GMU 169 Wenaha
100% public, roadless Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness — a backpack/horse-only backcountry unit with wilderness bighorn and low-density elk.
Region 1 — Blue Mountains (Eastern WA) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
157
sq mi
Public land
100%
approx.
Elevation
2,600–6,368
feet
Motorized
wilderness
access
Overview
GMU 169 "Wenaha" is a small (~157-161 sq mi), extraordinarily rugged unit in the southern Blue Mountains of Garfield/Columbia counties on the Oregon line. WDFW rates access "Excellent" only in the sense that it is 100% public — roughly 95% of the unit lies inside the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness, with essentially zero interior roads. Numerous road access points touch the GMU's edges, but the core requires backpacking or horse-packing and is physically demanding: peaks include Mount Misery (~6,368 ft), Oregon Butte (~6,329 ft) and West Butte (~6,263 ft), dropping to about 2,600 ft in the creek bottoms. Elk densities have stayed low here for roughly 35 years with no sign of improving, and hunter density is the lowest in District 3. Deer Areas 1008/1009 split the wilderness into west/east to spread pressure; the Wenaha bighorn sheep unit occupies the Crooked Creek country. Wildfires in 2015 (and a portion in 2021) reset habitat and should benefit game for years.
Terrain
Extreme wilderness relief — deep, roadless canyons cut by Crooked Creek, Butte Creek and the Wenaha drainage climb from roughly 2,600 ft in the bottoms to a high ridgeline of 6,000+ ft peaks. West Butte (~6,263 ft), Oregon Butte (~6,329 ft) and Mount Misery (~6,368 ft) top the northern rim; Twin Buttes (~5,656 ft) sits farther south. Slopes are steep grass-and-timber faces broken by rock, and access is on foot or horseback only across most of the unit.
Cover: Bunchgrass and shrub-steppe on the steep canyon faces and south slopes, grading into ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, grand fir and subalpine fir on the higher and north-facing ground. The 2015 (Grizzly Bear Complex) fire and 2021 burns opened large blocks of canopy, creating regenerating brush and forest edge that improves forage.
Landmarks: Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness (~95% of the unit) · Mount Misery (~6,368 ft) · Oregon Butte (~6,329 ft) · West Butte (~6,263 ft) · Twin Buttes (~5,656 ft) · Crooked Creek drainage (Wenaha bighorn sheep country) · Butte Creek (low ground ~2,600 ft) · 2015 Grizzly Bear Complex fire scar
Access
GMU 169 is 100% public and WDFW rates access "Excellent" — but that means excellent land status, not easy walking. About 95% of the unit is inside the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness with no interior roads; numerous road/trailhead access points ring the GMU edge, and from there hunters must backpack or horse-pack into a very steep, rugged wilderness. This is one of the physically hardest units in the district and, correspondingly, carries the lowest hunter density in District 3. No motorized or mechanized travel is permitted in the wilderness. Deer Areas 1008 (west) and 1009 (east) — and the paralleling Elk Areas 1008/1009 — divide the wilderness to distribute permit-hunter pressure that historically concentrated in the road-dense western corner.
Managers: U.S. Forest Service (Umatilla National Forest), Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness (~95% of the unit)
Access points: Perimeter USFS roads and wilderness trailheads ringing the GMU · Pack trails into the Crooked Creek and Wenaha drainages · Horse-packing routes to the high ridgeline (Oregon Butte / Mount Misery area) · Backpack routes from the northern rim trailheads
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer inhabit the open canyon faces, grassy south slopes and timber edges of the wilderness. Harvest is low in absolute terms (only a handful taken in the 2024 general modern-firearm season against ~127 hunters) because success is limited by the sheer difficulty of the terrain, not by animal scarcity. Deer Areas 1008/1009 distribute harvest across the west and east halves. Mountain mule deer show the regional long-term decline, but the 2015/2021 burns improved forage.
- →Backpack or horse-pack well in from the perimeter — the deer are there, but you must reach them
- →Glass the steep open grass faces, burn regrowth and timber edges at first and last light across canyons
- →Early season hunt cooler north-facing timber; after snow key on south-facing slopes where deer and sun collect
- →Plan meat care and pack-out logistics before you shoot — recovery here is a serious effort
Whitetail Deer
limited opportunityWhitetails occur at lower densities than mule deer, mostly in the lower creek bottoms and brushier draws where cover and water concentrate. This is not a whitetail-focused unit — most deer effort here is aimed at mule deer on the open wilderness slopes.
- →Focus on the lower Crooked/Butte creek bottoms and brushy draws where whitetails hold to cover
- →Watch riparian and timber-edge transitions at dawn and dusk
- →Expect incidental whitetail encounters while hunting mule deer higher up
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited opportunityPart of the single Blue Mountains elk herd, GMU 169 has held stubbornly low elk densities for roughly 35 years with no indication of improving; 2024 elk harvest was the district's lowest (about a dozen animals). General elk seasons are spike-only with antlerless opportunity eliminated on this public land. The 2015 and 2021 wildfires are expected to improve elk numbers and habitat quality over time. Elk Areas 1008/1009 spread the limited permit pressure across the wilderness.
- →Accept this as a genuinely low-density elk unit — locate the few herds by scouting before you invest a hard pack-in
- →Hunt north-facing timber while warm early, then south-facing slopes and burn openings once snow arrives
- →Work the 2015/2021 burn edges where regenerating forage draws elk
- →Be prepared to cover big country on foot or horseback between elk sign
Bighorn Sheep
limited qualityThe Crooked Creek country within GMU 169 falls in the Wenaha bighorn sheep unit — one of Washington's premier, hard-to-draw Rocky Mountain bighorn hunts. Sheep here are managed as a limited once-in-a-lifetime resource; a tag is a rare draw or auction/raffle opportunity, and the reward is rams in remote, rugged wilderness canyons.
- →This is a special once-in-a-lifetime permit hunt — years of applying or an auction/raffle tag is the realistic path in
- →Confirm the exact Wenaha sheep-unit boundary (Crooked Creek drainage) before hunting or applying
- →If drawn, scout the Crooked Creek breaks and high canyon rims and plan for a full backcountry effort
- →Coordinate with the WDFW district biologist on ram distribution and current herd status
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bears are common throughout the wilderness canyons, feeding on berries and forage along the burn edges and riparian draws. Most are taken incidentally by deer and elk hunters working the backcountry. Color-phase bears occur.
- →Glass berry-filled draws and burn-regrowth slopes very early and very late from a distant vantage
- →Hunt the riparian bottoms and shrubby faces where bears feed in early fall
- →Carry a bear tag on any deer/elk pack-in — most Wenaha bears are opportunistic
- →Locate fresh sign in huckleberry/elderberry patches before committing time
Cougar
common opportunityCougars range throughout the prey-rich wilderness. GMU 169 lies in Cougar Hunt Management Unit 13 (with 172/181/186), governed by a seasonal mortality cap; hound use is prohibited statewide, so harvest is almost entirely incidental. Verify current CHMU 13 quota status before hunting.
- →Most cougars are taken by backcountry deer/elk hunters who cut tracks — carry a tag
- →Fresh snow is the biggest advantage for cutting and following sign in this terrain
- →Hunt the prey-rich canyons and timber where deer and elk winter
- →Watch the CHMU 13 quota status — the season can close once the cap fills
Pro tips
- →"Excellent" access here means 100% public, not easy — ~95% is roadless Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness. Come prepared to backpack or horse-pack deep, and hunt where road hunters can't reach.
- →This unit has the lowest hunter density in District 3 — the payoff for the effort is solitude and unpressured game.
- →Hunt the 2015 and 2021 burn edges, where regenerating brush and forest edge concentrate deer, elk and bears.
- →The Crooked Creek country is the Wenaha bighorn sheep unit — a once-in-a-lifetime draw; confirm the boundary and coordinate with the district biologist if you hold a tag.
- →Mandatory CWD testing applies to deer, elk and moose in Region 1 (100-series GMUs), and whole carcasses can't leave the 100-series — plan to debone in the field, which also lightens the wilderness pack-out.
- →Wolves are established in the Blue Mountains and move game; scout to relocate herds rather than banking on a single drainage.
Watch out for
- !About 95% of the unit is Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness — no motorized or mechanized travel; this is a foot/horse-only hunt with demanding terrain and long pack-outs.
- !Physically hard, steep canyon country — underestimating the effort (and meat recovery) is the biggest pitfall here.
- !Elk densities have been low for ~35 years and 2024 harvest was the district's lowest — set expectations accordingly.
- !Wildfire risk in hot, dry late summers/falls can close trailheads and roads on short notice (2015 and 2021 both burned parts of the unit) — check InciWeb, USFS and WDFW.
- !Fast-changing high-country weather and early snow can strand hunters or close the high ridgeline.
- !Chronic wasting disease is confirmed in WDFW's Eastern Region — mandatory CWD testing for harvested deer/elk/moose in the 100-series and carcass-transport restrictions apply.
- !The cougar season is capped by CHMU 13 and can close mid-season once the mortality cap is met.
Logistics
This is a remote, roadless wilderness hunt — plan for a self-supported backpack or horse-pack trip. Pomeroy and Dayton are the nearest towns for gas, groceries and basic lodging; Clarkston/Lewiston and Walla Walla are the larger regional hubs with full services and airports. Access is from perimeter USFS roads and wilderness trailheads; there is no motorized travel inside the wilderness core, so factor in serious pack-in time and meat pack-out logistics before hunting. Fire bans and USFS road/area closures are common in late summer and early fall. WDFW's Eastern Region (Region 1) office in Spokane Valley (509-892-1001) answers access questions.
Nearest towns: Pomeroy, WA, Dayton, WA, Clarkston, WA, Walla Walla, WA
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Washington sources:
Research sources: WDFW — Game Management Units (GMUs) · WDFW — 2025 District 3 Hunting Prospects (Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, Asotin counties) · WDFW — Deer and elk special hunt areas (Deer/Elk Areas 1008 & 1009) · GoHunt — Washington Unit 169 (Wenaha) Profile · WDFW — Chronic wasting disease (CWD) rules
FAQ
- How big is GMU 169 in Washington?
- GMU 169 (Wenaha) covers about 157 square miles, ranging from roughly 2,600 to 6,368 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 169?
- Approximately 100% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: U.S. Forest Service (Umatilla National Forest), Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness (~95% of the unit). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 169?
- Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Bighorn Sheep, Black Bear, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Washington agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 169 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.