This is a triangle shaped unit, starting at Kettle Falls on the south point up to the Canadian border. Unit 105 falls within District 1 in the northeastern corner of the state and is comprised of 7 game management units. Four mountain ranges dominate the district: Selkirk, Calispell, Huckleberry and Kettle, with the highest point at just over 7,300-ft in elevation. Columbia River watershed is drained by the Pend Oreille, Colville, Kettle and Columbia Rivers, and includes Lake Roosevelt. Over one third of the district is public land and predominantly national forest. Timber companies are the largest private landholders and often open land to hunters who gain written permission from the manager. The northern interior of this unit consists of Colville National Forest and a bit of state and BLM land. Colville National Forest has a good series of trails and roads, however there are a few private land locked sections, so keep your GPS on. The southern tip of Kelly Hill is Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area at 1,400-ft in elevation; from there about half way north through the unit is basically all private. There is way more open terrain here than in the northern portion, with very few scattered squares of state land. Plan on spending your summers fishing and hiking Colville National Forest; your time spent in this backcountry won’t be wasted when you pitch up during hunting season.

This area is fairly easy to figure out. Logged areas within the national forest have been productive; work the edges in the morning and the evening. The 2018 fire season produced a big burn along the Canadian border in Colville National Forest.

This unit has heavily wooded and featured terrain in the north, giving animals lots of places to hide from pressure. Several creeks wind their way through these valleys along with a few mountain lakes. The lower portion consists of more broken country, with open benches between the Kettle River following Hwy 395 in the west and the Columbia River in the east.

Vegetation consists of old growth conifer forests with contrasting logged areas in various stages of regrowth. Logging over the years has really helped diversify the forest floor vegetation with revegetation at multiple age-classes of rejuvenation. The southern and southeastern side opens up, with broken timber and a few agricultural fields.

Colville National Forest has easy access, but is dotted with private tracks of land, so bring your GPS. There are a good series of unimproved roads and trails here as well. Some private timber companies may give access, so make sure to gain permission prior to your hunt. The southern tip of the unit is private, so knocking on doors and asking for access may be your best bet; you can find landowner names on current plat maps.

Primitive camping on the National Forest is allowed for the majority of the year, but various fire bans and forest road closures may be in effect, so double check any restrictions or permits necessary prior to your trip. If you are more interested in a bed and a shower, and being closer to gas stations, restaurants, and a grocery store, your best option will be the small town of Kettle Falls at the southern tip of the unit.