GMU 145 Mayview
One of District 3's most productive deer units — a small, nearly all-private slice of Snake River breaks where mule deer densities are high and access is the whole story.
WDFW Region 1 (District 3) — Snake River Breaks & Blue Mountains foothills, Garfield County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
356
sq mi
Public land
5%
approx.
Elevation
540–2,900
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
GMU 145 (Mayview) is a compact ~356-square-mile unit in Garfield County, sitting on the breaks and rolling wheat plateau above the south side of the Snake River, north of Pomeroy. WDFW calls it traditionally one of the district's most productive GMUs for deer, with among the highest hunter success and harvest-per-unit-effort for mule (and white-tailed) deer in District 3 — but it is almost entirely private land and WDFW rates its public-land access as 'Poor.' Elk are present but not managed for here: a Snake River breaks herd exists yet is highly mobile and very hard to hunt without access to numerous private tracts. This is a private-land deer unit first, and access unlocks everything.
Terrain
From the Snake River (Lower Granite pool, ~540 ft) the land rises through steep, dissected breaks to a rolling dryland-farm plateau reaching roughly 2,800–2,900 ft toward the Blue Mountains foothills. The breaks are abrupt, rocky and canyon-cut; the tableland above is smooth Palouse-style loess hills under cultivation.
Cover: Dryland wheat, barley and legume fields dominate the plateau, laced with CRP grass, weedy draws and farmstead tree rows. The Snake River breaks carry bunchgrass, sagebrush, rabbitbrush, hackberry and scattered brush and riparian pockets near the water.
Landmarks: Snake River (Lower Granite pool) · Mayview grade · Deadman Creek / breaks draws · Central Ferry (Snake River crossing) · Pomeroy plateau
Access
WDFW rating: Poor — the majority of the unit is private. The one dependable public foothold is USACE ownership along the Snake River shoreline; in many places it extends only a couple hundred yards above the waterline, but a few larger Corps habitat management units (HMUs) provide considerable opportunity. Significant private acreage in 145 is enrolled in WDFW's access program — roughly 4,400 acres of Hunt by Written Permission (2 cooperators) plus ~2,400 acres of Feel Free to Hunt (3 cooperators) as of 2025 — but agreements change year to year, so confirm current enrollment before you go. Beyond enrolled ground, secure landowner permission early; buck access is competitive, doe/antlerless access is easier.
Managers: Private agricultural landowners (dryland wheat/legume farms), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Snake River shoreline & HMUs), WDFW Private Lands Access Program cooperators, WDNR
Access points: USACE Snake River shoreline & habitat management units · Central Ferry area (Snake River / Lower Granite pool) · Mayview grade road into the breaks · WDFW-enrolled FFTH/HBWP parcels (check current listings)
Species notes
Mule Deer
common qualityMayview posts some of the highest mule deer success and harvest-per-unit-effort in District 3 — WDFW ranks it a top unit despite its small size. Deer concentrate in the Snake River breaks, CRP and the field-edge/rangeland mosaic. Because so much is private, real densities in huntable pockets exceed what harvest-per-square-mile suggests.
- →Glass the Snake River breaks and side draws at dawn and dusk for bucks bedded in rimrock and brush
- →Work the edges where cropland and CRP meet the canyon breaks
- →Spot-and-stalk the open hillsides; manage thermals in the breaks
- →Hunt the late-October rut window when mature bucks travel more in daylight
Whitetail Deer
common opportunityWhite-tailed deer share the unit with mule deer, holding in the riparian corridors, brushy draws and agricultural bottoms. Mule and whitetail overlap, so identify the species before shooting — regulations can differ.
- →Hunt brushy creek bottoms, draws and fencerows that whitetails use for cover between fields
- →Sit crop and CRP edges at first and last light
- →Still-hunt the thicker riparian stringers in midday
- →Confirm species carefully in mixed country
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited opportunityGMU 145 is a private-land unit not managed for elk — very few reside here and their movements are unpredictable. A separate herd works the breaks of the Snake River in the northern part of the unit; both groups are highly mobile and difficult to locate without access to numerous private tracts. Branched-bull harvest across the district runs through the permit system, and 145 is not managed for quality bulls.
- →Focus on the Snake River breaks in the north where the resident group ranges
- →Access to multiple private tracts is essentially required — line it up in advance
- →Stay mobile and glass hard; elk here shift unpredictably
- →Treat elk as a bonus to a deer hunt rather than the primary target
Cougar
limited opportunityCougars are present at low-to-moderate density tied to the breaks and draws and follow the strong deer population. District 3 biologists note cougar predation as a factor in local elk-calf survival, so cats are on the landscape.
- →Cut fresh tracks in snow along the Snake River breaks and timbered draws
- →Hunt deer-concentration pockets where cougars key on prey
- →Pursue opportunistically during deer season
Pro tips
- →This is a small, high-quality deer unit — its value is entirely gated by access, so secure permission or target enrolled FFTH/HBWP parcels early.
- →The Snake River breaks are the core; hunt the cropland-to-canyon transition at first and last light.
- →Verify current WDFW private-lands enrollment before the season — cooperators and acreage change year to year.
- →A boat can reach Corps shoreline and breaks that are walled off from the plateau above.
- →Doe/antlerless access is easier than buck access — good for meat hunters and for building landowner relationships.
Watch out for
- !Nearly all private — trespass risk is high; WDFW rates public access as 'Poor.'
- !Corps shoreline strips are often only a couple hundred yards deep and not all Corps land allows hunting.
- !Enrolled private acreage is modest (~a few thousand acres) and contracts can lapse — check current status.
- !Elk are unmanaged and unpredictable here; do not plan a hunt around them without private access.
- !Late-season wildfire and fire-danger closures can affect access in southeast WA.
Logistics
Pomeroy is the closest full-service town (fuel, groceries, lodging, and one of the Marengo-area access permit pickup points); Clarkston to the east offers more services. Access the breaks via the Mayview grade and Central Ferry; farm roads are good but private. Cell service is spotty in the deeper breaks and canyons.
Nearest towns: Pomeroy, Clarkston, Central Ferry, Dodge, Pataha
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Washington sources:
Research sources: WDFW District 3 Hunting Prospects (2025) · WDFW Game Management Units · WDFW Blue Mountains Elk Herd Management Plan
FAQ
- How big is GMU 145 in Washington?
- GMU 145 (Mayview) covers about 356 square miles, ranging from roughly 540 to 2,900 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 145?
- Approximately 5% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Private agricultural landowners (dryland wheat/legume farms), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Snake River shoreline & HMUs), WDFW Private Lands Access Program cooperators, WDNR. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 145?
- Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, 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 145 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.