Approximately 3,600 acres of prime deer habitat in the Simcoe Mountains of Klickitat County have been purchased by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and will be available for hunters this season.
The state bought the property on the east side of U.S. Highway 97 from Western Pacific Timber LLC this summer. It is being managed as a part of the existing state Klickitat Wildlife Area.
The area was popular for deer hunting and includes tracts formerly owned by the state Department of Natural Resources.
“The property is open for hunting this fall, even though property boundary markings and other signage are not as complete as we’d normally like,’’ said Sue Van Leuven, manager of the Klickitat Wildlife Area.
To reach the area, hunters should travel east from Goldendale on the Bickleton Highway to mile post 28, then turn north on Box Spring Road. The parking lot for the property is four miles up Box Spring Road, where a yellow road gate restricts access any farther.
Before reaching the yellow gate, hunters will need to pass through two wire gates on Box Spring Road.
“The property was hunted before WDFW acquired it, so expectations of large numbers of trophy bucks should be tempered a bit,’’ Van Leuven said. “People should also be aware that Box Spring Road is an unimproved road. Fall rains or snow will eventually make it impassable.’’
She said hunters need to remember lands adjacent to the 3,600 acres are not open to the public. The Yakama Indian Reservation is to the north and private land is to the east, west and south.
“Efforts have been made to identify property boundaries, however the markings may not be as conspicuous or continuous as expected.’’
Hunting regulations for East Klickitat unit No. 382 are in effect. Property lines are marked with pink ribbons and fires are not permitted.
Only non-motorized use of the property is allowed past the yellow gate or anywhere off Box Spring Road.
