GMU 101 Sherman
The Kettle Crest — District 1's best mule deer ground on a wall of Colville National Forest
WDFW Region 1 — Northeastern Washington (District 1) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,100
sq mi
Public land
70%
approx.
Elevation
1,600–7,146
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 101 (Sherman) covers the Kettle River Range in Ferry County, straddling the Kettle Crest between Republic and Kettle Falls. The majority of the unit is Colville National Forest, making it the most publicly accessible big-timber unit in District 1 and, by WDFW's own reckoning, the district's top mule deer GMU alongside Huckleberry (121). Whitetail are common in the lower draws and valley edges, while elk are marginal here. High country tops out above 7,000 feet at Copper Butte, so weather and snow drive the late-season game.
Terrain
A north-south spine — the Kettle Crest — rising from the Kettle and Columbia river valleys to Copper Butte (7,146 ft), the range high point. SR-20 crosses at Sherman Pass (5,575 ft), the highest year-round pass in the state.
Cover: Ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir on the lower and mid slopes grading into lodgepole, subalpine fir and Engelmann spruce toward the crest; extensive standing burns and regenerating brush from the 1988 White Mountain / Dollar Mountain and later fires create prime deer browse.
Landmarks: Kettle Crest · Copper Butte (7,146 ft) · Sherman Pass (SR-20, 5,575 ft) · Boulder Pass · Sherman Peak · White Mountain burn
Access
WDFW rates the Kettle Range as good but somewhat limited road access for automobiles. Roads climb to the Kettle Crest from both the east and west sides, but only three cross it: two paved and maintained (Sherman Pass / SR-20 and Boulder Pass) plus one unpaved (Little Boulder). Late-hunt access into the high country can be snowed out — WDFW recommends a 4WD vehicle in the late season and a Colville National Forest map. The unit borders the Colville Reservation to the south; that reservation land is a separate tribal jurisdiction and is not open to general WDFW-license hunting.
Managers: USFS Colville National Forest, WDNR, Private timber, Private
Access points: SR-20 / Sherman Pass corridor · Kettle Crest Trailhead (Sherman Pass) · Albian Hill Road · Boulder-Deer Creek Road · US-395 corridor at Kettle Falls (east edge)
Species notes
Mule Deer
common qualityWDFW names Sherman as one of District 1's two best mule deer units. Bucks hold in the higher Kettle Range country; archery hunters see low competition and success rates around 23 percent, among the district's best for the weapon.
- →Hunt the higher benches and burn edges along the Kettle Crest where mule deer concentrate
- →Glass regenerating burns and open subalpine parks at first and last light
- →Work the transition zone between ponderosa and lodgepole; bucks shift up-country early season
- →Late season, follow snow lines down — deer drop toward valley browse as high country fills in
Whitetail Deer
common opportunityWhitetail are common in the lower draws, riparian bottoms and agricultural edges near the Kettle and Columbia valleys, offering solid any-deer opportunity alongside the mule deer hunt.
- →Focus on brushy creek bottoms and the private/public edge near valley farmland
- →Still-hunt thick ponderosa and Douglas-fir pockets
- →Rut activity in November pulls bucks into the open along field margins
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bear are common throughout the Colville National Forest portion of the unit, working berry fields and regenerating burns in late summer and fall.
- →Glass avalanche chutes, old cuts and huckleberry fields on the Kettle Crest
- →Hunt forest-road edges where bears feed on grasses and forbs early
- →Note that bait and ungulate-derived scents are banned in the 100-series GMUs under CWD rules
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited lowElk opportunity is marginal in Sherman; District 1's better elk hunting is in the Pend Oreille sub-herd units to the east (111, 117, 121). Expect scattered animals, not a herd hunt.
- →Treat elk as an incidental opportunity while deer hunting
- →Check remote timbered basins and meadow edges away from roads
Cougar
common opportunityCougars are present throughout the Kettle Range following the deer herds.
- →Fresh snow makes tracking productive in the late season
- →Hunt where deer wintering areas concentrate prey
Pro tips
- →This is a legitimate DIY mule deer unit — go higher and farther from the three crest-crossing roads than the average hunter to find bucks with light pressure
- →Archery hunters historically get the best of Sherman: low competition and ~23% success
- →Learn the standing burns — regenerating browse in old fire scars is where deer feed
- →Carry a current Colville National Forest travel map; road status and gates change year to year
- →Under CWD rules for the 100-series GMUs, bait and ungulate-derived scent products are prohibited and successful hunters may face mandatory testing — verify current requirements before you hunt
Watch out for
- !The Colville Reservation borders the unit to the south — it is tribal land under separate jurisdiction, not open to general WDFW hunting; know the boundary
- !Late-season snow can close the upper Kettle Crest roads with no warning
- !Wildfire history means burned snags and closed/decommissioned roads; conditions differ from older maps
- !CWD surveillance zone: bait ban, scent ban, and possible mandatory sample submission apply
Logistics
Republic (west) and Kettle Falls (east) bracket the unit and provide fuel, groceries and lodging; SR-20 over Sherman Pass ties them together. Dispersed camping is available throughout the Colville National Forest, with developed sites near Sherman Pass. Cell coverage is spotty to nonexistent off the highway corridor.
Nearest towns: Republic, Kettle Falls, Boyds, Curlew, Colville
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Washington sources:
Research sources: WDFW 2024 District 1 Hunting Prospects · WDFW Game Management Units · Kettle River Range — Wikipedia · NW Sportsman — CWD rules for Spokane-area 100-series GMUs
FAQ
- How big is GMU 101 in Washington?
- GMU 101 (Sherman) covers about 1,100 square miles, ranging from roughly 1,600 to 7,146 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 101?
- Approximately 70% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Colville National Forest, WDNR, Private timber, Private. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 101?
- Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Black Bear, Rocky Mountain Elk, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Washington agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 101 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.