I just moved to NW Wash. I am inquiring where or what I can find for varmints within a few hours. Probably already know the answers, but will ask ya'll. I hear of people shooting sage rats and rockchucks in OR. Any idea in what part of the state ??? I was certain that all marmots in WA are protected. I also don't think that there are ground squirrels in shootable populations around here, but maybe I am wrong. Anything on public lands in OR. Just hate to make a drive and then knock and talk.

Going to have to be done on the east side of the Cascades for ground squirrels and rock chucks, in WA or OR.

I don't think Hippies in Seattle, or Yuppies in Bellevue qualify as varmints, but I may be wrong. I hear they have "anything" as an endangered species, just like California does.

You are asking "Where there is something to shoot?", and should be asking, "Where can I shoot?".

In Western Washington we have reached critical mass of those who want to shoot and those who don't want them to shoot.
If a gravel pit is legal to shooot at, hundreds will show up and shoot there. It is quickly closed down. The frontier moves further out from Seattle. And so it has been moving for decades.

Jessy Jaymes,
Snoop around, Wa. has a lot to offer. You'll have to do some driving but, it will pay off.
I took a one day trip yesterday and lost track of how many rats I shot. Somewhere between 200 or 300 I would guess. By far my best trip. Its going to get tough because the grass will be too long where I go very soon. The young ones are really out now. I shot 30 plus in the same spot. I've been having to move around a lot in past trips. I had to move this time too. Just shot way more in each spot.
It was a long drive for one day, but well worth it. Had to come back. My daughter turns 18 today and I can't miss that. I'll go back sunday or mon for 2 or 3 days.
Good Luck !
sidewinder

Contact the Wasington Gish and Game Dept. They can be helpful. Alot of ranchers in the eastern part like to have their Coyotes taken care of. Be respectful and they let you shoot all day. Call WDFW Spokane (509-456-4082) for pointers towards landowners who are expierencing coyote problems. Moses Lake area, call Leroy Ledeboer, (509) 765-6657 for some pointers to local ranches who might let you hunt on their land.

Hey sidewinder any chance you would like some company on one of your trips? is this all rimfire or do you get some centerfire.
Thanks
Rodney
Bothell, Wa.

Jesse Jaymes: I was born and raised there in Renton, Washington. I lived in the area nearly 50 years and just 6 years ago moved away!

Let me tell you about an often overlooked Varmint species that is just a blast to Hunt! Crows! I have been on some Crow Hunts in western Washington to which I just did not bring enough shotgun shells! Especially once I got my first electronic Varmint call and Crow tape! Tons of good Hunting fun and it does the Game and Song Bird populations a lot of good to thin the Crows out! I have friends that shoot them with pellet Rifles in populated areas. Trees, good camo and a good bait are needed for pellet Rifle shooting of Crows.

I have also been on many Raccoon Hunts some with hounds and many with just a strong spotlight. I have called in and shot probably 15 - 20 Coyotes over the years in western Washington myself. I have been along when many other western Washington Coyotes were taken.

As I am typing this I am looking at a picture of a large Bobcat my friend Mark in Maple Valley, Washington shot just last year near his home! This Bobcat is now full size mounted and on display in his home! I have another friend that has killed many Bobcats within sight of I-90 between North Bend and Snoqualmie Pass!

I spent my most of my hard earned but pretty frequent Varminting vacations (Varmint Safaris) travelling to Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, South Dakota, Oregon (and ocassionally eastern Washington). These of course were not day trips but 10 days to 2 weeks in duration! Real getaways these Varmint Safaris were but the distances travelled were from 275 to 1,000 miles each way! Not exactly day trips those.

I used to call my western Washington Coyotes in around the edges of dairy pastures, crop fields and timber clear cuts.

There are Rock Chucks, Ground Squirrels, Coyotes and Crows available in eastern Washington and countless times I have travelled from western Washington over one of the passes and all the miles to Hunt them for a weekend. But I have never done a one day over and back Varmint Hunt from western to eastern Washington! Well at least not since I lost my cape! LOL! It would take a superman to drive over and back and get in a full days Hunting all in one day! So congratulations to the new Superman Varminter (Sidewinder) and happy Birthday to your daughter from me also!

The Varmints are there in western Washington but with so much rain and mild weather the foilage is very thick and at times hard to Hunt Varmints in!

Good luck.

Hold into the wind

VarmintGuy

Hey there Jesse, welcome. I also came to WA, all though the good side of the state from NM.

I moved from rural Western WA to suburban Western WA 5 years ago.

Looking out my window, I look straight out at my neighbor's roofline down hill from me. Every time I looked out in the spring, a crow was on the roof crest and eating a hatchling songbird.

After a while it got really revolting.

Where I used to live, a crow would not go anywhere near a house or fly over a person. Here, they feel safe.

I am in South central WA, in the Tri-Cities...I always hear these stories about chucks and rats, but never seen any. Where are they at?
I am trying myself at coyote calling, but no luck so far.

Matt.

UP in your area, head over to Enterprise Oregon. The Sage Rats are out in the alfalfa fields. They are not real big, but at times there can be millions of the little buggers.

Cheers and good shooting
Seafire

ENTERPRISE???

Naw...bout a four hour drive. Methinks Walla Walla should have comparable populations.
Would I need to get an out of state hunting license to shoot rats in Oregon?

Wasn't under the understanding that Oregon was so cheap that they needed to hassle out of state people to purchase a "hunting license" to shoot rodents.

So instead of apologizing for my suggestion, I will apologize for my state's government being such picky assholes.

Good luck in Walla Walla then.

Cheers and good shooting
seafire