GMU 172 - Mountain View, Washington

Rugged Blue Mountains terrain in southern Asotin and Garfield counties. Elevation spans roughly 1,800 to 6,000 feet. North-facing slopes hold dense ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, and mixed conifer; south-facing aspects open into dry grassland benches and bunchgrass flats. The Grande Ronde River cuts a 1,000-foot canyon through the unit's southeast corner, creating steep talus breaks above the river. Menatchee Creek, Cougar Creek, and a network of smaller drainages carve corridors connecting the high forest to the river bottom. Basalt rimrock features are common along the canyon edges. Much of the backcountry National Forest is effectively roadless, rewarding pack-in hunters.

Umatilla National Forest covers the northern and central highlands — primary public access for backcountry elk and mule deer hunting with limited interior roads. The 4-O Ranch Wildlife Area (10,464 acres, part of Chief Joseph Wildlife Area) anchors the unit's southern core along the Grande Ronde River off Highway 129 / Grande Ronde River Road; Discover Pass required, motorized travel restricted to county roads. BLM sections line the Grande Ronde breaks on the south. Grouse Flats Unit provides additional scattered public parcels. Highway 129 from Clarkston south to the Oregon border provides the main access corridor. The 4-O Ranch deer and elk hunting is permit-only (managed draw access); grouse hunting is open-access.

Upper elevation: mixed conifer (Douglas-fir, grand fir, larch) transitioning to open ponderosa pine and bunchgrass parkland. Mid-elevation benches: native bunchgrass, rabbitbrush, and sagebrush with scattered ponderosa. Riparian corridors: cottonwood, alder, and willow along the Grande Ronde and tributary creeks. Agricultural fields and hay meadows on private land benches above the canyon rim attract deer and elk during low-light periods. The 4-O Ranch retains active grazing and farming operations that maintain open meadow patches adjacent to timber.

Elk winter in the lower-elevation Grande Ronde canyon and river bottom, then migrate up into Umatilla National Forest timber in summer and early fall. During the September rut, bulls move through creek-bottom timber and meadow edges. General season pressure pushes elk into steeper roadless drainages. Mule deer occupy the high benches and forested ridges in summer, dropping to break country and canyon rims in late season. White-tailed deer concentrate in riparian bottoms along the Grande Ronde and its tributary creeks year-round, more visible in the lower benchland-agricultural edge. Bighorn sheep (Mountain View herd) use talus and rimrock along the Grande Ronde canyon — the 4-O Ranch provides ~75% of core bighorn habitat.

GMU 172 is managed for elk population stability or growth (District 3 objective). General elk season is spike-bull only; any-bull elk require competitive special permit draws (Hunt 2009 EF rifle: 5 permits, avg 18 preference points; Hunt 2052 EA archery: 3 permits, avg 11 pts; Hunt 2075 EM muzzleloader: 2 permits, avg 15 pts — 561 applicants competed for the 5 rifle slots in 2025). The 2023 general elk season recorded 303 hunters afield, 23 elk harvested, 9% overall success rate (firearm 9%, muzzleloader 6%, archery 0%). All harvested elk were spike or forked bulls. Deer carry a 3-point-minimum antler restriction in this GMU. CWD transport restrictions apply across Region 1 as of 2025-26. The 4-O Ranch Wildlife Area limits deer and elk hunting to permit-access to manage hunter numbers and maintain quality. Black bear and cougar are incidentally present; wolf presence confirmed. Wild turkey season available. Bighorn sheep are present but managed under separate limited-entry sheep permit system.