What are the shooting and hunting opportunities like in Seattle WA area?

[Sheepdog1968]

I interviewed for a job in the Seattle WA area. I lived up there in the early 2000s so I know I like the area. Back then I was very focused on establishing my career and didn't shoot much (went out to Ely island range). Where I currently live I shoot weekly (sometimes more)

If you live there, where do you like to shoot?
Does anywhere have a weekly trap league?
Will any ranges let you do holster work once they get to know you and your training background?
Where do you go hunting for bear and deer and how long are the seasons?

I will likely be living in the Bothel Woodinville area or the Snohomish Monroe Area.

PS I do know about the Seattle Firearms Academy down south and look forward to taking classes there.

 

[sequins]

I like West Coast Armory a lot. I am a member at West Coast Armory North and it's a fantastic range. I have been to the bellevue location but not to shoot, I've heard it's just as nice but much more crowded. I've never had to wait for a lane at West Coast north.

Down south is a police shooting range located on the border with Tukwila. It's a nice outdoor range with a heavy LEO presence.

If you ever want to go shooting together send me a PM, I'd love to shoot with a, fellow forum goer in the Seattle area, and if you wanted I'd be happy to take you as a guest to west coast north.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

Thanks Sequins. I will know more in next several weeks re the potential job.

 

[CoalTrain49]

I used to live in Kirkland which is very close to Bothell. I used the Kenmore range when I lived there. Don't know what they do there these days but I think they have trap, rifle and pistol ranges. That one is close to Bothell.

I moved out of the city in 95. I now live north of Everett and use Marysville Rifle range. Good club but private and hard to get into. Snohomish area would be Machias or Ebby Island ranges. Don't know anything about them as I've never shot there.

There really isn't any hunting on the west side. Bear and deer are plentiful in NE part of state. You will have to do some research here.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/harvest/2014/deer_general.html

I hope you like sitting in traffic because we're pretty locked up here in the Seattle/tri county area (Snohomish/King/Pierce). That's why I don't live there anymore.

 

[Mr.510]

There are lots of indoor handgun ranges in the area, at least a dozen. I don't know of any that will let you do live fire from a holster. Some will let you practice controlled pairs if you keep 'em all on the paper but most don't allow any 'rapid fire'. I practice such things and do all my long gun shooting at a gravel pit in Elbe (that is specifically signed as being legal) on trips to the Elbe Hills ORV area. I used to shoot in the woods way outside Skykomish when I worked in Everett but I've heard everything there is signed as "no shooting" now. The Marysville range is really nice. If I lived in the North End I'd be a member. I've gone there as a guest a dozen times or so.

 

[Old Dog]

One member stated:

There really isn't any hunting on the west side.

Um, that would be news to the many who actually hunt on the West side. There is hunting to be had, so long as one doesn't mind the extremes in weather -- hunting in the rain can be interesting. And yes, the deer are blacktail, but there are lots of other game critters out there. That said, I also do most of my hunting East of the Cascades. Deer season varies by game management unit. Don't know about bear season. Elk season is great fun. Just saw a couple monster wild turkeys the other day in Kittitas County ...

OP, one option is always living on the West Sound (or even Whidbey Island) -- rents and house prices much more favorable -- and commuting via ferry, if your work hours would be conducive to the ferry schedules. I've done that for years, even going so far as leaving a commuter car at the park-and-ride on the other side ... If you do become a slave to the 405, yeah, it does suck, and some parts of I-5 get pretty clogged too.

Concur with the West Coast Armory ranges -- there's a training center in Arlington with a nice indoor facility as well. You've gotta drive a ways in any direction to find *legal* outdoor shooting areas, no way around that. Most of the gun clubs around here not only have skeet and trap, but many offer IDPA as well. Stay away from Wade's.

It'll be hard to find any facility that will allow you to work from the holster unless you're in a class somewhere (or a member of law enforcement on a LE range). Since you know about FAS, you know they have some great offerings ...

No matter what are you end up living in, it beats the heck out of California (gun rights-wise -- as a former California resident for over a decade, I can say that).

 

[Jackal]

I live on the Olumpic Peninsula. We have great hunting up here. Deer, elk, bear, coyote, grouse, duck, etc. We dont have any need for formal ranges up here, we can just go shoot on state land at any distance we want/find.

 

[silicosys4]

There really isn't any hunting on the west side. Bear and deer are plentiful in NE part of state. You will have to do some research here.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/harvest/2014/deer_general.html

There is lots of hunting on the west side of the cascades. I'm on the Olympic peninsula, and I hunt Elk, Deer, Cougar, Bear, Bobcat, and Coyote.
Dense woods so the hunting can get tough, but the animals are definitely here.

 

[Jackal]

Dense woods so the hunting can get tough, but the animals are definitely here.

Real hunting! We dont sit in a heated stand and wait for Bambi to come to a feeder...

 

[texasgun]

I lived up in that area for 18 months.... used to go to WestCoast Armory in Factoria but let my membership ($$$) expire once the post - Sandy Hook ammo craziness started and shooting got really expensive.

pros for WestCoast:

- very nice and clean facilities
- area for higher membership levels is not that crowded
- convenient if you live on Westside

cons:

- pricey membership (you really have to shoot a lot to justify the price of a higher membership level)
- they absolutely do not allow aluminum or steel cased ammo (big con for me... I don't reload and like cheapo Federal Aluminum or even TULA)
- you will have somebody blasting away with a shotgun or AR right next to you... so that cuts down on the fun and focus for you... I wish they had separate shotgun/AR stalls...

Issaquah Sportsmen's Club is a decent outdoor shooting range - always liked outdoors better but with the weather in the PacNW I get the appeal of indoor ranges...

Wade's in Bellevue had big issues with lead contamination and always felt a bit dingy....

regarding hunting I cant say much... always preferred crabbing on the islands there...

 

[sequins]

Texas, I always enjoyed the challenge. I notice at the North armory at least they'll fill one room of bays with pistols and unless there is overflow they usually put the ARs in the other room on their own.

I do enjoy trying to focus with a guy shooting .223 on my right and a guy shooting .40 on my left. Bonus points if it's Sunday and the older couple is shouting drill commands haha. I feel like it helps me overcone my flinch which is my biggest problem.

 

[leadcounsel]

The whole ring around Seattle and Bellevue in King county are generally liberal anti-gun types who routinely push their agenda, harass gun owners, etc. I don't live there... so can't speak to shooting or hunting.

Recently I-594 was passed, making all FTF sales go thru and FFL. :banghead:

I live an hour south. There is a good outdoor range at Paul Bunyan in Puyallup. I'd be happy to bring you as a free guest. $100 annual membership, open daily.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

Thanks all for the info and offers to meet up with me. Hunting on the Olympic peninsula would be fun. Last time I was there I saw a gorgeous elk. Looks like I have many ranges to explore.

The other fun thing is that initially, I would be bringing up the bare minimum of stuff to make sure it is a good fit (likely renting a room in a house from some good friends). As such, I'd likely only take up a few firearms initially so I get to play the game for real. It would be two Glock 30SF pistols (45 ACP) for conceal carry (my Utah permit allows me to carry in WA); my Mossberg 500 with three barrels 28" for clays and birds, 24" rifled with cantilever scope for shots and hunting beasts, and 18.5" for home defense. I would likely also bring my mini-14 for the just in case something really bad happens. Between these firearms I will be quite happy.

 

[David4516]

Recently I-594 was passed, making all FTF sales go thru and FFL.

It did more than that. Want to let you friend shoot your gun? Too bad you can't, not without "transferring" it to him/her at an FFL first (and paying fees and taxes). Then when you're done the friend has to "transfer" it back to you (paying fees and taxes AGAIN). This isn't really enforced thankfully but if you wanted to be 100% in compliance with the law, this is the only way to legally let somebody else shoot your gun... WA is becoming increasingly anti-gun

Also, if you want to go shoot "out in the woods", forget it. Everything is marked "no shooting". At least in my area (Near Olympia)

You mentioned Firearms Academy of Seattle, they're a good place. They do IDPA matches there too. There is a range in Renton that also does IDPA.

This might be too far south for you but Tacoma Rifle and Revolver club is a good place to shoot. Upper Nisqually Sportsmans in Eatonville is good too...

 

[CraigC]

...are generally liberal anti-gun types who routinely push their agenda, harass gun owners, etc.

Like what you're doing in the hunting forum?

 

[CoalTrain49]

Um, that would be news to the many who actually hunt on the West side. There is hunting to be had, so long as one doesn't mind the extremes in weather -- hunting in the rain can be interesting. And yes, the deer are blacktail, but there are lots of other game critters out there. That said, I also do most of my hunting East of the Cascades. Deer season varies by game management unit. Don't know about bear season. Elk season is great fun. Just saw a couple monster wild turkeys the other day in Kittitas County ...

Mostly, people that live on the west side hunt in eastern WA. If you live on the Oly peninsula you probably wouldn't drive to the east side to hunt. The OP said he might relocate to the Seattle area. Most everyone I know that lives on the west side (excluding the peninsula) hunts on the east side.

Hunting on the west side is difficult. That's why most people hunt on the east side. Yes, you can bust your but and hunt on the west side, but mostly it's a loser.

Fishing, now that's a different story.