Green Diamond Resource land in WA - Public hunting allowed?

[xenos23f]

Are these properties open, public, hunting lands? I know that these lands are open for hiking, horse back riding and camping but what about hunting?

Here is why I ask.

There is a good chunk of land owned by Green Diamond that I like to go hiking with my dog at. I was out there yesterday, enjoying a decent day and walk with the dog, and came across a few hunters. These guys were hunting right off of the logging roads, which kind of makes our presence for them annoying because we are scaring off their "game". Out there I only stick to the logging roads. I don't want to get lost.

I am trying to get my dog to follow behind me without a leash, which he has picked up on rather quickly but he's such a loving fool and thinks that everyone wants to meet him. This I know we need to work on. As I was walking by one of them my dog walked up and sniffed their leg. I apologized a got him to come back to a heal position beside me. At that time the hunter made a comment, something to the effect of "Go ahead and let him run out into that open field." which was the same field that him and his friend were scouting with binoculars while walking around. Again, right off the logging road. Such a comment made by two men with scoped rifles did not sit well with me. I took it as "Send your dog out there, we need something to shoot at." Which, to me, is not any different than someone telling me to send my child running out into an open area so they can take pot shots at them.

I do have the number for the local logger that oversees the land but I wanted to see if anyone here knew of the rules/laws of such lands before I made a call. I grew up in a family that hunted regularly, more for necessity than sport, so I know to respect the land and fellow people on it so this exchange was rather... disheartening. This land is no where near Capitol Forest.

Thanks in advance for the input.

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[mortre]

It's hard to say without visible clues from the person that said it, but when I read your statement I thought the hunter was hoping your dog would "flush" the deer out....

 

[xenos23f]

Thanks for another point of view. I can't say that I am a mind reader so he very well have meant that but it was a completely open field so there would be no deer to flush out. The visible clues were there for the negative. If they weren't, I would have shrugged it off and laughed.

I dunno. I'm just going to chock it up as experience and stay away from that area during hunting season.

 

[longcolt]

I have not known a hunter that was not a dog lover. So I too would believe that the hunters comment was aimed at having the dog work the field to flush a deer.

Anyone that would shoot someones pet would be a sociopath creature at best.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Yes they are open to hunting for the most part as long as active logging operations are not taking place. I for one am grateful for this opportunity to hunt these vast tracts of private timber holdings. A big thank you to Stimson, Simpson,Green diamond, Hancock, Miami and others that allow this! Keep in mind that hiking horseback riding and walking your dog are not the only activities going on in the forest.