GMU 41 Spokane Indian Reservation

White-tailed deer are the mainstay of the reservation's deer hunting, thriving in the mixed pine-fir forest, timber edges, and brushy creek bottoms typical of northeastern Washington. The Spokane Tribe runs distinct white-tail buck and antlerless seasons for members. Note this is tribal-managed hunting — the strong regional whitetail resource is accessible only to Spokane Tribal members and permitted family.

• →Hunt timber-edge and riparian bottoms along Chamokane Creek and the reservoir draws where whitetails concentrate.
• →Work forest openings and old harvest units at first and last light.
• →Rut movement in the late season is the prime window for a mature whitetail buck.
• →Members should follow tribal season structure and avoid collared animals per tribal code.

Mule deer share the reservation with whitetails, favoring the drier, more open south- and west-facing breaks above the Spokane and Columbia rivers. Tribal rules cap mule deer at no more than two per household and — importantly — classify any black-tail or white-tail/mule-deer hybrid as a mule deer for bag purposes. Antlerless mule-deer opportunity is tightly managed and has been closed in some years.

• →Glass open bunchgrass and shrub breaks on south and west aspects above the river canyons at dawn.
• →Hunt the ponderosa/grassland transition where mule deer feed and bed.
• →Respect the household mule-deer limit and the hybrid classification rule under tribal code.
• →Do not harvest collared mule deer.

The reservation supports a managed elk herd that the Spokane Tribe hunts through general and special-permit seasons (senior antlerless, a South Half spike-only bull area west of Little Falls to Wellpinit, and antlerless cow permits), with a limit of one elk per member per year. Elk are a permit-limited, tribally managed resource rather than an abundant general opportunity.

• →Members should apply for the appropriate tribal special elk permit for the area they intend to hunt.
• →The spike-only bull area lies south of the highway from Little Falls west to Wellpinit — key on that timbered ground.
• →Glass forest-meadow and timber-harvest edges early and late.
• →Avoid collared elk per tribal regulations.

Black bears inhabit the reservation's pine-fir forest and brushy draws and are hunted by tribal members under the Spokane Tribe's bear season; pursuing bears with hound dogs requires an annual special hound permit issued through Tribal Council. All bears must be physically checked in at the tribal Department of Natural Resources within 72 hours of harvest.

• →Scout berry-rich draws, old burns, and harvest openings in late summer and early fall.
• →Glass open feeding areas at dawn and dusk.
• →Members using hounds must hold the annual special hound permit from Tribal Council.
• →Check bears in at tribal DNR within 72 hours and avoid collared bears.

Moose have expanded across northeastern Washington and the Spokane Tribe offers a limited moose season for members, reflecting a small but present population in the reservation's wetter timber and riparian bottoms. This is a rare, closely managed opportunity.

• →Focus on willow-and-brush riparian bottoms, beaver ponds, and moist timber pockets.
• →Hunt early and late when moose move to feed.
• →Follow the tribal moose permit/season structure and check-in requirements.

Cougars range throughout the reservation's forested country, following the deer and elk. They are taken by tribal members largely opportunistically or with hounds under tribal regulation. Densities track the strong deer base.

• →Hunt where deer concentrate — the cougars' primary prey — in timbered draws and river breaks.
• →Cut fresh snow on ridge roads and benches for tracks.
• →Follow tribal rules on hound use and mandatory check-in.