 627 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 18,569 of its 341,168 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 17,324 acres or 5.1% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 17,324 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 627 |
|---|---|---|
| DNR state trust land | 17,324 | 5.1% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 11,790 | 3.5% |
| Military land (restricted) | 8,912 | 2.6% |
| WDFW land | 1,245 | 0.4% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 627, by WDFW's own boundaries: South Puget Sound Wildlife Area (1,256 acres here; units Lake Koeneman, Big Beef Creek and Stavis Creek).
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 627?
Highways through the unit: SR 3 (about 47 miles inside it), SR 16 (about 39 miles inside it), SR 302 (about 16 miles inside it), SR 303 (about 10 miles inside it) and SR 160 (about 7 miles inside it). Towns inside: Bremerton, Bainbridge Island, Port Orchard, Gig Harbor, Poulsbo and Longbranch. Nearby: Ruston (2 miles), University Place (2 miles), Fircrest (3 miles) and Steilacoom (3 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 627?
GMU 627 touches 2 other GMUs. Their public land and WDFW's 2025 deer numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Deer taken, 2025 | General hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 624 | Coyle | 9.3% | 293 | 841 |
| GMU 633 | Mason | 14.2% | 421 | 1,571 |
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season in GMU 627 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general deer seasons open to all hunters in GMU 627 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); modern firearm: Oct. 17-Nov. 1 (any buck, black-tailed deer) and Nov. 19-22 (late season, any buck, black-tailed deer).
How many deer are taken in GMU 627?
WDFW reports 282 deer taken in GMU 627 in 2025: 251 antlered and 31 antlerless. The most in one year since 1997 was 360, in 2024.
Which special permit deer hunts include GMU 627?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 4 deer permit hunts for GMU 627: 1084 Kitsap (10 permits), 1314 Kitsap (20 permits), 1556 Kitsap (25 permits) and 1633 Kitsap (20 permits). Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 627?
5.4% of GMU 627, 18,569 of its 341,168 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 627?
Bremerton, Bainbridge Island and Port Orchard are inside the unit. Just outside: Ruston (2 miles), University Place (2 miles) and Fircrest (3 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 627
Beginning at the Hood Canal Bridge; E, S, N, and SE along the shore of the Kitsap peninsula to Point No Point; due E from Point No Point to Kitsap-Island county line in the Puget Sound; S along the Kitsap- Island county line to the Kitsap-Snohomish county line; S along the Kitsap-Snohomish county line to Kitsap-King county line; S along the Kitsap-King county line to the King-Pierce county line; S on the King-Pierce county line to the outlet of the Tacoma Narrows; S through the Tacoma Narrows, past Fox Island (which is included in this GMU), to Carr Inlet; NW up Carr Inlet around McNeil and Gertrude Islands (which are excluded from this GMU), to Pitt Passage; SW through Pitt Passage and Drayton Passage to the Pierce-Thurston county line in the Nisqually Reach; NW along the Pierce- Thurston county line to the Pierce-Mason county line; NW on the Pierce-Mason county line in the Nisqually Reach to North Bay; along the east shore of North Bay to State Route (SR) 3 at the town of Allyn; N on SR 3 to the Old Belfair Hwy at the town of Belfair; N on the Old Belfair Hwy to the Bear Creek-Dewatto Rd; W on the Bear Creek-Dewatto Rd to the Dewatto Rd West; N along the Dewatto Rd to Albert Pfundt Rd; N on the Albert Pfundt Rd to Anderson Creek; E down Anderson Creek to the east shore of the Hood Canal; N from Anderson Creek along the east shore of Hood Canal to the Hood Canal bridge and the point of beginning.
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.
Washington hunting Washington deer by GMU Region 6 GMU 624 GMU 633