GMU 269 Moses Coulee
The most dramatic coulee in the district — mule deer and chukar in the basalt breaks of Moses Coulee
WDFW Region 2 — North Central Washington (District 7, Douglas County) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
332
sq mi
Public land
22%
approx.
Elevation
600–3,600
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 269 (Moses Coulee) runs from US-2 south to where Moses Coulee empties into the Columbia River, in southwestern Douglas County. WDFW calls it the district's most dramatic coulee habitat: a deep basalt canyon that bends around Airplane, Skookumchuck and Petrified canyons, with rolling ridges — the Badger Mountains west to Dry Coulee and Three Devils — running perpendicular to the main coulee. Near the Columbia the coulee deepens into high, steep bluffs. Mule deer are spread throughout and do well in this diverse terrain; a handful of whitetail hold along the Columbia corridor. Unlike the rest of open Douglas County, GMU 269 offers two large BLM blocks and enrolled access lands, giving it more genuine public opportunity than its neighbors.
Terrain
A deep basalt coulee cutting south to the Columbia, flanked by rolling ridge-and-canyon country. The coulee floor and Columbia confluence drop toward 600 ft while the plateau ridges and Badger Mountains rise to roughly 3,600 ft. The lower coulee becomes a steep-walled canyon with high bluffs near the river.
Cover: Shrub-steppe sagebrush and bunchgrass on the slopes and rims, dryland wheat and CRP on the plateau tops (agriculture is nearly half the land use), with brushy draws and sparse riparian pockets in the canyon bottoms; the rocky breaks hold prime chukar habitat.
Landmarks: Moses Coulee · Airplane / Skookumchuck / Petrified canyons · Dry Coulee · Three Devils · Badger Mountains · Columbia River confluence
Access
About 22% of the unit is public, anchored by two large BLM blocks — one north, one south — which form the main blocks of continuous public hunting. Some BLM and state parcels are landlocked inside private ground, and reaching public ground often means crossing private land, so a GPS with ownership layers is essential. WDFW has enrolled over 60,000 acres in its Feel Free to Hunt (walk-in) and Hunt by Written Permission programs, and several Written-Permission parcels border the large south BLM block — chaining those to the BLM is the key to a workable public hunt here.
Managers: Private (dryland wheat / ranch), BLM, WDNR, Private CRP
Access points: US-2 corridor (north boundary) · Moses Coulee Road · North BLM block · South BLM block (with adjacent Hunt by Written Permission parcels) · Columbia River confluence at the coulee mouth
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityThe headline hunt. WDFW reports mule deer are spread throughout GMU 269 and do well in the diverse coulee habitat. The mix of BLM blocks, enrolled access ground and broken canyon terrain makes this one of the more DIY-friendly deer units in otherwise-private Douglas County, though open sage still means lower buck escapement and mostly opportunity-class bucks.
- →Glass the coulee rims, side-canyon heads and sage benches at dawn and dusk
- →Work the two BLM blocks and chain them to adjacent Feel Free to Hunt / Written Permission ground
- →Hunt the broken breaks near the Columbia where deer find both feed and escape cover
- →Use snow or a cold front to concentrate deer onto predictable feed
Cougar
common opportunityWDFW lists Moses Coulee (269) among the District 7 units with consistent cougar harvest. The rough Moses Coulee and Columbia breaks give cougars access to deer herds plus stalking cover, making this reliable cat country.
- →Hunt the coulee and Columbia breaks where cougars shadow deer
- →Wait for fresh snow and track on foot
- →Concentrate on the steep, broken bluff country near the coulee mouth
Whitetail Deer
limited lowA small number of white-tailed deer occur along the Columbia River corridor at the coulee mouth, but mule deer overwhelmingly dominate the harvest. Incidental at best.
- →Check dense riparian brush along the Columbia confluence
- →Expect them as a bonus during the mule deer hunt
Black Bear
transient lowBlack bears are sparse across Douglas County (Columbia Basin BMU) and only occasionally disperse through the coulee's brushy draws. Not a target species here.
- →A rare incidental in brushy riparian draws during deer season
- →Remember the statewide mandatory bear premolar-tooth submission
Pro tips
- →This is the best public-land deer bet in Douglas County — build your hunt around the two BLM blocks and the Written Permission ground bordering the south block
- →Carry GPS/onX with ownership layers: landlocked BLM and state parcels and crossing private ground make boundaries genuinely tricky here
- →The Moses Coulee breaks are a legitimate chukar destination — bring a shotgun for a deer-and-bird mixed bag, but note most Douglas breaks chukar habitat is private
- →Hunt the side-canyon heads and rims, not just the coulee floor — deer bed the breaks and feed the benches
- →Let weather do the work: an early snow both concentrates deer and turns cougar tracking on
Watch out for
- !Public BLM/state parcels can be landlocked inside private ground and access often requires crossing private land — verify legal access before you go
- !Do not assume the whole coulee is open; roughly three-quarters of the unit is private and permission is required
- !Primitive coulee roads turn to mud or snow late season; steep basalt breaks are hazardous with ice
- !Antlerless permit levels and Deer Area/crop-damage rules shift year to year — check current regulations
Logistics
This is remote coulee country with no services inside the unit; Palisades is a tiny wide spot, so plan to base in Waterville on the plateau or in Wenatchee/East Wenatchee (roughly 45 minutes via US-2) for fuel, groceries and lodging. Dispersed camping is possible on the BLM blocks. Roads into and along the coulee can be primitive; carry recovery gear and expect dust early and mud/snow late.
Nearest towns: Waterville, Orondo, Palisades, East Wenatchee, Wenatchee
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 · Washington Unit 269 — Moses Coulee (GOHUNT)
FAQ
- How big is GMU 269 in Washington?
- GMU 269 (Moses Coulee) covers about 332 square miles, ranging from roughly 600 to 3,600 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 269?
- Approximately 22% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Private (dryland wheat / ranch), BLM, WDNR, Private CRP. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 269?
- 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.
Put GMU 269 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.