GMU 266 Badger
Waterville Plateau wheat-and-sage — private-ground mule deer above the Columbia at Orondo
WDFW Region 2 — North Central Washington (District 7, Douglas County) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
219
sq mi
Public land
10%
approx.
Elevation
700–4,200
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
GMU 266 (Badger) sits on the Waterville Plateau in central Douglas County, running from US-2 at Orondo through the town of Waterville north to the Columbia River along the Chelan-Douglas county line. This is open shrub-steppe and dryland-wheat country, not Cascade timber: mule deer are the bread-and-butter hunt, using the mix of sagebrush draws, CRP fields and scattered tree pockets for food and security. WDFW notes Douglas County is a consistent producer of mule deer opportunity, but because the unit is overwhelmingly private, access — not deer numbers — controls the hunt. Badger is also one of District 7's better cougar units and a rising turkey and forest-grouse spot.
Terrain
A high, open agricultural plateau tilting down to the Columbia River gorge. The Columbia bottom near Orondo sits below 800 ft; the plateau rolls at roughly 2,500-2,800 ft and climbs to the Badger Mountain high country (~4,250 ft) on the western edge above Waterville.
Cover: Shrub-steppe of big sagebrush, bitterbrush and bunchgrass interspersed with dryland wheat and expanding CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) stands; brushy riparian draws and scattered conifer/aspen pockets along drainages and the Columbia breaks provide the limited tree cover and grouse habitat.
Landmarks: Waterville Plateau · Badger Mountain · Columbia River / Chelan-Douglas county line · Orondo (US-2) · town of Waterville
Access
WDFW states that Douglas County lands are mostly private, so access controls the season's impact on the herd — permission is the gating factor here, not deer density. Public parcels are limited and scattered. Hunters should work the WDFW Private Lands Access programs (Feel Free to Hunt signed for walk-in; Hunt by Written Permission requiring a landowner-signed permit slip) and knock on doors early. The open terrain and extensive farm-road network make deer more vulnerable than in the Cascades, so the harvest is effectively regulated by how much ground hunters can get onto.
Managers: Private (dryland wheat / ranch), WDNR, BLM, Private CRP
Access points: US-2 corridor at Orondo · Waterville (SR-172 / county road hub) · Columbia River breaks along the county line · WDFW Private Lands Access (Feel Free to Hunt / Hunt by Written Permission) signed parcels
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityThe primary hunt. Mule deer use the sagebrush draws, CRP and tree pockets across the plateau; WDFW expects the Douglas County herd to grow and provide excellent general and antlerless-permit opportunity. Buck escapement runs lower than in the mountains because open sage gives fewer bucks a place to hide, so mature bucks are a smaller share of the harvest — this is an opportunity unit, not a trophy unit.
- →Glass sagebrush draws, coulee heads and CRP edges at first and last light
- →Hunt the brushy riparian bottoms and tree stringers that break up open wheat ground
- →Secure private-land permission before the opener — access is the whole game here
- →Watch weather: a cold snap or early snow concentrates deer and pushes them to predictable feed
Cougar
common opportunityWDFW names Badger (266) among the District 7 units with consistent cougar harvest, alongside Foster Creek, Moses Coulee and Withrow. Cats work the rough breaks of the Columbia and the drainages that give them stalking cover near deer.
- →Hunt the Columbia River breaks and steep draws where cougars shadow deer herds
- →Wait for fresh snow and track cats on foot — the standard Columbia Basin method
- →Focus dawn and dusk when both deer and cougars move
Whitetail Deer
limited lowA few white-tailed deer occur along the Columbia River corridor and moister riparian bottoms, but almost all deer harvested in District 7 are mule deer. Treat whitetail as an incidental encounter.
- →Check dense riparian brush along the Columbia and larger drainages
- →Expect them as a bonus while hunting mule deer, not as a target
Black Bear
limited lowBlack bears are sparse in Douglas County, which is part of the Columbia Basin Bear Management Unit. WDFW reported only seven bears taken from GMUs 254 and 266 combined in 2019, mostly from brushy riparian draws along the Columbia and side drainages.
- →Hunt brushy riparian draws off the Columbia where the rare bear travels
- →Most bears here are incidental during deer season
- →Remember the statewide mandatory premolar-tooth submission for harvested bears
Pro tips
- →Access is everything: line up Feel Free to Hunt and Hunt by Written Permission ground and door-knock ranchers well before the opener
- →Scout the newer CRP fields and their seed mixes — expanding CRP in Douglas County creates fresh, lightly-hunted deer and bird habitat
- →GMUs 248 and 266 are District 7's best forest-grouse and a rising turkey option — a plateau deer hunt can be a genuine mixed-bag trip
- →Hunt the transition edges where wheat, CRP and sage draws meet; deer feed the openings and bed the brush
- →Let weather work for you — an early cold front or snow moves and bunches the deer onto predictable feed
Watch out for
- !Overwhelmingly private ground — hunting without permission is trespass; the open terrain does not mean open access
- !Public parcels are small and scattered; carry GPS/onX with land-ownership layers to stay legal
- !Deer Area concentration/crop-damage permits and antlerless permit levels change year to year — verify current regulations
- !Harsh winters can knock the herd back and trigger reduced antlerless permits the following season
Logistics
Waterville has basic groceries and fuel on the plateau; Wenatchee/East Wenatchee (about 45 minutes down US-2 from the Columbia) is the full-service hub for lodging, gas and supplies. Lodging on-plateau is limited, so many hunters base in the Wenatchee valley. Cell coverage is decent along US-2 and near towns but drops in the coulee breaks.
Nearest towns: Waterville, Orondo, East Wenatchee, Wenatchee, Chelan
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Washington sources:
Research sources: WDFW District 7 Hunting Prospects 2020 (Chelan & Douglas) · WDFW Game Management Units · Deer Hunting in Washington's Badger — GMU 266 (HuntScore)
FAQ
- How big is GMU 266 in Washington?
- GMU 266 (Badger) covers about 219 square miles, ranging from roughly 700 to 4,200 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 266?
- Approximately 10% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Private (dryland wheat / ranch), WDNR, BLM, Private CRP. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 266?
- Mule Deer, Cougar, Whitetail Deer, Black Bear. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Washington agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
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