GMU 260 Foster Creek
Big ranches and big views wrapped by the Columbia on three sides — three WDFW wildlife units, dense mule deer, and District 7's best waterfowl at Bridgeport Bar.
WDFW Region 2 — Columbia Basin / Waterville Plateau (District 7, Douglas County) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
142
sq mi
Public land
20%
approx.
Elevation
780–2,500
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
GMU 260 "Foster Creek" is a compact (~139-square-mile) unit in northern Douglas County, bordered by the Columbia River on three sides above Bridgeport and Brewster. It is big-ranch shrubsteppe and grain country broken by the Foster Creek drainage and the steep Columbia breaks. For its size it carries a lot of public opportunity: WDFW's Central Ferry Canyon, Bridgeport, and West Foster Creek Wildlife Units all sit inside it and offer good resident mule deer and upland bird hunting. It is also the small, dense unit — highest deer-harvest-per-square-mile and highest hunter density in Douglas County — and the majority of District 7's waterfowl harvest happens here at Bridgeport Bar and the Brewster Pool.
Terrain
From the Columbia River / Rufus Woods Reservoir near 780 ft at Bridgeport and the Brewster Pool, steep basalt breaks and the Foster Creek and Central Ferry Canyon drainages climb onto shrubsteppe and grain benches around 2,300-2,500 ft. Deer key on the broken breaks and canyon cover next to farmed and native forage.
Cover: Big sagebrush and bunchgrass shrubsteppe, dryland wheat and CRP grass on the benches, and riparian brush and restored creek plantings in Foster Creek and along the river bottoms. WDFW has done post-fire habitat work here — weed suppression, native-grass seeding, irrigation rebuilds, erosion control, fencing, and woody plantings in the creeks after the 2020 Pearl Hill fire.
Landmarks: Columbia River / Rufus Woods Reservoir · Bridgeport Bar and the Brewster Pool · Bridgeport State Park · Foster Creek · Central Ferry Canyon · Town of Bridgeport · Chief Joseph Dam (northeast boundary)
Access
Unusually good public opportunity for a Douglas County unit: three WDFW wildlife units (Central Ferry Canyon, Bridgeport, West Foster Creek) provide walk-in deer, upland, and waterfowl ground, and the Columbia shoreline at Bridgeport Bar/Brewster Pool is the district's waterfowl core. Surrounding land is big private ranches, so check WDFW's Private Lands Hunter Access enrollments (Free to Hunt, Register to Hunt, Hunt by Reservation, Hunt by Written Permission) for the current year before relying on any parcel. A Discover Pass is required on WDFW lands. This is the highest hunter-density deer unit in the county — expect company.
Managers: Private ranch and dryland-farm ground (dominant ownership, big ranches), WDFW — Central Ferry Canyon, Bridgeport, and West Foster Creek Wildlife Units, Bureau of Reclamation / Columbia River (Brewster Pool, Bridgeport Bar shoreline), Washington DNR and BLM (scattered parcels)
Access points: US-97 and the Columbia River corridor into Bridgeport and Brewster · Bridgeport State Park and the Bridgeport Bar shoreline · Central Ferry Canyon Wildlife Unit road access · West Foster Creek Wildlife Unit off the Foster Creek drainage · County grid roads climbing onto the grain benches from the river
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityThe primary big-game draw. Foster Creek is small but dense: it posted the highest deer-harvest-per-square-mile in Douglas County (52 general-season bucks in 2024 — 40 three-point, 20 four-point) at the highest hunter density, with modest ~18% modern-firearm success and ~33% archery success. These are resident open-country muleys concentrated in the breaks, canyons, and creek cover adjacent to grain and sage. The three WDFW units make it one of the more walk-in-friendly deer hunts in the county.
- →Work the Columbia breaks and the Central Ferry Canyon / Foster Creek drainages where broken cover meets grain and sage — that seam holds the deer.
- →Glass canyon rims and benches at first and last light, then spot-and-stalk across the open ground.
- →Hunt the WDFW wildlife units early before pressure builds; hunter density is the highest in the county here.
- →Scout bachelor groups on the big ranches and secure landowner permission well before the opener where public ground is crowded.
- →In broken coulee country, expect deer to live in small, secure pockets and hold tight — still-hunt the thick draws midday.
Whitetail Deer
transient lowWhitetails are a rare incidental in Douglas County, limited to a few brushy Columbia and Foster Creek bottoms. Nearly all deer harvested here are mule deer.
- →If encountered, look to the riparian brush along the river and creek bottoms.
- →Confirm species before shooting — season structures can differ.
Cougar
limited opportunityThe Columbia River breaks and Rufus Woods country in and around 260 are among the better cougar areas in Douglas County — rough terrain that gives cats cover and access to deer. Still an incidental, snow-tracking pursuit.
- →Wait for fresh snow and track cats on foot along the breaks and canyon rims.
- →Focus the Rufus Woods and Columbia breaks where deer winter and cougars follow.
Rocky Mountain Elk
transient lowElk are very rare across Douglas County (about 2 taken county-wide in 2024). WDFW runs liberal any-elk seasons in all GMUs to keep elk out of crops. Not a unit to target for elk.
- →Treat any elk as a chance encounter while deer or bird hunting.
- →If pursued, check recovering burn edges and creek corridors where forage regrew.
Pro tips
- →Lean on the three WDFW units (Central Ferry Canyon, Bridgeport, West Foster Creek) for walk-in deer and birds — rare reliable public ground in Douglas County.
- →Hunt the Columbia breaks and canyon drainages where broken cover meets grain and sage; that edge is where the density shows up.
- →This is the highest hunter-density deer unit in the county — hunt hard the first hours of the opener and scout private ranch access as a pressure release.
- →Stack a waterfowl hunt on top: Bridgeport Bar and the Brewster Pool are District 7's best duck water, especially once cold pushes birds down.
- →Great pheasant and upland bird hunting shares the same CRP-and-shrubsteppe ground.
- →No CWD carcass restriction currently in District 7, but confirm the current rule before hauling meat out.
Watch out for
- !Highest hunter density in Douglas County — public ground gets crowded fast on opening weekend.
- !Surrounding big ranches are private; verify Hunter Access enrollment and boundaries before hunting any parcel.
- !Severe multi-year drought has cut deer numbers and dried up water sources.
- !The 2020 Pearl Hill fire burned through here; some cover and forage is still recovering despite WDFW restoration work.
- !River-corridor no-shooting and boundary rules apply near Bridgeport State Park and developed areas — know them before hunting the shoreline.
Logistics
Base out of Bridgeport or Brewster (across the river) for fuel, food, and lodging, with Bridgeport State Park offering camping near the Brewster Pool; Waterville is the Douglas County seat. Access along the Columbia via US-97 is easy, and a good county road grid climbs onto the benches, but much of that ground is private ranchland — carry a private/public boundary layer and the current Hunter Access enrollment list offline. A Discover Pass is required on WDFW units. This unit doubles as a duck-and-goose destination, so a combined deer/waterfowl trip is natural.
Nearest towns: Bridgeport, Brewster, Mansfield, Waterville, Okanogan
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 (GMU 260 Foster Creek wildlife units, harvest-per-mi2, Bridgeport Bar/Brewster Pool waterfowl, Pearl Hill restoration) · WDFW — Game Management Units (GMU 260 Foster Creek boundary & hunt planner) · WDFW — Private Lands Hunter Access Program (enrollment types, Douglas County)
FAQ
- How big is GMU 260 in Washington?
- GMU 260 (Foster Creek) covers about 142 square miles, ranging from roughly 780 to 2,500 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 260?
- Approximately 20% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Private ranch and dryland-farm ground (dominant ownership, big ranches), WDFW — Central Ferry Canyon, Bridgeport, and West Foster Creek Wildlife Units, Bureau of Reclamation / Columbia River (Brewster Pool, Bridgeport Bar shoreline), Washington DNR and BLM (scattered parcels). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 260?
- Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, 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 260 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.