Whether you’re hunting as a pastime or to feed your family, Ellensburg has plenty to offer for this all-American activity. From deer to fowl and from modern firearms to bows, there’s something for everyone in the state.

Brandon Payne is a construction management student at CWU. He is also a dedicated hunter here in Ellensburg and the Manastash area.

“There are thousands of acres of public land to hunt in the area which makes it very fun to explore,” Payne said.

Payne mainly hunts for elk and deer, but also does antler shed hunting in the off-season. Payne hunts mostly with a bow.

Hunters are allowed to hunt any game in the state if the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife issue you a tag.

“It’s very challenging hunting with a bow because you have to get a lot closer to an animal to be able to get a good shot,” Payne said.

From Payne’s experience,  hunting with a bow is very difficult and an average shot with a bow is around 40 yards. As for using a modern firearm, Payne said that you can shoot an animal at over 400 yards.

Modern hunting season is only 14 days and usually lasts the second weekend of October through the end of October.

Elk and deer season for archery is about two months longer than modern firearm season.  People can find more information about hunting guidelines and areas to hunt online with Washington State Fish and Game Management. Also there are issues of hunting regulations at any sportsman store and even at Fred Meyers in Ellensburg for free.

To be able to hunt in Washington state you must take a hunters ed course. This usually is taken at a shooting range or it can be done online. If you do the online option you still must go to a shooting range and pass the simulated hunt. This test usually takes a weekend and it is good for your whole life.

Riley Dowd is a former student at CWU and now owns his very own fishing guide service in Juneau, Alaska. In his off months from work, he lives in Ellensburg and hunts to pass the time. Dowd does a lot of coyote hunting in the area off Durr Road outside of Ellensburg and hunts deer during the modern firearm season.

“I enjoy hunting coyotes because there is no limit and I can hunt them anytime of the year because they are labeled as a varmint,” Dowd said.

A varmint is a species of animal there is not a restriction on how many you can shoot. Such as a nuisance and or problem maker. Coyotes have become a big problem in the area as well as all over Washington state because of overpopulation.

Coyotes are a nuisance because they will kill young deer, or fawns. They will also eat pheasants, an upland species of bird native to the area. This has become a problem in the area because it is having a huge impact on the future deer population and pheasant population in the area around Ellensburg.

“I saved a doe last year while hunting for my deer by killing a coyote going after her. It made me feel really good knowing I helped that deer live another day,” Dowd said.

Elk tags have strict rules when a hunter is trying to fill their tag. A tag is the state’s way of giving you permission to hunt for a certain animal. In the area, you can only shoot a spike bull, or male elk, during modern firearm season unless you draw for a special tag to get a bigger animal. A draw is a way for fish and game to make it fair for everyone to get a chance at a special hunt opportunity. During the archery season, you can shoot any elk because it is more challenging to get a good look or shot on an elk.

There is a simpler rule behind modern deer. If you are under 16 or over 65 years old, you can shoot a whitetail doe to fill your tag. If you are in-between those ages, you must shoot a buck with three points or better in this area. There are many more deer in Washington than there are elk. According to fish and wildlife statistics online, whitetail deer are becoming overpopulated, which is why this rule was introduced.

“It’s hard to understand the rules and guidelines of Washington hunting rules,” Dowd said.

There are certain sections across the state called GMUs (Game Management Units). Different units have different rules. All this can be found online and in the hunting regulations you receive when buying you tags.

“You just really have to know where you are and what you are shooting at.”

Alex Vaith is known at the university as the “tech guy” by most at the university. Vaith is in the financial aid department here at CWU. Vaith graduated from WSU in 2014 in computer science. Alex  has been an avid waterfowl hunter since he was just a kid. He enjoys hunting for deer and elk but has started to focus a lot on duck hunting and goose hunting.

“I was introduced to bird hunting by my dad when I was really young. We focused on elk and deer for a long time and I think we just wanted a change,” Vaith said.

It is common for hunters to take breaks hunting for certain game. Vaith mentioned that he loves deer and elk hunting, but he just wanted to take a year off and focus on birds such as duck, goose and pheasant.

“Hunting can become more stressful than fun if all you’re doing is looking for the biggest animal possible,” Vaith said.

“Hunting is not about shooting the biggest animal, it’s about enjoying yourself in the wilderness. If you are able to harvest [an] animal then, you’re lucky. If not, you still had a great camping trip.”