GMU 124 - Mount Spokane, Washington

GMU 124 covers 775 square miles in the Selkirk Mountain foothills northeast of Spokane, bordering Idaho. Elevation ranges from roughly 1,400 feet in the Spokane Valley lowlands to 5,880 feet at the summit of Mount Spokane. The eastern and northern portions along the Idaho border are the most rugged, with steep timbered ridges, dense conifer (ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, Douglas fir) and subalpine meadows near the high country. Moving west and south, terrain transitions to broken private farmland, creek bottoms, grassy benches, and scattered tree patches. The southern portion toward the Spokane Valley is largely suburban. Slopes are moderate to steep — roughly 80% of terrain has slope equal to or less than 21 degrees. The unit straddles several drainages flowing west off the Selkirk divide.

Public land is very limited at approximately 8% of the unit. Public parcels include Mount Spokane State Park (12,444 acres — no hunting allowed), Washington DNR state trust lands (Discover Pass required), and scattered Washington State Parks and conservation areas (most closed to hunting). Private timber is the dominant landowner class; Inland Empire Paper Company (IEP) historically offered a paid public access permit program allowing hunters on their lands, but availability and pricing should be confirmed annually. County parks and conservation areas within the unit also prohibit hunting. The best huntable public ground receives extremely heavy pressure. No significant BLM acreage exists in this unit.

Higher elevations feature dense lodgepole pine, Douglas fir, Engelmann spruce, and subalpine fir with huckleberry and bear grass understory. Mid-elevations transition to ponderosa pine parklands with bunchgrass and forb openings. Lower creek drainages and valley margins support riparian brush, cottonwood, alder, and dense shrub thickets. Private agricultural lands include dryland wheat, hay meadows, and pasture. The diversity of habitats — from dense conifer to open agricultural fringe — supports high deer density and quality elk habitat in the northeastern corner.

White-tailed deer are the dominant big game species. Deer use the forested ridges and creek drainages, filtering onto private agricultural fields and hayfields at dawn and dusk, particularly in fall. The rut runs late October through late December. Elk use the higher-elevation timbered sections along the Idaho border and move to lower benches and creek corridors during hunting pressure. With one-third of District 2 elk hunters concentrated in GMU 124, elk quickly shift to private land and nocturnal patterns after seasons open. Black bear are present in forested areas. Wild turkey occupy the ponderosa pine and oak transition zones at lower elevations. Mule deer are uncommon and largely incidental in the broken country on the western fringes.

CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) has been confirmed in GMU 124. Hunters harvesting deer, elk, or moose in GMU 124 are required to submit the whole head (with at least 3 inches of neck attached) for CWD testing prior to leaving the Eastern Region within 5 days of harvest. Mount Spokane State Park (12,444 acres) is the largest single public tract but prohibits hunting. Hunting pressure in this unit is the highest in District 2 — success rates on public land are low but the unit periodically produces quality mature bulls (6+ point elk). Securing private access is strongly recommended. The Inland Empire Paper access permit (paid) has historically been the best avenue for semi-public access to quality timber ground.