There are three areas that make up the Kettle Range/East Okanogan hunt area for bull moose. This is a great moose unit if you area DIY hunter looking for miles of public land, and an opportunity at an above average bull.

There was an unusual, large scale outbreak of Bluetongue in the late summer of 2015. Although this outbreak seemed short lived as there were no reports in 2016 or 2017, this, along with a large amount of predator activity, continues to have an impact on all ungulate herds in this region of the state.

In the middle sections, the elevations start at less than 1,300 feet on the banks of the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area and climb to over 7,000 feet on Snow Peak in the southeast corner of the unit -needless to say, this is some big country. With countless peaks at over 5,000 feet across the unit, expect lots of very broken terrain as you leave the river and continue to gradually gain elevation as you head west into the Colville National Forest. Sparse hills that lead into large tracts of conifer timber are what the majority of the unit is covered in.

In the western side, on the banks of the Okanogan River as you get near the Canadian border, elevations get as low as 885 feet. As you make your way to the west there is a seemingly endless amount of grass mixed with evergreens, and aspens winding their way through a sea of small valleys and rolling hills. As you start to gain elevations in the Okanogan National Forest you will start to get into large amounts of thick conifer timber, particularly in higher elevations. Mount Bonapart is the highest peak in the unit and at over 7,000 feet only 12 miles from the river, as the crow flies, the elevation change in this particular southwest part of the unit is dramatic. On the northeast side of the unit, you can expect very broken terrain with a heavy amount of conifer timber. Overall, this is a very dry unit, with some marshes and wet areas the further west you get.

Although there are some scattered aspen patches, the primary vegetation consists of different species of pine, ranging from ponderosa pine and douglas fir on drier sites to western red cedar, western hemlock, and western white pine. The forest also has a large amount of lodgepole pine and the incredible western larch. Creek beds, river bottoms, and marshy areas are scattered across the unit and are lined with willows and a variety of grasses. In the eastern side, there are different species of pine ranging from ponderosa pine and douglas fir on drier sites, to western red cedar, western hemlock, and western white pine is the primary vegetation in this area.

In the middle, section Hwy 20 runs east coming out of the town of Republic and west out of Kettle Falls. Just over 7 miles going west on Hwy 20, once the road takes a 90 degree turn away from the Columbia River and Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, you will run into the South Fork Sherman Creek Road. This road will head southwest from the highway and take you just south of Scalawag Ridge, and eventually on the east side of Barnaby Buttes, Bald Mountain, Snow Peak, and Sherman Peak. With smaller less maintained roads heading in all directions, this is a great starting point and will give you miles of public land in all directions to focus your efforts on.

On the western section, Nicholson Creek Road heads west off of County Hwy 502 just before the Okanogan and Ferry county line. This main access will take you deep into the Okanogan National Forest and to many less maintained roads in the northeast corner of the unit. The first few miles of this road go through private property so it is a good idea when in this area of the unit to keep a GPS close and be sure of where you are at.

On the eastern section, just north of Northport, forking west off of Hwy 25, is Sheep Creek Road (Co Rd 800). There are a number of “Sheep Creek” branches and sub roads, but if you stay on the main road it will take you deep into the unit and eventually onto the south side of Lead Pencil Mountain and the east and south sides of Churchill Mountain. There are a number of less maintained roads coming off of this main road; it eventually links up with Lael-Flat Creek Rd (Co Hwy 4181) which heads south and will come out on Northport Flatcreek Road. If you head north from here, it will take you straight back to Northport. There are thousands of acres of lumber company property as you leave Northport sitting on the east side of the forest. For a small access fee, most of these companies will allow walk-in access. With county roads going right through a number of these lumber areas, thousands of quality acres will be available for you to hunt as you head towards Lead Pencil Mountain and beyond.

Although primitive camping is allowed in the forest, it is always a good idea to check for closures and any regulations before you head out. If you are looking for more of an established campground, there is the Canyon Creek Campground, closest to the South Fork Sherman Creek Road turn off, and the Sherman Pass Campground, about halfway in between the towns of Kettle Falls and Republic. If you are looking for a bed and a shower to stay in for the duration of your hunt, both Republic and Kettle Falls have locally owned accommodations, as well as gas and groceries. Tribal Trails, a gas station close to the Canyon Creek Campground, has fuel and limited supplies.