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300 series unit information

As more and more information is added to each individual unit's information, we will dedicate full pages to them. 

Hunting success requires significant planning and preparation.  Very few hunters can be successful without properly scouting an area or preparing well before the season starts.  The most serious (and successful) hunters "hunt" year-round.  That is to say, they are continually improving their woodmanship, marksmanship, and knowledge of their quarry.  The most successful hunters are in the field every month of the year.  They know their quarry and their hunting areas very well.  Hunting is an activity that is directly affected by the amount of front-end work a person puts into it.

If you can contribute information click here Submit information (tips, area suggestions, etc)

If you would like to advertise for services located in the 300 series units  click here Contact Advertising

WAC 232-28-333 Game management units (GMUs) boundary descriptions -- Region three.

(all harvest statistics are from the WDFW).
* The WDFW has advised that a main factor for mule deer declines in 300 series GMU's is as a result of an exotic louse infecting the deer herds.  This exotic lice causes the deer to overly groom and scratch themselves and causes their hair to fall out which puts them at serious risk for hypothermia.

WDFW Wildlife Areas Region 3
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GMU 328-NANEUM (Kittitas and Chelan counties):

2006 General Harvest = (Deer - 77) ( Elk - 173) ( Bear - 3) ( Cougar - 4) (Turkey - 24)

Ton of deer low on the flats, but, mostly private land.  If you can get permission on one of the hay/alfalfa farms in the area, you can catch Mulies coming out of the surrounding timber.  Good accessible hunting for both elk and deer can be had on or around Table mountain.  Naneum Basin/Canyon will hold significant amounts of animals.  If there is early snowfall, the deer and elk will be pushed down and can be found mostly on the south facing slopes of Cooke Canyon and Coleman Canyon.  Coleman creek provides a great access point, but crowds of hunters are there in elk season.

You can also find quite a bit of Green dot (closed when the road is not marked with a green dot marker) road areas in this unit near Naneum Creek.

The new Naneum Ridge State Forest has 71,000-acre of state forest.  Get ther through Walter Flats, at the intersection of Vantage Hwy. and Naneum Rd., turn left (north) on Naneum Rd., and go approximately 8.5 miles and look for signs to the DNR & Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation event at Walter Flats. Walter Flats is approximately 7 miles from the paved highway.

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GMU 329-QUILOMENE (Kittitas and Chelan counties):

2006 Gen Harvest = (Deer - Spec Permit) ( Elk - 126) ( Bear - 5)( Cougar - 3) (Turkey - 24)

Colockum, Schaake, and Quilomene Wildlife areas make up most of this unit.  Early season in this unit will provide some hunters with some elk and deer.  The trick for this unit is to hunt it late season (if open or you have a special permit)  The elk and deer move out of the surrounding higher elevations when snow has covered all of their browse.  Hunt the snow line. 

Information from a rare muzzleloader any deer permit holder: "We decided to hunt the lower area of the quilomene in the sagebrush in the Chinaman's hat area. We only saw 4 bucks in the 6 days, one of which was a monster 5x5....I will say that hunting in the sagebrush/greasewood areas is difficult, I had deer within 10 yards of me that I could not see until I ran into them because the sagebrush/greasewood is so high....it makes for great cover.  A person is best off to stay high and glass with a good optics." (Courtesy Shawn S.)

You can also find quite a bit of Green dot (closed when the road is not marked with a green dot marker) road areas in this unit near Naneum Creek.

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GMU 330-West Bar (Kittitas County):

2006 General Harvest = (Deer - 6) ( Elk - 1) ( Bear - 0) ( Cougar - 0) (Turkey - 0)

Small unit near crescent bar.  Access is limited and numbers of elk and deer are small except in years of lots of snow in the higher elevations.  Very open brushy country.

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 GMU 334-ELLENSBURG (Kittitas County):

2006 General Harvest = (Deer - 11) ( Elk - 38) ( Bear - 0) ( Cougar - 0) (Turkey - 1)

no information at this time as area holds some deer and elk, but mostly residential and small farm plots.
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GMU 335-TEANAWAY (Kittitas County):

2006 General Harvest = (Deer - 282) ( Elk - 117) ( Bear - 39) ( Cougar - 3) (Turkey - 48)

Lots of access can be had off of the Teanaway Rd.  The area holds fair number of Mule deer.  Better area to hunt after snows have begun in the high country surrounding the unit.  There is quite a bit of development occurring around Cle Elum Ridge, but the Northern portion of the unit will get you into good areas.
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GMU 336-TANEUM (Kittitas County):

2006 General Harvest = (Deer - 73) ( Elk - 73) ( Bear - 6) ( Cougar - 3) (Turkey - 16)

Similar to Teannaway.  The lowlands hold deer, but development is pushing them out of the once agricultural areas.   Lots of Elk and Deer in this area but they are generally dispersed if there is no snow up high.  The Wenatchee National Forest has slowed it’s logging operations and the once abundant clear cuts are being overgrown and is becoming less and less prime for deer and elk browse.   The Little Naches drainage is the hot area for this unit.

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GMU 340-MANASTASH (Kittitas County):

2006 General Harvest = (Deer - 70) ( Elk - 85) ( Bear - 5) ( Cougar - 3) (Turkey - 0)

This unit has a lot of clearcut areas with logging roads cut throughout.  The Northwest section of LT Murray Wildlife area and manashtash ridge will hold early season pockets of elk and deer. As the snow flies, the elk and deer tend to migrate down into the south eastern section of the wildlife area which tends to be more open with cover only on the north facing slopes.  Whiskey Canyon on the lower portion is steep but will present opportunities for elk and deer.
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GMU 342-UMTANUM (Kittitas and Yakima counties):

2006 General Harvest = (Deer - 81) ( Elk - 68) ( Bear - 0) ( Cougar - 0) (Turkey - 1)

Oak Creek Wildlife area holds big numbers of deer and elk.  You will find them in early season along the dozen or so rolling canyons just south of Wenas.  Not a lot of road access here, but the boot hunter can get up into some solitary pockets which will hold the animals.  Once, the snow starts falling watch for the animals to be moving along Sanford Pasture along HWY 410. 

There is also access into the Umtanum Creek Recreation Area.  This is located actually in the Wenas wildlife area.  North end of the unit around FR1701 (canteen flats) and FR1702 (rock cr) are productive, but, crowded.  Sheep Company Road Access: From I-82 take exit 26 and go West approximately 1/4 mile to Hwy 823/Harrison Rd. Turn left (West) onto Harrison Rd., go two miles until it intersects with North Wenas Rd. Take a right onto North Wenas Rd. and go 4.8 miles to Sheep Company Rd. Turn right (North) onto Sheep Company Rd, go approximately 1 mile to access onto the wildlife area. Once you cross the cattle guard you are on the wildlife area.

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GMU 346-LITTLE NACHES (Yakima and Kittitas counties):

2006 General Harvest = (Deer - 90) ( Elk - 107) ( Bear - 7) ( Cougar - 3) (Turkey - 1)

FR1702 up rock creek and up around Bald mountain will get you into Deer and possibly elk.  Lots of public land here Milk Creek and Gold creek are far enough from roads to get you into some good deer and migratory elk.  Snow will help push deer and elk into the area from the surrounding higher elevations.  FR 1902 will get you up high to the lookout.  Look for bulls and bucks up here in early season.

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GMU 352-NILE (Yakima County): 

2006 General Harvest = (Deer - 77) ( Elk - 101) ( Bear - 0) ( Cougar - 0) (Turkey - 3)

Significant road access is available in this unit and subsequently, lots of vehicles.  Most of the unit will hold deer and elk, get up into the Western parts of the unit and get away from the roads, the deer and elk will be back up in the wilderness area.  Once the snow flies, hunt the snow line.

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GMU 356-BUMPING (Yakima County):

2006 General Harvest = (Deer - 9) ( Elk - 66) ( Bear - 2) ( Cougar - 1) (Turkey - 6)

Lots of area to hunt here.  Pockets of deer and elk are everywhere.  The flats down low will hold single deer and elk in the early season.  Watch the Northern slopes of Mount Aix for migratory deer and elk once the snow flies.  The unit has some fairly gentle topography south of Bumping lake and relatively easy to move around.  Great areas can be found in the William O Douglas Wilderness just north of 410, Indian Creek trailhead is your best bet.

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GMU 360-BETHEL (Yakima County):

2006 General Harvest = (Deer - 16) ( Elk - 67) ( Bear - 8) ( Cougar - 1) (Turkey - 4)

Check out the areas that feed the Tieton river to the North.  You can get up and on Bethel Ridge.  The unit will hold pockets of deer and elk.  The area can get hot if the snow flies as the animals will move down out of the higher elevations.

Oak Creek Green Dot road closure area holds roads which are available to the bike or boot hunter. 

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GMU 364-RIMROCK (Yakima County): 

2006 General Harvest = (Deer - 17) ( Elk - 78) ( Bear - 7) ( Cougar - 1) (Turkey - 1)

 South Fork of the Tieton River is the major drainage in this unit.   Elk populations are significant in the pinegrass ridge area just south of Rimrock lake.  Also look for deer in the flats just south of the Tieton Reservoir road.  1204  line will get you up to the Goat rocks Wilderness boundary.

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GMU 368-COWICHE (Yakima County):

2006 General Harvest = (Deer - 122) ( Elk - 202) ( Bear - 11) ( Cougar - 0) (Turkey - 10)

Going West along Cowiche Hill rd will get you up into a section of  the Oak Creek Wildlife area.  There are a lot of animals lower in the eastern part of the unit, but the area is being quickly developed and access is becoming more and more limited.  Lots of hunters will pack horses up into the Cowiche Creek area or up Ahtanum Creek.  You can come in from the east up N Fork Ahtanum Creek rd or Nasty Creek rd and get into some logging roads and modest trail systems.

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GMU 371-ALKALI (Kittitas and Yakima counties):

2006 General Harvest = (Deer - Special Permit) ( Elk - 27) ( Bear - 0) ( Cougar - 0)

 Permit only elk area.  Primarily encompasses the Yakima Firing center. Firing Range website The center advises that they have a 1:4 buck:doe ratio.

Important!  Per the WDFW May 29, 2008 newsbrief, "... permits for Game Management Unit 371 have been dropped from this year's hunt because the U.S. Army recently scheduled expanded training exercises at the Yakima Training Center this fall."
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GMU 372 RATTLESNAKE HILLS (Benton and Yakima counties):

2006 General Harvest = (Deer - 40) ( Elk - 55) ( Bear - 0) ( Cougar - 0) (Turkey - 0)

The Rattlesnake Slope unit comprises 3,661 acres located five miles north of Benton City. Elevations range from 2000 feet along top of Rattlesnake Ridge to 400 feet on the lower portions at Horn Rapids.  Chukar, deer and elk are the most likely species to be hunted. A large area running parallel to the highway is leased by the Tri Cities Shooting Association as a multiple use, intensively managed target range. The boundary is fenced, which provides an adequate safety margin for those visiting the remainder of this management unit.  (from the WDFW website)

The Thornton wildlife unit comprises 2,080 acres located about eight miles northeast of Prosser on the west side of Benton County, and about three miles southwest of the Rattlesnake Slope unit.  Snipes Creek bisects the unit and provides limited but important riparian habitat in places. A spring in the center of this unit provides free water nearly year round and other, smaller springs exist in other canyons. The unit is a popular hunting area for deer and elk. Historically, chukar hunting was common but populations have waned in recent years. The unit has two access sites, one along Rothrock Road on the west side and a new one along Case Road on the east side that compensates for the closure of Sharp Road. (from the WDFW website)

Interesting submitted  donated factoid about 372.  Unit 372, elk harvest:  there was a higher than normal elk harvest in 2007 in unit 372 due to fire on Hanford ALE displaced elk (per 2009 trend report)

Hanford Reach information (link)

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GMU 373-HORSE HEAVEN (Benton and Yakima counties):

2006 General Harvest = (Deer - 44) ( Elk - 1) ( Bear - 0) ( Cougar - 0) (Turkey - 0)

no information at this time
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GMU 379-Ringold (Franklin, Grant, and Adams counties):

2006 General Harvest = (Deer - 70) ( Elk - 2) ( Bear - 0) ( Cougar - 0) (Turkey - 2)

South Columbia Basin Irrigation Project and the area around the Hanford Reach National Monument are purportedly being heavily grazed by cattle and is reducing the cover and forage needed by local populations of deer.  There are not any opportunities for public access known at this time.
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GMU 381-Kahlotus (Franklin and Adams counties):

2006 General Harvest = (Deer - 170) ( Elk - 2) ( Bear - 0) ( Cougar - 0) (Turkey - 1)

 Ezquatel wildlife area, Windmill wildlife area, and Bailie Wildlife area are areas which hold big trophy size deer.  They are few and far between.  The open scablands area tend to be difficult for bowhunters, but, should be easier for rifle hunters who can reach out significant distances.  Glass from a high up vantage point early in the morning and watch for bedded deer.

The WDFW believes that because of the limit on available water sources in this unit, the vast majority of the deer found here are migratory and be found later in the seasons. (2007 game status and trend report)
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GMU 382-EAST KLICKITAT (Klickitat County):

2006 General Harvest = (Deer - 450) ( Elk - 1) ( Bear - 5) ( Cougar - 0) (Turkey - 71)

Lots of private land holdings in this unit.  Area is best to scout early and ask permission from the landowner.  There is little public access in this unit.

2006 General Harvest = (Deer - 288) ( Elk - 12) ( Bear - 4) ( Cougar - 4) (Turkey - 115)

This unit has lots of blacktail/mulie cross-deer and is effectively managed as a mule deer area.  There are a number of deer down low in the private fields, but, there is some public access in the Klickitat Wildlife area off of hwy 142.  As with most Mule deer hunts, get back away from the crowds of other hunters driving the roads.  There are also some extensive private timber company lands in this unit.  Most likely they will be gated and only open to the boot hunter or bicyclist. 

Dillacort Canyon Unit has elk, deer and turkeys.  most of the 200 acres of this unit lie on the other side of the river.  Few hunters will access that portion due to the river crossing.

Mineral Springs Unit has 578 acres available to hunters of big game, turkeys and grouse.

Soda Springs Unit is about 13,000 acres and provides excellent riparian habitat for deer and Turkeys.  The unit is well used by hunters.

*Harvest data taken from WDFW website

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