GMU 248 Big Bend
Shrub-steppe and coulee country: Douglas County's top mule deer producer and its best public bear, chukar, and pheasant.
Region 2 — Columbia Basin / Douglas County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
508
sq mi
Public land
19%
approx.
Elevation
1,000–2,800
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 248 "Big Bend" is a ~516-square-mile Columbia Basin unit in northern Douglas County, set inside the great bend of the Columbia River near Grand Coulee, Electric City, and Banks Lake. It is arid shrub-steppe and rolling sand-hill rangeland — a different world from the forested Chelan Cascades units to the west — dominated by private agricultural land but anchored by the Big Bend Wildlife Area and offering the most public-land access of any Douglas County GMU. It consistently produces the greatest mule deer harvest of any Douglas County unit in both general and special-permit seasons, sometimes exceeding even the top Chelan County GMUs. Beyond deer, Big Bend is the district's standout public-land destination for chukar and pheasant and produces the best black bear success rate in District 7, from bears in the brushy Columbia River draws.
Terrain
Low-relief Columbia Basin plateau of rolling sand hills, grassland, and shrub-steppe with pothole lakes, cut by coulees and the breaks of the Columbia River. Elevation change is modest across most of the unit, with the steepest terrain along the water's edge near Banks Lake and the Columbia. Much of the rangeland has recovered from past fire.
Cover: Sagebrush, bitterbrush, and native bunchgrass shrub-steppe over sandy soils, interspersed with dryland wheat and other agriculture; brushy riparian draws and thickets along the Columbia River and drainages provide cover for deer and bear. Grasslands, recovered burns, and pothole-lake margins add habitat diversity.
Landmarks: Big Bend Wildlife Area · Columbia River (the 'Big Bend' loop, northern boundary) · Banks Lake (east side) · Electric City / Grand Coulee · Steamboat Rock area · Pothole lakes and coulees of the Douglas plateau
Access
Despite being only about 19% public, Big Bend offers the most public-land access of any Douglas County GMU, thanks to the Big Bend Wildlife Area plus roughly 60,000 acres of private land enrolled in WDFW's Private Lands Hunter Access Program and scattered BLM and DNR blocks. The surrounding matrix is private agricultural land where gaining access can be hard, and the public parcels are scattered — a GPS/onX boundary layer is essential to find and stay on them. A Discover Pass is required on WDFW and DNR lands unless you hold a valid hunting/fishing license with vehicle-access privileges. Respect Private Lands Access program rules and signage.
Managers: Private — dryland farms and ranches (dominant landowner), WDFW — Big Bend Wildlife Area, Private lands enrolled in WDFW's Private Lands Hunter Access Program (~60,000 acres), Bureau of Land Management (scattered blocks), Washington DNR / state land (scattered blocks)
Access points: Big Bend Wildlife Area access points and parking areas · SR 155 / SR 174 corridors near Grand Coulee and Electric City · County and farm roads off the Douglas plateau reaching public and enrolled-access parcels · Banks Lake / Steamboat Rock area on the east side
Species notes
Mule Deer
common qualityThe primary draw and Douglas County's top producer: Big Bend consistently sees the greatest number of deer harvested of any Douglas County GMU in both general and special-permit seasons, sometimes exceeding the best Chelan County units. The 2024 general season yielded 118 antlered bucks, and modern-firearm success (~18%) is strong for the region. Highest deer density runs between the Big Bend Wildlife Area and Electric City. Mostly 3- and 4-point bucks with a few mature deer, plus late-season special-permit opportunity.
- →Concentrate on the corridor between the Big Bend Wildlife Area and Electric City, where WDFW notes the highest game density.
- →Glass shrub-steppe draws, coulee heads, and the brushy breaks toward the Columbia at first and last light where deer feed and bed.
- →Still-hunt and spot-and-stalk the sage and bitterbrush benches; use the rolling sand-hill terrain to skyline deer against open ground.
- →Learn the scattered public and Private Lands Access parcels precisely with a boundary map, and consider late-season special permits for a shot at a mature buck.
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bears are sparse in this arid country — Douglas County sits in the Columbia Basin Bear Management Unit (BBMU 9), which produces the smallest share of bear harvest in the state (fewer than 15 bears from all Douglas GMUs annually). But most of those are taken in Big Bend from the brushy riparian draws along the Columbia, and Big Bend bear hunters enjoy a better success rate than hunters in any Chelan County GMU. A low-density but surprisingly efficient opportunity.
- →Focus tightly on the brushy riparian draws and thickets along the Columbia River, where the few bears concentrate.
- →Glass green, brushy pockets at dawn and dusk — in this open country you can spot a bear at distance and plan a stalk.
- →Don't expect numbers; hunt the best cover hard rather than covering lots of dry ground.
Whitetail Deer
transient lowWhitetails occur in low numbers, largely tied to riparian and brushy bottoms; the overwhelming majority of deer taken in the unit are mule deer.
- →If specifically after whitetails, focus the brushy river-bottom and drainage edges.
- →Expect to encounter far more mule deer than whitetail.
Cougar
limited opportunityCougars occur at low density across the shrub-steppe wherever deer concentrate, mostly along the brushier river breaks and coulees. Encounters are incidental; deliberate hunting is a snow-tracking pursuit.
- →Cut tracks in snow along the Columbia breaks and coulees where deer winter.
- →Hunt near the highest deer concentrations, since cats follow the prey.
- →Glass rocky rims and brushy draws where cougars travel and bed.
Pro tips
- →Hunt the Big Bend Wildlife Area-to-Electric City corridor first — WDFW pinpoints it as the highest deer-density ground in the unit.
- →Big Bend is the public-access answer in Douglas County: lean on the wildlife area plus the ~60,000 acres of Private Lands Access enrollment rather than trying to cold-knock private ag.
- →Run a private/public boundary GPS layer constantly — the public and enrolled parcels are scattered through private farmland and easy to bust.
- →Stack a bird hunt on top of your deer hunt — Big Bend offers the district's best public chukar and top pheasant opportunity.
- →For the few bears here, hunt the brushy Columbia River draws specifically; Big Bend has the district's best bear success despite low numbers.
- →Consider late-season mule deer special permits for a realistic shot at a mature buck in the district's top-producing unit.
Watch out for
- !Only ~19% public land in a sea of private ag — without a boundary map and knowledge of the Private Lands Access rules, legal ground is easy to lose track of.
- !Gaining permission on the surrounding private agricultural land can be difficult; plan around the wildlife area and enrolled-access parcels instead.
- !Recent drought and wildfire have depressed Douglas County deer numbers and forage — expectations should be tempered in dry years.
- !Hot, dry, shadeless shrub-steppe early season — carry ample water and watch for fire-season restrictions.
- !A Discover Pass (or valid license with vehicle access) is required on WDFW/DNR lands; Private Lands Access tracts have their own posted rules to follow.
- !Bear density is genuinely low (BBMU 9 is the state's smallest bear-harvest unit) — treat bear as a targeted riparian-draw hunt, not a numbers game.
Logistics
Base out of Electric City, Grand Coulee, or Coulee City for fuel, lodging, and groceries; the Banks Lake / Steamboat Rock area offers state-park camping on the east side. This is open, dusty, driveable country on a network of county and farm roads, but the productive ground is a patchwork of public parcels, the Big Bend Wildlife Area, and enrolled Private Lands Access tracts scattered through private ag land — a GPS boundary layer is essential. Carry water; it is hot and dry with little shade. A Discover Pass is needed on WDFW/DNR lands. Cell coverage is generally decent near the towns and highways but can fade in the coulees.
Nearest towns: Electric City, Grand Coulee, Coulee City, Wilbur, Waterville
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Washington sources:
Research sources: WDFW — 2025 District 7 Hunting Prospects, Chelan & Douglas Counties (GMU 248 access, deer, bear, upland, harvest tables) · WDFW — Game Management Units (GMU 248 Big Bend boundary & hunt planner) · GoHunt — Washington Unit 248 Big Bend profile (19% public, Big Bend Wildlife Area, ~60,000 ac access program, terrain)
FAQ
- How big is GMU 248 in Washington?
- GMU 248 (Big Bend) covers about 508 square miles, ranging from roughly 1,000 to 2,800 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 248?
- Approximately 19% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Private — dryland farms and ranches (dominant landowner), WDFW — Big Bend Wildlife Area, Private lands enrolled in WDFW's Private Lands Hunter Access Program (~60,000 acres), Bureau of Land Management (scattered blocks), Washington DNR / state land (scattered blocks). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 248?
- Mule Deer, Black Bear, Whitetail Deer, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Washington agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 248 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.