Washington Unit 673 Mule Deer Hunting Guide

Washington Unit 673 draws attention from hunters searching for deer opportunity in the state's general-season framework, and the harvest numbers here tell a story worth examining before committing a season to this ground. With 168,955 total acres and recent harvest data showing real year-over-year movement, Unit 673 is a legitimate option for hunters willing to understand its access limitations and put in scouting time.

This unit sits at a modest elevation band, ranging from near sea level up to 2,152 feet, which puts it squarely in lower-elevation terrain rather than high alpine country. That elevation profile shapes everything about how this unit hunts — expect timbered lowland and foothill terrain rather than big basins and high rockslides. Public land here is limited at 25%, meaning the majority of Unit 673's acreage is privately held, a critical fact for any hunter planning a DIY approach.

Hunt Structure: General Season with Limited-Quota Options

Unit 673 is a general-season unit — this is not a draw-only area. General-season hunts here include opportunities for antlered and either-sex animals, meaning hunters can pursue a tag over the counter rather than relying entirely on a lottery draw. In addition to the general-season framework, Unit 673 also offers limited-quota draw hunts, though the structured data available doesn't specify which sex those draw tags target. Hunters interested in those limited-quota opportunities should check HuntPilot's Washington unit page for the current breakdown before assuming a draw tag here covers antlered animals.

For most hunters, though, the general season is the primary path into Unit 673, and that's an important distinction from many western units where an antlered tag requires beating long odds in a draw.

Harvest Success Rates

Harvest data for Unit 673 spans five recent seasons and shows a unit with fluctuating but generally modest success rates, followed by a notable uptick:

• 2025: 727 hunters, 201 harvested — 28% success
• 2024: 691 hunters, 121 harvested — 18% success
• 2023: 572 hunters, 103 harvested — 18% success
• 2022: 607 hunters, 93 harvested — 15% success
• 2021: 722 hunters, 135 harvested — 19% success

The trend from 2021 through 2024 hovered in a fairly tight band between 15% and 19% success, which is consistent with general-season deer hunting pressure on a unit with significant private-land constraints. The jump to 28% success in 2025, with hunter numbers also increasing to 727, stands out as the strongest season in this five-year window both in raw harvest count (201) and in success rate. Whether that reflects improved herd conditions, better weather during the season, or a stronger fawn-crop year working its way into the harvestable population isn't something the available data can confirm — but it's a meaningful shift worth monitoring in future seasons.

What's consistent across all five years is hunter pressure: this unit sees a steady 570-730 hunters annually, indicating it's a known and actively-hunted area rather than an obscure or overlooked unit.

Access & Terrain

Unit 673 covers 168,955 acres with only 25% public land. That means roughly three-quarters of the unit is privately owned, and hunters need to take that seriously when planning a hunt. This is not a unit where a hunter can show up and expect wide-open public access across the landscape — successful hunters here will need to identify specific public parcels, secure permission on private ground, or focus effort tightly on the public land that does exist.

The elevation range of -1 to 2,152 feet confirms this is lowland and foothill terrain, not high-country mule deer habitat. There is no wilderness designation in this unit (0% wilderness), so hunters won't encounter the access restrictions or guide requirements sometimes found in wilderness areas — but they also won't find the remote, low-pressure character that wilderness designation often provides elsewhere.

Forum discussion around general-season deer hunting in Washington consistently points to a theme that applies here: deer densities in much of the state are lower than hunters coming from other western states expect, and finding solitude or lightly-pressured ground typically requires a willingness to get into foothill terrain and hike away from easy access points. Given Unit 673's modest elevation ceiling, that foothill country is likely the most realistic terrain feature to target for hunters looking to get away from road-bound pressure. Antler-point restrictions are also common in Washington's general deer tags, so hunters should confirm current point-minimum rules before the season — this directly affects which bucks are legal to harvest.

Trophy Quality

Trophy record data is not available for Unit 673 in the structured dataset provided. Hunters focused primarily on trophy potential should not assume anything about buck size or antler quality here without additional unit-specific research — the absence of recorded trophy data doesn't necessarily mean trophy animals don't exist, but it does mean no qualitative trophy assessment can be made responsibly for this unit.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 673 Worth Applying For?

Unit 673 presents a mixed but ultimately workable picture for hunters evaluating whether to invest a season here. On the positive side, this is a general-season unit, which removes the draw-odds barrier that limits access to many western deer units — hunters can plan a season here without waiting years to build points or draw a coveted tag. The 2025 harvest data, showing 28% success across 727 hunters, suggests the unit can produce solid results in a good year, a meaningful improvement over the 15-19% range seen from 2021 through 2024.

The primary caution is access. With only 25% public land across nearly 169,000 acres, DIY hunters face real constraints. The majority of this unit's ground is private, so success is going to depend heavily on identifying the public parcels that do exist, understanding how they connect to accessible terrain, and possibly pursuing private-land permission as a supplement. Hunters who treat this as a unit where they can hunt anywhere on the map will be disappointed; hunters who do their homework on exactly where the public 25% lies will have a much more realistic shot.

Given the consistent hunter pressure (570-730 hunters per year across the data provided) and the modest-to-improving success rates, Unit 673 is best suited to hunters who live within reasonable driving distance, can scout the public access points ahead of the season, and are comfortable with lower-elevation foothill terrain rather than classic high-country deer hunting. It's a legitimate option within the general-season framework, but it rewards preparation far more than it rewards simply showing up. Hunters using HuntPilot's mapping tools to identify the specific public parcels within the unit boundary will have a significant advantage over those relying on general e-scouting alone.

How to Apply

Unit 673's general-season structure means most hunters won't need to navigate a competitive draw to get into the field. In Washington, general-season deer tags are typically available over the counter to both residents and nonresidents, subject to the state's license and tag purchasing requirements — there's no need to apply months in advance and wait for draw results if the general season is the path a hunter chooses.

The limited-quota draw hunts available in Unit 673 operate differently. These require a separate application process through Washington's draw system, and the structured data available doesn't specify whether these quota hunts are restricted to a particular sex or hunt type. Hunters interested in pursuing one of these limited-quota tags should treat it as a distinct application track from the general season.

Resident and nonresident hunters both have access to Washington's hunting opportunities, though license costs, application procedures, and any quota restrictions can differ by residency status. Because application windows, fees, and current draw odds change from year to year, hunters should not rely on fixed dates or dollar figures from any source that isn't actively maintained.

For the most current application deadlines, license and tag fees, and draw odds for Unit 673's limited-quota hunts, see HuntPilot's Washington state page at /states/wa, where hunters can also find unit-specific tools for evaluating the public land layout before the season.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terrain like in Unit 673?

Unit 673 sits at a low elevation range, from near sea level up to 2,152 feet, making it foothill and lowland terrain rather than high-alpine deer country. Public land covers only 25% of the unit's 168,955 acres, so hunters will spend significant time identifying which specific parcels are accessible versus private. There is no wilderness designation in this unit, so access isn't restricted by wilderness regulations, but the low public-land percentage is the dominant access challenge hunters need to plan around.

What is harvest success like in Unit 673?

Harvest success in Unit 673 has ranged from 15% to 28% over the past five recorded seasons. The 2022 season saw the lowest success at 15% (93 harvested from 607 hunters), while 2025 produced the strongest results at 28% success (201 harvested from 727 hunters). Most seasons in this window landed in the 18-19% range, suggesting 2025 may represent either a strong outlier year or the start of an improving trend — hunters should watch upcoming seasons to see if that higher success rate holds.

Is Unit 673 worth applying for?

Because Unit 673 operates primarily as a general-season unit, there's no real "applying" barrier for most hunters — tags are generally available without a competitive draw. Whether it's worth hunting depends more on a hunter's tolerance for the unit's access realities: with just 25% public land, success requires real pre-season legwork to locate accessible ground. Hunters willing to do that work, especially given the improved 2025 harvest numbers, will find this a reasonable general-season option. Those expecting wide-open public access across the whole unit should look elsewhere or budget time for securing private-land permission.

How big are the deer in Unit 673?

Trophy record data is not available for Unit 673, so no qualitative assessment of antler size or trophy potential can be made for this unit based on the available data. Hunters focused specifically on trophy-class bucks should treat this as an open question and do additional unit-specific research before setting expectations.

Does Unit 673 require a draw to hunt deer?

No — Unit 673 includes general-season hunts covering antlered and either-sex animals, meaning most hunters can pursue a tag without waiting on a draw. The unit does also offer limited-quota draw hunts as a secondary option, though the sex and structure of those specific tags aren't detailed in the available data. Hunters should check HuntPilot's unit page for the current structure of those limited-quota opportunities.