Skagit, Island, Snohomish, San Juan County, Washington · 18,138 acres
Skagit Wildlife Area Hunting 2026: Species & Access
Skagit Wildlife Area covers 18,138 acres near Mount Vernon in Skagit, Island, Snohomish, San Juan County. Twenty-one separate management units scattered through the tidal delta where the Skagit River meets Skagit, Padilla and Port Susan bays — intertidal estuary, diked agricultural land, tidal mudflats and marsh, riparian forest and Douglas fir upland, all feeding one of the continent's genuinely elite waterfowl concentrations.
01 — What you can hunt here
| Species | Notes |
|---|---|
| Ducks and geese | Snow geese and dabbling ducks pour into the delta in numbers that draw hunters from across the state — one of North America's genuinely elite waterfowl destinations. |
| Swans | Present in large numbers; not legal game everywhere in Washington — check current species-specific rules before hunting. |
| Small game | Present across the upland units, secondary to the waterfowl draw. |
02 — Access rules specific to this WMA
- Nontoxic shot only — possessing lead shot or shotshells for any purpose is prohibited on this wildlife area.
- Temporary or layout blinds are allowed for field hunting within the open units; some units run through WDFW's Regulated Access Program instead, including designated ADA-accessible blinds.
- It's unlawful to hunt waterfowl, coot or snipe from a moving boat, or from any floating device that isn't fixed in place (anchored or secured to shore), specifically in Port Susan Bay, Skagit Bay, Padilla Bay and Samish Bay.
- A Vehicle Access Pass — bundled free with any Washington hunting license — covers parking at Skagit's units the same as any other WDFW wildlife area.
03 — Where this WMA differs from the statewide rules
- Island Unit closed entirely from July 1, 2026 through fall 2028 for construction.
- Leque Island Unit's intertidal areas and trails close July 1–Sept. 30 each year for habitat work.
- Skagit Headquarters Unit has intermittent closures from summer 2026 through fall 2028 tied to nearby construction.
- Drone-based noxious-weed treatment work runs through November 2026 and again in early October — expect temporary access restrictions during active treatment.
04 — Facilities
Camping: Not available on the wildlife area. No shooting range on-site.
Boat launch and parking area at the Skagit Headquarters Unit; access and facilities otherwise vary unit by unit across the 21 separate parcels — check WDFW's Skagit Wildlife Area Waterfowl Hunting Guide before picking a unit.
05 — Where to go next
Skagit isn't one property but 21 — a scattered patchwork of estuary, diked farmland and upland forest across four counties, unified by being some of the best waterfowl ground on the West Coast. The multi-year construction closures at Island and Skagit Headquarters units are worth checking before a trip: they're not brief seasonal restrictions but closures running into 2028. The moving-boat hunting ban across the four major bays is the rule that catches hunters used to boat-blind hunting elsewhere off guard — anchored or shore-secured only.
Washington hunting license costs and permits →
Verified · Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife · Last verified 2026-08-09
Publisher's note. Read from WDFW, retrieved 2026-08-09. Review due 2027-08-01. WMA-specific rules and closures can change between seasons — confirm before you hunt.