Brief hunting season closes Island Center Forest

An annual limited deer-hunting season has now closed King County Parks’ Island Center Forest from Oct. 15 to 31 — a period of time when no other access is permitted on the 220 acres of forestland.

By Beachcomber Staff • October 20, 2022 11:36 am
Tom Hughes Photo Signs mark a brief hunting season that has closed Island Center Forest to other uses.
Tom Hughes Photo Signs mark a brief hunting season that has closed Island Center Forest to other uses.

An annual limited deer-hunting season has now closed King County Parks’ Island Center Forest from Oct. 15 to 31 — a period of time when no other access is permitted on the 220 acres of forestland.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) added a special deer-hunting season on private lands to better control the growing deer population on Vashon-Maury Island, where the deer have no natural predators.

The brief Island Center Forest hunting season during the second half of October coincides with WDFW’s designated modern firearm hunting season when all firearms can be used, except rifles.

Formerly owned and managed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources, Island Center Forest is the only public land on Vashon Island where deer hunting has been allowed. The state transferred ownership of the forest to King County in 2004, and an agreement to continue a limited annual deer-hunting season was a part of the ownership transfer.

Vashon Island’s largest public open space, Island Center Forest and Natural Area has nine miles of trails that are shared by hikers, mountain bikers, runners and equestrians.