GMU 218 Chewuch
A backpacker's mule deer unit above Winthrop — 95% public national forest, half of it reborn in fire, best hunting in the high burns.
WDFW Region 2 — District 6, Okanogan County (Methow Valley) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
466
sq mi
Public land
95%
approx.
Elevation
1,800–8,200
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 218 "Chewuch" is a ~466-square-mile unit north of Winthrop in the Methow Valley, wrapped around the Chewuch River and hemmed by mountains that climb toward the Pasayten Wilderness. It is overwhelmingly public — roughly 95% Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest — with the Rendezvous Unit of the Methow Wildlife Area on the southern fringe. Mule deer are the target, part of District 6's large migratory herd, and this is classic remote, steep, roadless-leaning country where roughly half the unit has burned since 2000. Those old burns, now grown up in succulent green-up and shrubs, are the single best place to find deer. Whitetail are a minor presence in the lower river bottoms, there are no resident elk, and bear, cougar and turkey round out the opportunity.
Terrain
Remote, steep mountain country drained by a web of creeks feeding the Chewuch River, which runs south to Winthrop at the unit's low point (~1,800 ft). Ridges and peaks climb to 8,000+ ft toward the Pasayten. Extensive post-2000 burns leave a patchwork of standing snags, open slopes and vigorous shrub/forb regrowth at mid and upper elevations.
Cover: Ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir on lower slopes grading into mixed conifer, lodgepole and subalpine fir up high; large burn scars now in bitterbrush, ceanothus, fireweed, grasses and young conifer regrowth that pull deer to the succulent feed; riparian brush and aspen along the Chewuch and its tributaries.
Landmarks: Chewuch River (central drainage, flows to Winthrop) · Eight-mile Creek drainage · Cub Creek · Buck Lake · Lower Boulder Creek · Rendezvous Unit of the Methow Wildlife Area (south) · Pasayten Wilderness (northern high country) · Post-2000 wildfire burns (roughly half the unit)
Access
Almost entirely public national forest — access is excellent on paper, but the terrain does the gatekeeping. This is a backpacking/spike-camp unit: the best hunting is in high, semi-roadless burns reached on foot from the ends of forest roads. A GPS and offline maps are essential in this big, remote country. The Chewuch River Road (FS 51) is the spine; side roads climb the tributaries but many high burns require walking in. Private ground is limited to the lower river bottom near Winthrop.
Managers: USFS Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (dominant), WDFW Methow Wildlife Area (Rendezvous Unit), Private land (lower Chewuch/Winthrop fringe)
Access points: Chewuch River Road (FS 51) north out of Winthrop — the main artery · Eight-mile Creek Road and Cub Creek Road into the western drainages · Boulder Creek / Buck Lake road network · Rendezvous Unit roads and trails of the Methow Wildlife Area (south)
Species notes
Mule Deer
common qualityThe reason to hunt 218 — part of District 6's large migratory mule deer herd, with the highest densities along the Methow/Okanogan divide. Higher-elevation burns are the go-to: deer favor the succulent green-up and open sightlines, and the terrain lets you glass and stalk from a distance. WDFW points hunters to the Eight-mile drainage, along the Chewuch River, the lower Rendezvous Unit, and the Cub Creek / Buck Lake / Lower Boulder Creek country on the National Forest.
- →Backpack or spike-camp into high burns and glass the open regrowth slopes at first and last light, then stalk from distance.
- →Hunt the transition edges where old burn meets standing timber — deer bed in cover and feed in the green-up.
- →Glass the Eight-mile and Chewuch drainages and work up-country away from the roads.
- →Time a late permit hunt to the migration, when deer shift down the divide and river corridor ahead of snow.
- →Be in shape and be self-sufficient — the payoff country is a hike from any trailhead.
Whitetail Deer
limited opportunityA minor presence relative to mule deer, concentrated in the lower Eight-mile drainage and the Chewuch River bottoms. A bonus opportunity, not a reason to draw or plan around.
- →Hunt the brushy river bottoms and lower Eight-mile drainage where whitetail hold.
- →Still-hunt the riparian cover and ag/timber edges near the valley floor.
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bears are well distributed through the timbered slopes, berry basins and burn regrowth. The far northwestern high country edges the North Cascades grizzly recovery zone, so know your bears.
- →Glass burns, avalanche chutes and berry fields in late summer and early fall.
- →Hunt the green-up and creek-bottom edges where bears feed.
Cougar
common opportunityCougars track the migratory deer through the unit's timber and river corridors. Mostly incidental to deer hunting or hunted with tracking snow.
- →Cut forest-road and ridge edges for tracks after fresh snow.
- →Hunt near winter deer concentrations along the Chewuch corridor.
Pro tips
- →Hunt the high burns — post-2000 fire regrowth is the number-one mule deer draw in this unit.
- →Treat it as a backpacking unit: get above the roads on foot and glass big country for bedded bucks.
- →Focus the Eight-mile drainage, Chewuch corridor, and Cub Creek/Buck Lake/Boulder Creek country WDFW highlights.
- →Carry a GPS/offline maps and a sat communicator — it is remote, steep and short on cell service.
- →Time a late hunt to the migration when deer funnel down the Methow/Okanogan divide.
Watch out for
- !Roughly half the unit has burned since 2000 — expect snags, deadfall, washed-out roads and possible active fire/closures.
- !Remote, steep terrain with poor cell coverage; self-rescue capability matters.
- !Northwestern high country edges the North Cascades grizzly recovery zone — know your bears.
- !No resident elk herd — do not plan an elk hunt here.
- !Upper forest roads and trailheads close with early snow, cutting off the best country.
Logistics
Winthrop is the jump-off — fuel, groceries, lodging and the head of the Chewuch River Road. Twisp adds services just south. Dispersed camping is abundant on the National Forest; plan on spike camps for the high burns. Cell coverage dies quickly up the Chewuch and its tributaries — carry offline maps and, ideally, a satellite communicator. Forest roads are gravel and snow out at elevation early.
Nearest towns: Winthrop, Twisp, Mazama, Carlton
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Washington sources:
Research sources: WDFW District 6 Hunting Prospects (Okanogan County) · GOHUNT — Washington Unit 218 Chewuch profile · Methow Valley News — deer season outlook
FAQ
- How big is GMU 218 in Washington?
- GMU 218 (Chewuch) covers about 466 square miles, ranging from roughly 1,800 to 8,200 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 218?
- Approximately 95% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (dominant), WDFW Methow Wildlife Area (Rendezvous Unit), Private land (lower Chewuch/Winthrop fringe). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 218?
- Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, 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 218 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.