This is one of Washington’s largest units and is predominantly National Forest and home to mule deer, whitetail deer, rocky mountain elk, mountain lion, black bear and Shiras moose. Deer and elk can be found throughout the entire unit. The east portion of the unit is dotted with high peaks over 6,000-ft and steep valleys; glassing the north slopes can be productive along with sitting key funnels and travel routes from dark timber to feeding grounds. The Hwy 21 valley access in this portion of the unit is quite limited, and you should expect to run into a lot of private land. At around 2,300-ft the valley is mild when compared to the rest of the unit. The western portion extends to Hwy 9495, with elevations peaking just over 5,000-ft. It will be much easier to glass the broader, less timbered valleys. The very west border is primarily private land with limited access and more broken country favored by deer. If you have enough time to scout, the unit has diversity in habitat, and you may just turn something up outside of where the bulk of the hunters will be focusing.

Weather can play a huge role in this unit. Deer like to hang out around crop edges and fingers in the valleys here. Be sure to pay attention to property lines.

Hwy 395 serves as the eastern boundary, with Hwy 21 splitting the unit in half vertically. This area is mainly private ground and can be very checkerboarded making access difficult. The low ground of the unit sits at around 2,400-ft with agricultural fields, so watch your boundary lines close as fences are not always on the line. The twisting Hwy 9495 will serve as the western boundary.

There is a variety of vegetation in this large unit, ranging from old growth forest to agriculture fields in the main valleys. This unit is diverse, so study the topography maps to figure out the best terrain for your preferred style of hunting. Don’t overlook the use of climbing treestands and sitting over key travel routes.

This is a large unit sandwiched between Canada and the northeast corner of Colville Indian Reservation. The good news is, this unit is predominately Colville and Okanogan National Forests, so access is easy for both the hunter who does not want to stray too far from one of the many trailheads, and the hardcore backpack hunter. There is some private land, mainly along the major roads, so having your GPS unit handy is recommended here.

New 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 in the town of Republic at the intersection of Hwy 20 and Hwy 21. The small town of Kettle Falls will be located on the east side of the unit on HWY 395.