How big is GMU 382 in Washington?

GMU 382 (East Klickitat) covers about 811 square miles, ranging from roughly 200 to 5,100 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.

What species does the catalog list for GMU 382?

Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Cougar, Black Bear. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Washington agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.

GMU 382 East Klickitat

East Klickitat's oak-and-shrubsteppe mule-deer unit — a 3-point trophy GMU on almost entirely private ground

WDFW Region 5 — District 9 / Klickitat County (East Cascades foothills) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12

Mule deer buck trotting across open prairie at dusk

Area

811

sq mi

Public land

10%

approx.

Elevation

200–5,100

feet

Motorized

moderate

access

Overview

GMU 382 East Klickitat covers roughly 811 square miles of eastern Klickitat County, from the Columbia River shrubsteppe up through Rock Creek's coulees into oak-ponderosa forest in the northwestern quarter and the Simcoe Mountains. WDFW manages it as a mule-deer unit (reclassified from blacktail years ago) under a 3-point-or-better antler restriction, part of a Klickitat County cluster (382/388/578) that collectively yields around 1,000 three-point-plus bucks a year — so this is a quality-buck destination for hunters willing to do the legwork. The catch is access: the unit is almost exclusively private, with the only meaningful public ground being the Simcoe Mountains Unit of the Klickitat Wildlife Area and adjacent scattered BLM parcels, interspersed with Yakama Nation trust land. Several private hunt clubs cater to deer and upland hunters. Elk are few, nomadic, and require an Eastern Washington elk tag.

Terrain

A strong south-to-north elevation and habitat gradient: from the Columbia River shrubsteppe near Roosevelt up across dryland-farm plateau cut by north–south draining coulees, into oak-ponderosa foothills and the higher Simcoe Mountains in the northwest. Deep coulees along the East and North Rock Creek roads offer water, browse, and cover in otherwise open country.

Cover: Shrubsteppe grassland and big sagebrush across the south and east; dryland wheat and CRP on the farmed benches; Oregon white oak and ponderosa pine in the northwestern quarter and along Rock Creek; riparian brush and water in the coulee bottoms.

Landmarks: Simcoe Mountains · Klickitat Wildlife Area — Simcoe Mountains Unit · Rock Creek (East Road / North Rock Creek Road coulees) · Columbia River (near Roosevelt) · Bickleton area plateau · oak-ponderosa foothills of the northwest quarter

Access

Almost exclusively private, and access is the defining challenge. The one reliable public anchor is the Simcoe Mountains Unit of the Klickitat Wildlife Area, with some adjacent BLM parcels — but public ground comes in small, broken chunks interspersed with Yakama Nation trust land, so a GPS/mapping app and careful ownership checks are essential. Several private hunt clubs lease and manage deer/upland ground. Work WDFW's Private Lands Access Program (Hunt by Written Permission / Feel Free to Hunt) parcels on the Hunt Planner or OnX, and secure permission early. Discover Pass required on the wildlife area.

Managers: Private dryland-farm, ranch, and hunt-club land, WDFW Klickitat Wildlife Area (Simcoe Mountains Unit), BLM parcels (scattered, near Simcoe), Yakama Nation trust land (interspersed; closed to non-tribal hunters), WDFW Private Lands Access Program enrollments, Private hunt clubs (deer & upland)

Access points: Klickitat Wildlife Area Simcoe Mountains Unit access · East Road and North Rock Creek Road (coulee corridors) · SR 14 along the Columbia near Roosevelt · Bickleton Highway / county grid off the plateau · scattered BLM tracts near the Simcoe Mountains

Species notes

Mule Deer

common quality

The unit's headline species. WDFW manages GMU 382 as a mule-deer unit (changed from blacktail years ago) under a 3-point-or-greater antler restriction, and the Klickitat County GMUs (382/388/578) together produce roughly 1,000 three-point-plus bucks annually — a genuine quality-buck opportunity. Good deer numbers reward hunters who put in the legwork to find and access ground; the coulees, oak-pine fringe, and sage-farm edges hold deer. None of the Klickitat GMUs allow general-season late-buck rifle hunting.

→Anchor on the Simcoe Mountains Unit of the Klickitat Wildlife Area and adjacent BLM, then work Private Lands Access parcels
→Glass the deep Rock Creek coulees (East Road / North Rock Creek Road) for water, browse, and bedding cover
→Hunt the oak-ponderosa fringe of the northwestern quarter where cover meets open feed
→Use a GPS/mapping app constantly — public land is small, broken, and mixed with Yakama trust land
→Be selective for a legal 3-point-plus buck and expect to earn it

Rocky Mountain Elk

limited opportunity

Elk are few and nomadic in East Klickitat — small herds that can be here one day and gone the next — and WDFW considers 382 better for deer than elk. It requires an Eastern Washington elk tag (unlike most of District 9), and private land is generally the best bet for a harvest, with success low.

→Carry an Eastern Washington elk tag — 382 is outside the westside tag area
→Chase fresh sightings; these herds are highly mobile and unpredictable
→Private-land access near the oak-pine and coulee ground is the best shot
→Manage expectations — elk success here is low

Cougar

limited opportunity

Cougars track the deer through the oak-ponderosa foothills, Simcoe Mountains, and Rock Creek coulees. An incidental pursuit alongside deer hunting rather than a destination.

→Cut for tracks in the coulees and oak-pine draws after fresh snow
→Hunt the deer-concentration areas where cats follow prey
→Treat as opportunistic to a deer hunt

Black Bear

limited opportunity

Black bear are a fringe presence in the wetter oak-ponderosa forest of the northwestern quarter and Simcoe Mountains; the open shrubsteppe south and east holds few. A marginal opportunity compared with District 9's forested western units.

→Focus on the oak-ponderosa forest of the northwest quarter and Simcoe Mountains
→Glass oak flats and riparian draws for feeding bears in early fall
→Not a numbers unit — treat bear as an add-on to a deer hunt

Pro tips

→This is a quality-buck unit — the 3-point antler restriction and ~1,000 3pt+ bucks across the Klickitat GMUs make patient, selective hunting pay off.
→Access is everything: anchor on the Simcoe Mountains Unit and BLM, then chase down Private Lands Access parcels and hunt-club or door-knock permission.
→Run a GPS/mapping app at all times — public land is small and broken and laced with Yakama Nation trust land you cannot hunt.
→Hunt the Rock Creek coulees (East Road / North Rock Creek Road) for the water, browse, and cover that concentrate deer in open country.
→Carry an Eastern Washington elk tag if you want any elk option — but plan the trip around deer, not elk.
→Review each Klickitat GMU's rules separately — the antler and season regulations differ unit to unit.

Watch out for

!Almost entirely private with only small, scattered public chunks — trespass risk is high; verify ownership before crossing corners or retrieving game.
!Yakama Nation trust land is interspersed through the unit and is closed to non-tribal hunters — know exactly where those parcels are.
!Private hunt clubs lease much of the best deer ground — access can be locked up without a membership or paid arrangement.
!No general-season late-buck rifle hunt in any Klickitat GMU, and a 3-point-or-better restriction applies — confirm current regs.
!Dry-year fire danger can close normal hunting lands to motorized or all access; scout current conditions before the trip.
!CWD carcass-transport rules apply in eastern Washington — check the current pamphlet.

Logistics

Goldendale, to the west, is the main hub for fuel, lodging, and supplies; Bickleton and Roosevelt offer minimal services on the plateau and river. Expect long gravel-road drives between the scattered public parcels. Cell coverage is spotty across the coulees and back roads — download offline maps. Roads are a paved-plus-gravel county grid; coulee and farm tracks turn slick when wet.

Nearest towns: Goldendale, Bickleton, Roosevelt, Cleveland, Toppenish (north side)

Nearby units

Deer Area 3071 · Whitcomb GMU 388 · Grayback GMU 372 · Rattlesnake Hills Deer Area 3072 · Paterson

Seasons & regulations

This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Washington sources:

Research sources: WDFW 2024 District 9 Hunting Prospects (Clark, Skamania & Klickitat counties) · WDFW 2023 District 9 Hunting Prospects · WDFW Game Management Units · GoHunt — Washington Unit 382 East Klickitat Profile · Goldendale Sentinel — Seasons for Klickitat County GMUs

FAQ

How big is GMU 382 in Washington?: GMU 382 (East Klickitat) covers about 811 square miles, ranging from roughly 200 to 5,100 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
How much public land is in GMU 382?: Approximately 10% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Private dryland-farm, ranch, and hunt-club land, WDFW Klickitat Wildlife Area (Simcoe Mountains Unit), BLM parcels (scattered, near Simcoe), Yakama Nation trust land (interspersed; closed to non-tribal hunters), WDFW Private Lands Access Program enrollments, Private hunt clubs (deer & upland). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
What species does the catalog list for GMU 382?: Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Cougar, 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 382 on your map.

Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.

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