Hunting Seasons Upon Us As Hunters Hit The Woods

Bow season has been open but a harsh winter and wildfires have made for a difficult season thus far.

That hasn't stopped anyone from trying.

Persistence always pays off when hunting. Check out what Cabela's Union Gap Pro Staffer Brian Robertson hauled in this past week:

We are just a week away from some of Washington's most popular hunting seasons opening Oct. 14, when modern firearm deer hunters and waterfowl hunters take to the field.

The harsh winter of appears to have taken a toll on some elk and deer populations—especially in parts of eastern Washington, said Jerry Nelson, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) deer and elk section manager.

Still, hunting prospects in many areas look promising as hunts get underway this fall, he added.

"Winter conditions in recent years, wildfires, fall green-up and weather during the hunting season are just some of the factors that can influence deer numbers and distribution," said Nelson. "That is why we are encouraging hunters to review the Hunting Prospects on WDFW's website to find location-specific forecasts."

WDFW has already received reports of early arriving cackling, white-fronted, and snow geese, he added.

Information on access to more than 1 million acres of private land can be found at the Private Lands Hunting Access page (http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/hunting_access/private_lands/).

Hunters can also find information on public or private lands open to hunting by visiting GoHunt, WDFW's interactive mapping program (http://apps.wdfw.wa.gov/gohunt/).