GMU 233 Pogue
Fire-reworked mule deer winter range on the Okanogan River's west benches — half public, three wildlife areas, migratory bucks that show up with the snow.
WDFW Region 2 — Okanogan / North Central (District 6) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
222
sq mi
Public land
50%
approx.
Elevation
900–6,000
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 233 (Pogue) sits in the heart of Okanogan County's District 6, running west from the Okanogan River near Omak and Okanogan up into the burned-over benches and low conifer of the east Cascade foothills, with Fish Lake on the north edge. WDFW calls the district home to one of the largest migratory mule deer herds in the state, and Pogue is predominantly mule deer country with a few scattered whitetails in the lower riparian cover. The unit is roughly a 50/50 public/private mix, but the public ground is concentrated in three productive blocks: the Pogue Mountain Unit of the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area, the Carter Mountain and Buzzard Lake units of the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area, and public land in the Salmon Creek drainage. Roughly 90 percent of the GMU has burned to some degree since 2008, and those fire scars now grow excellent deer forage. Elk are nearly absent here; this is a deer, bear and cougar hunt.
Terrain
The unit climbs from the Okanogan River valley floor (~900 ft) on the eastern border up through open shrubsteppe benches and mule deer winter range into low conifer mountains and burn scars to the west. Pogue Mountain and the Scotch Creek country northwest of Omak form the mid-elevation core; the western reaches rise into Loup Loup State Forest and Okanogan National Forest timber.
Cover: Desert shrubsteppe and mature big sagebrush with tall bunchgrass at the lowest elevations, grading into ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir and mixed conifer in the mountains to the west. Extensive wildfire since 2008 has left a mosaic of standing burn, regenerating brush and tender protein-rich forage across roughly 90 percent of the unit — prime deer feed.
Landmarks: Okanogan River (east border) · Fish Lake (north edge) · Pogue Mountain / Scotch Creek Wildlife Area (Pogue Mountain Unit) · Carter Mountain & Buzzard Lake (Sinlahekin Wildlife Area units) · Salmon Creek drainage · Loup Loup State Forest · Green Lake
Access
Roughly half the unit is public, and WDFW steers hunters to the state wildlife areas as the best starting points: the Pogue Mountain Unit of the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area, the Carter Mountain and Buzzard Lake units of the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area, and public land in the Salmon Creek drainage. Access to the Pogue Mountain Unit is genuinely limited — the main way in is Green Lake Road on the west side (Green Lake Campground); most other roads to the property cross private land, and the unit is closed to motorized vehicles, so plan on walking old logging grades. Discover Pass required on WDNR and WDFW lands. The lower agricultural benches along the Okanogan River are heavily private; ask permission before the season.
Managers: WDFW (Scotch Creek & Sinlahekin Wildlife Areas), USFS Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, WDNR (Loup Loup State Forest), BLM, Private agriculture / timber
Access points: Green Lake Road / Green Lake Campground (Pogue Mountain Unit) · Salmon Creek drainage roads west of Okanogan · Conconully Highway corridor · Sinlahekin Valley (Carter Mountain / Buzzard Lake units) · US-97 corridor along the Okanogan River
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityPogue is predominantly mule deer country within one of the state's largest migratory herds. Early season deer are dispersed and higher in the burns and conifer to the west; the real payoff comes later when snow in the high country pushes migratory bucks down onto the south-facing winter-range benches of the Scotch Creek and Sinlahekin wildlife areas. District-wide 2023 success ran about 13% modern, 17% muzzleloader and 23% archery, with a below-average buck:doe ratio going into recent seasons.
- →Time a later hunt to the first real snow — migratory bucks pour onto the winter-range benches once high country fills in
- →Glass burn edges and regenerating brush where the fire scars grow tender forage deer favor
- →Work south-facing slopes of the Scotch Creek (Pogue Mountain) and Sinlahekin units at first and last light
- →Hike in from Green Lake Road on old logging grades to reach lightly pressured Pogue Mountain ground
Whitetail Deer
limited opportunityWhitetails are a minority here — a few scattered animals in the lower, thicker riparian cover adjoining private farm ground along the Okanogan River and Salmon Creek. WDFW points whitetail hunters to the Happy Hill area of the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area and the Buzzard Lake Unit of the Sinlahekin and adjacent DNR lands.
- →Hunt brushy creek bottoms and riparian edges where cover meets open farmland
- →Sit game trails and forest edges from a blind or stand at dawn and dusk
- →Check the Happy Hill area (Scotch Creek WA) and Buzzard Lake Unit (Sinlahekin WA)
- →Secure private-land permission early — many valley whitetails live on ag ground
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bears are reasonably abundant and well-distributed across District 6; western Okanogan County densities run around 22 bears per 100 sq km, about average for eastern Washington. Eastern Washington carries a two-bear limit, and district bear harvest has climbed since that change.
- →Glass old burns, berry patches and regenerating cuts in late summer and early fall
- →Work forest-road and meadow edges where bears feed on grasses and forbs
- →Hunt the conifer transition and creek bottoms on the western side of the unit
Cougar
common opportunityThe District 6 cougar population is healthy and dispersed. Cats follow the deer, spreading through the unit into late October and concentrating at lower elevations as deer move to winter range; harvest is managed by GMU-scale guideline.
- →Hunt fresh snow near mule deer winter concentrations
- →Cover ground on the low benches once deer drop out of the high country
- →Most cougar movement is nocturnal — glass at first light for cats caught out
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited lowElk are essentially absent as a huntable resource west of the Okanogan River. WDFW manages elk here to minimize agricultural damage, and hunters took just six elk across all nine western Okanogan County GMUs combined in 2023. Treat any elk as a rare incidental.
- →Do not plan a trip around elk in this unit
- →Any encounter is an opportunistic bonus while deer hunting
Pro tips
- →Learn the burns — roughly 90% of the unit has burned since 2008 and the regenerating scars are where deer feed
- →This is a migration hunt: hang back and let the first mountain snow deliver bucks to the Scotch Creek and Sinlahekin winter-range benches
- →Access to the Pogue Mountain Unit is via Green Lake Road on foot — other approaches cross private land and it's closed to motor vehicles
- →Buy a Discover Pass for the WDFW and WDNR lands and knock on doors early for the private valley whitetail ground
- →Skip elk expectations here — go for mule deer, bear and cougar
Watch out for
- !About half the unit is private ag/timber along the Okanogan River and low benches — respect boundaries and get permission first
- !Second-deer permits in the local Deer Areas are valid on PRIVATE LAND ONLY and require you to arrange landowner access
- !Active wildfires and access/road closures are a recurring fall reality — check InciWeb, Watch Duty and the Okanogan-Wenatchee NF before you go
- !Late-season snow can close the higher western roads; carry chains and a current forest map
- !Extreme heat/drought years raise EHD/blue tongue risk in valley deer
Logistics
Omak and Okanogan on US-97 anchor the unit with fuel, groceries, lodging and services; Conconully to the north is a small resort town gateway to the Sinlahekin. Camping is available at Green Lake and on Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and WDNR ground to the west. Cell coverage is decent along the river corridor and towns but drops off quickly in the western hills.
Nearest towns: Omak, Okanogan, Conconully, Riverside, Malott
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Washington sources:
Research sources: WDFW 2024 District 6 Hunting Prospects (Okanogan County) · WDFW Pogue Mountain Wildlife Area Unit · WDFW Game Management Units
FAQ
- How big is GMU 233 in Washington?
- GMU 233 (Pogue) covers about 222 square miles, ranging from roughly 900 to 6,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 233?
- Approximately 50% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: WDFW (Scotch Creek & Sinlahekin Wildlife Areas), USFS Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, WDNR (Loup Loup State Forest), BLM, Private agriculture / timber. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 233?
- Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Black Bear, Cougar, Rocky Mountain Elk. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Washington agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 233 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.